Pick the format that fits the idea and the creator's comfort, then decide the audio. Both are Reels-specific choices a generic "video script" misses — and audio on Instagram comes with a hard publishing limit worth knowing up front.
Reels formats
- Talking head — a person to camera, with energy. Best for opinions, tips, story, hot takes;
builds the face-recognition that converts profile visits to follows. Delivery craft →
talking-head-and-piece-to-camera. - Tutorial / how-to — screen-record or demo, numbered steps. The save-and-send workhorse; strong for Instagram search.
- Transformation / before-after — show the after in the first frame, then earn it. High watch-through when the arc is real (no fabricated results).
- Listicle — "3 tools that…". Fast, dense, rewatchable; loop fuel.
- POV / relatable skit — the shared-experience clip people DM to a specific friend; the purest sends format.
- B-roll + text overlay — aesthetic footage carrying an on-screen-text essay; fully sound-off native, low production cost.
- Faceless / voiceover — b-roll or AI visuals + voiceover. For niches, shy creators, or scaled
output (where the Veo pack earns its place — see
veo-prompt-pack.md).
Match format to the message and to who's making it: don't script a to-camera confession for someone who won't deliver it, or a faceless overlay when a founder's face would build more trust.
Audio strategy
Three choices — and one rule that overrides all of them: the Reel must work on mute (most
viewers never unmute; see reels-mechanics.md).
- Original audio — your own talking/voiceover. The default for founder/brand content,
tutorials, and opinions; it's also what Instagram search transcribes (put the keyword in the
first spoken seconds —
instagram-seo). - Trending audio — a rising track can lend a lift and signals "native," when it genuinely fits the mood or format. Business/creator accounts face a smaller commercial-safe library than personal accounts — check what the account can actually use.
- Music bed — a licensed/commercial-safe track for vibe under a voiceover.
The native-only limit (don't promise otherwise)
Instagram's licensed music library is only attachable in-app. The script names the audio
direction ("trending upbeat track, cuts on the beat" or a specific sound if one is known); the
human adds the track natively when publishing or reviewing the scheduled post. WoopSocial
publishes the video, caption, and cover — it cannot attach IG library audio, and this skill never
claims it can. (Publish mechanics → instagram-reels-publishing.)
The fit test — don't force a trend
A trending audio must serve the message and suit the audience; forcing a meme sound onto a B2B
compliance explainer reads as try-hard and hurts trust. If a trend doesn't fit, use original audio
or a format-level trend (a structure, a template) that does. Live trend research and timing →
trend-jacking — this skill rides a sound where it fits; it doesn't chase the trend feed.
Beat sync
When a track drives the edit, sync cuts and text reveals to its beats — the familiarity does some of the scroll-stopping. Note the sync in the production doc ("cut lands on the drop at 0:07").
Output note
In the production doc, name the audio choice (original / trending / music bed), flag native add-in-app where it applies, and note beat sync when it matters. That's the Reels-native detail a generic script leaves out.
