Influencer marketing report
The First Three Seconds
What 5,528 creator Reels tell brands about writing a better influencer brief.
Key findings
We compared every Reel with its creator's usual views. A hit got 5× their usual views or more. A flop got a quarter or less (a fifth for sponsored Reels).
Most flops opened on the product
76%
of sponsored Reels that flopped opened on the product or logo. 55% of hits kept both out of the first second.
Talking first rarely flops
10%
of sponsored Reels flopped when the creator spoke first and showed the product a few seconds later. Silent openings on the product flopped more than twice as often.
Hits are twice as likely to be acted out
2×
25% of hits were a skit or POV scene, against 13% of normal posts. The pattern held in all four markets.
Eight Reels that took off
Eight hit Reels from Refluenced campaigns, ranked by how far each one beat the creator’s usual views.
Views, followers and reach as reported by Instagram for each Reel.
5,528 Reels studied in all, second by second
The four habits they share and the three-second brief are in the report
Read the report →
What’s in the report
What separates a hit from a flop
A Reel took off when it got at least five times the views its creator normally gets. We compared every creator with themselves, so a small account and a big one count the same. Four habits stood out, and the skit pattern held in all four markets.
Opened on the product alone
Share of sponsored Reels in each group
12%
20%
36%
Hits
Normal
Flops
899 sponsored Reels on Refluenced, 2025–26. A hit got 5× the creator’s usual views or more; a flop got a fifth or less.
Four habits the hits have in common
Each one comes with the line to put in your brief. Lead with a person, not the product. Say something in the first second. Act it out. Keep it real.
How to put the hook in your influencer brief
We also studied 4,061 Refluenced campaign briefs and what happened after each one. The report ends with the three-second brief, an 8-point checklist you can copy straight into your next campaign.
The three-second brief
✓ First second: the creator or a moment, not the product or the logo.
✓ An opening line in their own words: a question, an opinion or a story start.
✓ A scene to act out: a situation, not a script.
✓ A relatable caption idea: “POV:” or “when you…”.
✓ A second person is welcome: partner, friend, child or pet.
✓ Subtitles on anything spoken.
✓ Their normal phone style, no studio look needed.
✓ Product and logo after the hook: a few seconds in is fine.
Frequently asked questions
Put the first three seconds in your influencer brief
On Refluenced you write one brief and verified creators apply to you. 30,000+ creators across the UK and DACH, 500+ brands.