Instagram Rolls Out Reels Linking For Episodic Viewing

Plus: Meta arms holiday ads with AI formats and flexible placements

Author

Rafe Houston
August 27, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

ClickZ Meta Insider

Here's what's happening this week in the world of Meta marketing:
- Instagram adds Reels-to-Reels linking for series
- Meta debuts AI ad tools for peak season
- Shoppable Reels and omnichannel ads expand
- New IG and FB specs demand creative tweaks

⏱️How Nécessaire Outpaced Competitors With 47% More Revenue



Nécessaire went into Prime Day with proof that Meta and TikTok were quietly fueling Amazon sales, even when they showed up as “organic.”

Armed with that evidence, they increased spend and beat their peer group with 47% higher revenue. Most teams would’ve cut back and left millions on the table.

👉 Follow Fospha on LinkedIn for data-backed playbooks and real-world learnings from leading retail brands, so you can see exactly how the best are scaling profitably.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

Instagram launched a Reels linking feature that prompts viewers to tap into a connected “next” Reel, enabling seamless, serialized stories. This should lift watch time and retention while simplifying sequential education, UGC series, and multi-part product demos. Creators and brand content teams can edit or remove links at any time.

Meta is pushing automated merchandising and placement with partnership ads merged into Advantage+ catalog, a “Show Products” optimization for Reels and partnerships, and Flexible media that expands placements when models predict lift. Early tests show +4% CTR and +3% conversions for Show Products, and +23% conversions for Flexible media; omnichannel ads are now global, Shops Ads reach more markets, and email sign-up offers expand on Facebook. Ecommerce advertisers and creator partners gain scale and efficiency for Q4.

The IAB’s 2025 Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report finds nearly 90% of advertisers use AI in video ads, with AI‑assisted creative expected to reach 40% of ads by 2026. AI is most used for audience tailoring, style iteration, and contextual relevance, accelerating versioning and testing cycles. Creative teams, media buyers, and analysts should expect faster feedback loops and new benchmarks for authenticity‑driven performance.

🗣️ LEADING VOICES

Signal From Noise: How To Nail TikTok in Five Pillars of Success.

The link below is an interactive guide on how to nail TikTok based on Jay Hunter & Catalina at Mary Ruth's, fantastic session at eTail™ Boston, where they discussed going from $1 to $40M in one year!

Interact with the guide here: https://lnkd.in/eUUwPWVi A write up of their session is also available via ClickZ.com: https://lnkd.in/e9qAiYBn

⚡QUICK READS

Always Up-To-Date List Of Facebook Ad Sizes & Specs: Revised guidance for Feed, Reels, Stories, and in-stream helps prevent cropping and protects delivery quality across Meta placements.(More)

How Marketers Are Spending Across Social In 2025: Glossy’s CMO series finds Meta steady for conversions as YouTube gains for upper funnel and engagement competes with impressions as the KPI to beat, prompting measurement rethinks.(More)

Indie Agency News You Need To Know This Week: Ad Age’s latest Agency Brief spotlights key updates across the industry, including leadership changes, new creative directions, and account wins at Haymaker, Accenture Song, McCann, and VML. (More)

ClickZ is a ClickZ Media publication in the DTC eCommerce division