If you use Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or another content feed, try this exercise.
Open the app and scroll until you find a piece of content with unusually high engagement.
Do not just watch it.
Study it.
Your job is to work out:
What is this person trying to make happen?
Start with the content itself.
1. Why did you stop scrolling?
Look at the first few seconds.
What made you stop?
Was it:
- a surprising statement;
- movement;
- text on screen;
- an unusual visual;
- a question;
- a strong opinion;
- a promise;
- curiosity;
- or something that immediately identified a problem you recognize?
This is the hook.
The creator had to win the first tiny decision:
“Will this person stop scrolling?”
That is already a test.
2. What does the content ask you to do?
Look at the video, caption, pinned comment, and profile.
Does it say:
- follow for more;
- comment a particular word;
- send a message;
- click the link in the bio;
- download something;
- join an email list;
- watch another video;
- book a call;
- or buy something?
Sometimes the only goal is to gain followers.
That is completely valid.
The creator may not even know what they will eventually sell.
They may simply be testing:
“Can I reliably make content that this audience stops and engages with?”
That is valuable information.
They can test monetization later.
3. Are They Selling Anything?
Visit their profile.
Look for:
- a product;
- a service;
- coaching;
- a course;
- a paid community;
- a newsletter;
- affiliate links;
- sponsorships;
- software;
- consulting;
- merchandise;
- or something else.
If they are selling something, ask:
How does someone get from this reel to spending money?
Try to map the journey.
For example:
Reel → Comment “GUIDE” → Automated DM → Free PDF → Email list → €99 assessment → €2,000 service
Or:
Reel → Profile → Follow → Repeated content → Newsletter → Product launch
Or simply:
Reel → Follow
The funnel may be extremely short or may take months.
4. Follow the Funnel
If the links are public and you are genuinely interested, click through them.
Notice the small details.
What happens after you click the bio?
What does the landing page say first?
Does it continue the same idea from the reel?
What information do they ask for?
What do they give you in return?
What is the next action?
How large is each ask?
For example:
Watch 30 seconds
↓
Follow
↓
Give an email address
↓
Read a useful guide
↓
Attend a free workshop
↓
Buy a €100 product
↓
Apply for a €3,000 service
Notice how the commitment can increase gradually.
You are not only studying what they sell.
You are studying how a stranger becomes a customer.
5. Look for the Tests Hidden Inside the Business
Try to identify what the creator has probably learned already.
Perhaps:
“People stop when I talk about this problem.”
Or:
“This hook consistently performs better.”
Or:
“People will comment to receive a free resource.”
Or:
“Some of those people will give me their email.”
Or:
“A percentage of those subscribers will buy.”
Each stage answers a different question.
This is important because you do not need to build the entire funnel at once.
You might begin with nothing more than:
Can I consistently get the right people to stop and care about this subject?
If the answer becomes yes, you now have something worth building on.
Write Down What You Find
For one creator, record:
Content topic:
What are they talking about?
Audience:
Who appears to be watching?
Hook:
Why did you stop?
Call to action:
What do they ask the viewer to do?
Next step:
Where does that action lead?
What they sell:
If anything.
Likely funnel:
Write the steps from first view to purchase.
What seems to be working:
What evidence can you see?
What would you test yourself:
One idea you could adapt to your own audience.
Do this with five different creators and patterns will start appearing.
Turn Scrolling Into Research
There is an enormous amount of free business education sitting inside ordinary internet content.
Successful creators are constantly testing:
- hooks;
- subjects;
- formats;
- calls to action;
- lead magnets;
- landing pages;
- prices;
- offers;
- and entire funnels
in public.
You do not need to copy them.
You can study what each part is doing and ask:
“Why does this step exist, and what question has this person probably already answered through testing?”
If you are going to scroll anyway, you might as well learn something from it.