The Viral “What’s the Mood?” Emoji Instagram Reel Trend (Free Canva Templates Included)
If you’ve scrolled Instagram lately, you’ve probably seen this text-based Reel with Cute and Realistic emojis answering one question: “What’s the mood?” or “What are We doing today?”
It’s minimal, it’s aesthetic, and it’s hot right now. This trend is perfect for creators, small business owners, and brands who want to create scroll-stopping, vibe-heavy content without overcomplicating the editing.
In this post, we’ll break down why some of the “What’s the Mood?” Reels are going viral, how you can use it to grow your audience, and how to grab a free Canva template to create your own version in minutes.
What Is the “What’s the Mood?” Instagram Reel Trend?
The “What’s the Mood?” or “What are We Doing Today?” emojis trend is a short-form video where you compile a series of emojis that showcase the vibe, energy, or aesthetic of your brand or day — all paired with a text SMS mock up bold, minimal text that simply asks (and answers): “What’s the mood?”
One viral example is this Reel — notice how the clips are visually cohesive, the pacing matches the music, and the text overlay drives the concept home.
The beauty of this trend is that it’s flexible:
Creators use it to share their current mood, style, or creative projects.
Brands use it to highlight their brand personality, products, or behind-the-scenes vibe.
Small businesses use it to connect on a more personal level, showing the human side of what they do.
Why Is This Reel Trend Blowing Up?
Instagram Reels are all about quick storytelling. The “What’s the Mood?” trend is exploding because:
It’s instantly relatable. Everyone has a “mood,” and the format invites viewers to reflect on their own.
It’s visually aesthetic. The clean text overlays + curated clips stand out in the feed.
It’s easy to create. You don’t need complicated transitions or voiceovers — just a vibe and a few clips.
It invites saves and shares. People save these Reels for inspiration and share them with friends who “get the mood.”
The trend also pairs beautifully with brands that focus on lifestyle, creativity, or visual storytelling, because it’s less about “selling” and more about creating a feeling.
How to Create a “What’s the Mood?” Reel
Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to make your own viral “What’s the Mood?” Reel:
Step 1: Open our FREE Canva Templates for this Viral Reels Trend (courtesy of Your Template Club).
Want to skip the editing stress and create this viral Reel in minutes?
We designed a free “What’s the Mood? Emojis” Reel template you can customize in Canva. Just drop in your background clips, mix emojis from Canva and cut out photos to create a whimsical group of thinks, adjust the text, and export — no complicated editing needed.
👉 Click here to grab your Free Trending Reels Templates (and directions of how to use them, right inside the Canva project).
Step 2: Choose your Background Video
Choose a short stock or b-roll video or images that match the “vibe” you want to express. These can be:
Behind-the-scenes snippets of your workspace or day.
Mood-setting clips of your products.
Nature like clouds, ocean, wind on plants, etc.
Stock videos or lifestyle clips that feel on-brand (Canva and Pexels are great for this!).
Step 3: Save This Trending Sound
This is the official song/sound for this Instagram Reels trend. Or if you want to use something else, just search the Reels music library for trending audio (look for the arrow icon). This trend often works with soft, aesthetic background music or fun, upbeat sounds — anything that feels like a vibe.
Step 4: Write Your Caption
Your caption can add to the vibes of this Reel. Try something like:
“What’s the mood this week? For us, it’s all about bold ideas, good coffee, and content that connects. Save this for inspo when you need a pick-me-up vibe.”
Why This Trend Is Perfect for Your Brand or Business
If you’re a business owner or creator, trends like “What’s the Mood?” can help you:
Show personality without being overly salesy.
Create quick, engaging content (no dancing required!).
Tap into current trends that are more likely to get pushed by Instagram’s algorithm.
The best part? You don’t need professional video skills. With the free template, you can create a Reel that looks like it was designed by a pro — in under 10 minutes.
Pro Tips to Make Your Reel Go Viral
Keep it short and snappy. 7 seconds or less is ideal.
Use a trending sound. This can give you a 2–3x reach boost.
Pair with a strong caption. Include a call-to-action like “What’s YOUR mood this week?” to drive comments.
Post when your audience is active. For most small businesses, this is early morning or evening.
Get Your Free Canva Reel Templates
Want to jump on this trend right now?
👉 Download our free “What’s the Mood?” Reel templates here
With these templates, you can:
Edit directly in Canva (no advanced video tools needed).
Save hours of design time.
Post a super cute, trendy, high-quality Reel today in minutes!
Trends like the “What’s the Mood?” Reel are more than just fun — they’re a shortcut to creating content your audience wants to engage with. Plus, with out templates, it’s an beautiful trending reels idea you can create in minutes!
By jumping on trends early and pairing them with your own personality or brand voice, you can build trust, show up consistently, and grow your audience faster.
Ready to try this trend?
👉 Download your free Reels templates here and create your first “What’s the Mood?” Reel in minutes.
Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, which helps small entrepreneurs grow their business through content marketing, especially email and Instagram.
In 2021 Manu launched Your Template Club, one of the first Canva Template for Instagram subscriptions in the world to provide social media managers and small business owners with content templates designed for engagement.
Manu has also more recebtly started the first Instagram Reels Award Show, The Reelies Awards and an email marketing membership, Your Inbox Team.
Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000 right out of college to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award winning career in creative and strategy.