Most Instagram creators analyze content the wrong way.

They look at their most-viewed Reels and try to replicate them. But there's a problem: those top performers might be anomalies—content that went viral because of timing, a trend, or pure luck.

What they should be looking for are outliers.

An outlier video is one that performs disproportionately well relative to your typical content. It gets way more engagement than your usual posts, even without massive reach. It's the video that resonates deeply with your audience—not because it went viral, but because it hit something real.

Finding outliers is how you discover what your audience actually cares about. And it's how you build a sustainable content strategy instead of chasing viral moments.

What Is an Outlier Video?

An outlier video is content that breaks your normal performance pattern.

Let's say your typical Reel gets:

• 5,000 views

• 250 likes

• 50 comments

An outlier might be:

• 20,000 views

• 600 likes (2.4x your normal engagement)

• 200 comments (4x your normal engagement)

It didn't reach 100K views (it's not a viral outlier). But it dramatically outperformed your baseline. That's the signal.

Why Outlier Videos Matter More Than Viral Videos

Here's what most creators get wrong:

They chase viral videos.

A viral video is a lottery ticket. It goes big because of timing, a trend, or algorithmic luck. You can't reliably replicate it.

An outlier video is different. It tells you something fundamental about what your audience values.

When a video breaks your typical pattern, it's not random. It's a signal.

Signal = Repeatable pattern.

If you can identify what made that outlier perform, you can create more content like it.

Example: You're a fitness creator. Your typical Reel gets 10K views. One video—a 2-minute transformation story—gets 25K views, 1.2K likes, and 500 comments.

That's an outlier. Your audience connected with storytelling, not just workout tips.

If you create 5 more transformation stories, you'll probably see similar results. You've found a pattern.

That's way more valuable than one video that randomly went viral.

How to Find Outlier Videos Using ViewRank

ViewRank's new Outlier Score feature automatically identifies these high-performing anomalies.

Instead of manually comparing hundreds of Reels to find patterns, the ViewRank's Outlier Score does it for you.

What Is Outlier Score?

Outlier Score is a metric that measures how much a Reel outperforms your typical content.

ViewRank calculates this by looking at:

• Your upload schedule/time of a video

• Your typical views per video during that period

Then it flags which Reels broke that pattern.

Finding Outlier Videos in Instagram Step-by-Step

Step 1: Open ViewRank on Your Profile

Install ViewRank from the Chrome Web Store (if you haven't already), go to any Instagram profile, and open the ViewRank panel.

Step 2: Set Your Timeframe

Choose how many Reels to analyze:

• Last 50 (quick analysis of recent content)

• Last 100 (comprehensive look at your patterns)

• All (deep historical analysis)

Start with Last 50 if you want quick insights. Use Last 100 or All for serious strategy work.

Step 3: Review Top Outliers

ViewRank now shows you Reels ranked by View, Likes, Comments and Outlier Score, highest first.

Go to the Outliers tab. Top outliers are the videos that broke your pattern. These are gold.

What to Do When You Find Outlier Videos

Finding outliers is half the battle. Analyzing them is where you extract real value.

Step 1: Watch the Outliers Side-by-Side

Pull up top 3-5 outlier videos.

Watch them in sequence. What do they have in common?

• Storytelling? Do they tell a narrative arc?

• Humor? Do they make people laugh?

• Emotion? Do they trigger an emotional response?

• Problem-solving? Do they answer a question or solve a problem?

• Vulnerability? Do you share something personal or real?

Most creators are surprised to find that their outliers share a quality they weren't consciously chasing.

Step 2: Analyze the Hook

The first 3 seconds are critical on Instagram.

Look at how each outlier grabs attention:

• Does it start with movement?

• Does it use text overlay?

• Does it ask a question?

• Does it show a surprising visual?

Your outliers probably hook viewers in a similar way.

Step 3: Check the Length

How long are the outlier videos?

If they're all 40-50 seconds while their typical Reels are 20 seconds, that's significant. Their audience might prefer longer storytelling.

Or vice versa—maybe the outliers are surprisingly short while thrir normal content is longer.

Length patterns in outliers reveal audience preference.

Step 4: Read the Comments

This is crucial.

Click on each outlier video and open in Instagram and read the top 20 comments.

What are people responding to? What do they mention? What questions do they ask?

The audience is telling you exactly what resonated.

Example: They posted a productivity tip video that became an outlier. The comments are full of people saying "This changed how I work" and asking for more specific strategies.

That's your signal. The audience wants actionable productivity strategies—not just motivation.

Step 5: Look for Themes Across Outliers

By now, patterns should be emerging.

Ask yourself:

• Do most outliers fall into 1-2 content categories?

• Do they use similar formats (storytelling, tutorials, etc.)?

• Do they address similar topics?

• Do they have similar tone (funny, serious, vulnerable, practical)?

The intersection of these factors is your outlier formula.

Step 6: Design Your Next 10 Reels Around It

Once you've identified the pattern, create intentionally.

If your analysis shows outliers are 2-3 minute storytelling videos about personal challenges, plan your next 10 Reels accordingly.

Make storytelling Reels. Make them 2-3 minutes. Make them about real challenges.

Test this theory over 2 weeks and track results.

Common Patterns in Outlier Videos

As you analyze more outliers, you'll start seeing common themes.

Pattern 1: Vulnerability

Outliers often involve the creator being real—admitting struggles, failures, or doubts.

People connect with authenticity more than polish.

Pattern 2: Specificity

Vague content rarely becomes an outlier.

Specific, detailed content (exact steps, real numbers, personal stories) performs better.

Pattern 3: Emotion

Whether it's joy, frustration, inspiration, or relatability—emotion is present in most outliers.

Content that feels cold or detached rarely becomes an outlier.

Pattern 4: Unexpected

Outliers often surprise people.

A format you rarely use suddenly works. A topic you rarely touch resonates. That contrast makes it stand out.

Pattern 5: Value First

Outliers tend to lead with value—teaching something, solving a problem, or answering a question—before asking for engagement.

Mistakes to Avoid When Analyzing Outliers

Mistake 1: Ignoring Recent Trends

An outlier posted during a trending audio or hashtag might have benefited from timing, not content quality.

Check the post date. If it coincided with a major trend, factor that in.

Mistake 2: Chasing One Outlier Too Hard

One video being an outlier doesn't mean that exact formula is repeatable.

You need to see the pattern across 3-5 outliers before committing.

Mistake 3: Forgetting Context

An outlier posted 6 months ago might reflect a different strategy or creative direction.

Make sure the outliers you're analyzing represent who you are now, not who you were.

Mistake 4: Confusing Viral With Outlier

A Reel that got 500K views might be a viral anomaly, not an outlier.

A true outlier is significantly better than the creators' average—not impossibly large compared to typical reach.

Mistake 5: Only Looking at Views

A high-view outlier isn't necessarily the most valuable.

High-comment outliers (even with moderate views) might indicate deeper audience connection.

Both matter. Don't just chase numbers.

FAQ

How many Reels should I analyze to find real patterns?

Analyze at least 50. Ideally 100. With fewer than 50, one anomaly can skew your results.

Can I see the Outlier Score for competitor accounts?

Yes. Outlier Score identifies patterns in any public profile.

What if all my Reels have similar performance?

That means your audience is consistently engaged with your content—or consistently not engaged. Outliers show variation. If there's no variation, you might need to diversify your content types.

How often should I re-analyze for outliers?

Every 2-4 weeks as you post new content. Patterns can shift as your strategy evolves.

Is finding one outlier enough to change my strategy?

No. One outlier is interesting. 3-5 outliers showing the same pattern is significant. Build strategy on patterns, not single data points.

Can I export my Outlier Score data?

ViewRank allows users to export data to any Sheets or Docs.

The Bottom Line

Most creators analyze content by looking at view counts.

Smart creators analyze content by finding outliers.

Outliers are where the real insights live.

ViewRank's Outlier Score makes this analysis automatic and instant.

Stop chasing viral videos. Start finding outliers. That's where real growth happens.