A pinned comment can sharpen who a Reel feels made for after someone has watched it. Rather than pinning a vague prompt, name the exact problem the post addresses and invite one easy, topic-specific response.
For example, under a Reel about content planning, pin: “For marketers with plenty of ideas but no repeatable weekly plan: where does the process stall first—choosing topics, creating assets, or writing captions?” The viewer can quickly place themselves in the problem, and their reply gives you more useful context than a generic reaction ever could.
Test this across a small batch of comparable Reels. On three posts, pin a problem-led comment like the example above. On three similar posts, use your usual broad engagement prompt. Keep the pillar, format, and posting window as close as practical. Then compare qualified comments and profile visits, not just total replies. A smaller thread full of people describing the problem you solve is a stronger audience-fit signal than a busy comment section with no clear pattern.
What specific viewer problem would be most useful to name in the pinned comment on your next Reel?