Win The Dash.
Everything you need to crush the Rally — the tactics, the templates, the top sellers, and the one Instagram update that's quietly the biggest creator-economy shift of the year.
Bookmark this page. Whether you signed up on May 4 or May 22, this is your launchpad. No drip emails to wait on. Browse what's useful, skip what's not.
Three Moves. Done in an Hour.
-
1Build a Gear Drop Curate your favorite REI Co-op sale picks in one RockPorch collection. Worth 3 entries. Takes 15 min.
-
2Stack a Story 5+ frame story, one product link per slide. 1 entry per story + 2 bonus entries. Takes 20 min.
-
3Optimize Link in Bio Add your collection link and REI Co-op sale link in your bio
Add Affiliate Links
Directly to Your Reels
Instagram now lets SOME creators tag affiliate product links inside Reels (still rolling out) — viewer taps the product, goes straight to REI Co-op through your affiliate link, you earn the commission. No "link in bio" friction. If you have access to this feature, use it on every Rally Reel this week.
- Create a new Reel
- Tap "Add Link" on the share screen
- Paste your RockPorch link to product or sale
- Hit publish. That's it.
⚠️ Don't see "Add Products"? It's rolling out in waves. Check your Professional Dashboard. Focus on 1–3 hero products per Reel — tagging all 30 looks spammy.
11 Tactics That Convert
The full playbook — pulled from last year's top-performing Rally creators and the latest and greatest from our RockPorch Creator Development gurus. Use the ones that fit your voice. Skip the rest.
Link Products in Reels
If you have "Add Link" on your publish screen — use it on every Rally Reel. See the featured block above for the full how-to.
Every step between content and checkout kills conversions. Direct in-Reel tagging removes 4 of them.
Show Gear in Real Use
Authentic clips of you using REI Co-op gear outperform polished product shots every time.
What works A messy hands-on moment — pitching the tent, lacing the boots, packing the cooler — beats a perfectly-staged flat lay every single time. Real beats pretty.
Use On-Screen Hooks
Specific personal experience + intrigue + clear product reference. Hook them in the first second.
Formula
Bad: "Check out this great REI hiking shirt!"
Good: "I wore this on a 12-mile hike. Zero chafing. From REI Co-op."
Stack Your Stories
Multi-frame stories with a product link on EACH slide drove 33% of all sale traffic in 2025.
Format: 1 hero frame teasing the haul → 4–6 individual product frames, each with: product image, 1-line why-you-love-it, direct link. Save to a Highlight named "REI Sale" so it lives past 24 hours.
Build a Gear Drop
One link. Endless earnings. A RockPorch collection earns commission on every product inside, every click.
Unlike a story that vanishes in 24 hours, your collection lives forever. Followers can browse your picks even after the sale.
Always Show the % Off
Don't make people do math. Make them feel the deal.
Use on-screen overlays "Was $189, now $129 — 30% off!" Last year's top sellers all had clear price anchors.
Answer the Objection First
Your audience is silently asking: "Will this actually work for me?" De-risk it before they ask.
Real example "I wore this pack for 5 miles — with a toddler's snack haul inside — and didn't get the dreaded back sweat stripe. Sold."
Add Real Urgency
Don't fake urgency. Use what's actually true.
"Sale ends May 25." "Limited stock." "Selling fast." Best for the back half of the Rally — refresh language mid-week and again on May 24.
Tell Personal Stories
Personal = trusted. Story-first content gives your audience permission to trust the recommendation.
Templates
"This is the tent I took on my 5-day trip last year."
"I've used this backpack for 5 years and still my go-to."
Promote Without It in Hand
You don't need to own every product to promote it. Build a "wishlist" or "what I'm eyeing" post and pull product shots straight from REI Co-op's site.
How to do it Screenshot product images from REI Co-op, build a carousel of "5 things on my Anniversary Sale wishlist," and link each one. Frame it honestly: "Haven't pulled the trigger yet — but these are the picks I keep coming back to."
Clear, Action CTAs
"See more" hides what happens next. "Tap the link to grab it before May 25" doesn't.
Use specific CTAs
"Tap the link in bio."
"Get it before May 25."
"Tap the only shorts you'll need this summer."
What Sold Last Year
We pulled the data from the May 2025 REI Co-op Anniversary Sale across all RockPorch creators. Here's what your audience actually bought. Lean into these — but always lead with what YOU use and love.
Top Sellers Overall
- 🥇REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie204
- 🥈REI Co-op Active Pursuits T-Shirt41
- 🥉REI Co-op Trailmade Pants35
- 04Nalgene Sustain Water Bottle28
- 05REI Co-op Sahara Convertible Pants27
- 06REI Co-op Rainier Rain Pants26
- 07REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack26
- 08Kula Cloth Reusable Antimicrobial Pee Cloth26
- 09Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks23
- 10Tensor Ultralight Sleeping Pad23
- 11Altra Lone Peak 9 Trail-Running Shoes23
- 12REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket18
By Category
- 🥇REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie
- 🥈REI Co-op Rainier Rain Pants
- 🥉REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket
- 🥇REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack & REI Co-op Tarn 12 Pack
- 🥈REI Co-op Roadtripper 60 Duffel
- 🥉REI Co-op Expandable Packing Cube Set
- 🥇REI Co-op Trailmade Pants
- 🥈REI Co-op Sahara Convertible Pants
- 🥉REI Co-op Trailmade Pull-on Pants
- 🥇REI Co-op Active Pursuits T-Shirt
- 🥈Smartwool Classic Merino Long-Sleeve Base Layer
- 🥉REI Co-op Sahara Tank Top
- 🥇Tensor Ultralight Insulated Pad
- 🥈NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad
- 🥉NEMO & Aeros Premium Pillows
- 🥇Frontier Ultralight Long Handle Spork
- 🥈MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove
- 🥉REI Co-op Bear Canister & Bearvault BV450 Jaunt Bear Canister
- 🥇Nalgene Sustain Water Bottles
- 🥈Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System
- 🥉Hydrapak Flux Water Bottle & Nalgene Sustain Wide Mouth Water Bottle
Caption Starters
Steal these. Modify them. Make them sound like you. Each one's been pulled from a high-converting format that worked last year.
"Three years of trail miles. Zero hot spots. The one piece of gear I'd buy again tomorrow — and it's on sale right now."
Use for: your single best product pick
"I didn't think I'd love these. I was wrong. [Product] now lives in my pack."
Use for: anything that exceeded expectations
"Wore my old [X] for 5 years. Switched to this. Wish I'd done it sooner. Here's why →"
Use for: gear upgrades, replacements
"Unpopular opinion: [common gear] is overrated. This is what you actually need →"
Use for: niche expertise, contrarian picks
"Final 24 hours of REI Co-op's biggest sale. These are the [3] I'd grab if I were you. Links in bio."
Use for: May 24–25 only
"5-day backpacking trip in [place]. The one item that made every mile easier? [Product]. Here's the link →"
Use for: trip recap content
Always Disclose Your Affiliate Links
The FTC requires it. Instagram detects it algorithmically. Your audience appreciates the honesty. Disclosure does NOT hurt conversions — the opposite is true. Trust is what makes affiliate work in the first place.
- In Captions "Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to you 🤝"
- In Stories Use #affiliatelink ( #ad or #paidpartnership if it's a paid collab).
- In Reels Verbal mention: "Affiliate links — tap the products to shop." Plus on-screen text overlay.
- In Blogs / Newsletters Disclosure at the TOP, not the bottom. Above the first affiliate link.
Common Questions
I just signed up — am I too late?
Do I have to use all 10 tactics?
How does the "Add Links to Reels" feature work if I don't have it yet?
What counts as a "Stack Your Stories" bonus?
Do I have to be on Instagram to participate?
When do I get paid for my affiliate sales?
Get Help, Get Unstuck
Don't spin your wheels alone. Whether you've got a quick question about a tactic or you want eyes on a Reel before you publish, we're here.