Instagram Stories are one of the first things I check when I open the app. I enjoy seeing the real, behind-the-scenes content that creators and brands share there rather than the more polished posts on their feeds.
Many Instagram users spend a lot of time making perfect Reels and photo posts but often overlook Stories, which is a missed opportunity.
The Instagram Stories feed is above your followers’ page when the app is open. However, if they’re like me, it’s hard not to tap on the colorful profile pictures.
Over 500 million people watch and create Instagram Stories every day. In fact, one in three people say they become more interested in a brand after seeing stories about it. Instagram Stories can boost your reach and engagement and even influence people to make a purchase.
Instagram Stories allow you to connect with your audience in an authentic way, helping to build stronger relationships and customer loyalty.
Originally, Instagram Stories were designed to let people share quick photos and videos to show what makes them special. Also, stories offer a behind-the-scenes look, which followers love.
A winning strategy for Instagram Story
Creating Instagram Stories on the fly and sharing moments from your life is a great way to engage with your followers and get familiar with the feature. However, to really grow on Instagram Stories, you need a good strategy. On average, Instagram campaigns that use Stories see about a 20% increase in reach.
To take advantage of the Instagram algorithm, use Stories to encourage interactions with your followers. Small changes, like posting more often, using the app’s features, and sharing at the right times, can improve your ranking in the algorithm.
Post your Instagram stories daily
Our research on Instagram Stories shows that posting between one and seven Stories per day gives the best results. Over 70% of accounts that posted within this range had a high completion rate.
The completion rate is calculated by seeing how many people watch your Stories from start to finish within 24 hours. So, if you post between one and seven Stories, about 70% of your audience will watch all the way to the end.
Even if you post longer Stories with more than 20 photos or videos, the drop-off isn’t too high. You can still get completion rates above 50%.
Post stories consistently and at optimal times
Consistency is important on social media, and the Instagram algorithm supports this. Since stories only last for 24 hours, you should post them multiple times a day to get the most reach. Sharing your photos and videos in smaller parts can help, too.
It’s also important to post when your followers are most active on the app.
Our research shows that posting between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays is the best time for engagement, but there are other good times during the week to post as well.
Take advantage of creative tools and features
As mentioned earlier, Instagram has many fun story features. It’s a good idea to create your stories directly on Instagram whenever possible.
Why? Instagram’s algorithm doesn’t promote content from other apps. For instance, in February 2021, Instagram announced that it would lower the visibility of content with a TikTok watermark. So, if you share a TikTok video on Instagram, it won’t get as much attention as something created within the Instagram app.
If you want to schedule your stories in advance, don’t worry — Buffer’s notification publishing lets you make quick changes in Instagram before the story goes live, like adding music or a poll.
You can also use Instagram Story Ads to increase your reach, conversions and engagement
Story ads are a great way for small businesses to promote their brand by directing traffic to their website or in-app shop.
Since story ads take up the entire screen, they remove distractions like notifications and other brand content. To save time, you can use stories already saved in your highlights. If you have an Instagram shop, you can add product links so users can buy your products directly from the ad.
Use Story templates to make your story pop
Using templates to create Instagram Stories has some great benefits. For one, it makes it easier to create multiple stories at once, so you can schedule them in advance.
Templates also help you keep your brand look consistent across your Instagram Reels, Stories, and Carousel posts.
