Wherever you go, either it is a friend’s meetup, a picnic at the beach or a glimpse of a product, you never forget to share your pictures on Instagram stories. The same goes for celebrities and influencers, they always update their followers with their day-to-day activities and memorable moments.

Step into the creative world of Instagram stories, where creativity has no boundaries and your imagination blooms. This feature has taken the social media world by storm, allowing users to share their daily moments in a more interactive and engaging way. Whether showcasing your travel plans, sharing your latest project, or simply posting a selfie, Instagram Stories can help you share real-time updates with your followers.

You may have noticed there’s always a pinkish ring around celebrities’ profile pictures because they know how to communicate with their audience. For instance, Selena Gomez, the singer, uses Instagram Stories to share her creative process, and behind-the-scenes moments from her music videos and promote her latest releases. She also uses the platform to connect with her fans and share her personal life.

Another celebrity, Kim Tahyeung, uses Instagram Stories to showcase his dance rehearsals, music recording sessions, and behind-the-scenes moments from BTS concerts and events. Jimin also uses Instagram Stories to share his stylish outfits and fashion inspiration with fans.

That’s how these influencers are making the most of this story feature. I know how challenging it can be to post an engaging story when you have so much to do on your table. Why not use a smarter way and schedule your Instagram stories? Thankfully, there is a variety of Instagram schedulers that can do the job for you.

Instagram Stories – Introduction

Instagram bags the title of the most popular social media platform out there, with over 1.318 billion active users worldwide. With the rise of visual content, Instagram has become the go-to platform for sharing photos and videos for personal and business purposes.

This visual-sharing platform keeps making significant changes throughout the years. From the introduction to Instagram DMs to the Stories feature and IG Reels, the platform has the ability to hook the user for hours.

The story feature allows users to share short-lived content, which disappears after 24 hours. Instagram Stories offers a wide range of functionalities such as filters, text, stickers, music, and polls that make it fun and interactive. The feature is pretty much similar to Snapchat stories but can be saved as highlights after 24 hours.

It’s like having your own mini TV show, and your followers get a front-row seat. Instagram stories are 15 seconds long and tap-friendly, which eventually makes them more appealing to users. So, when you post an Instagram story, a pink-ish circle appears on your profile picture, which indicates to your followers to tap and see what you have posted. From showcasing your business to sharing your personal life, there’s so much you can do with this feature.

Your followers can respond to your IG stories through DMs or even via some interactive elements such as avatars or stickers. Moreover, you can add a playful touch to your stories by adding text overlay, music, and bright colors.

How to Post Instagram Stories

Here’s how you can post an Instagram story:

• Go to your Instagram app
• Tap the ‘+’ button or swipe right in the feed
• Now record your story or post a picture or video from your phone’s gallery
• Add text, stickers or music
• Once you are done, tap ‘your story’ in the bottom left

How to Create Instagram Story Highlights?

So, what do people see first when they visit your profile, of course, your bio and, right below, Instagram highlights. As they are placed at the center, these story highlights can be a perfect indicator of your brand. They are a collection of your Instagram stories that users save under a specific category. Insta stories can only be viewed within 24 hours, but these highlights can reserve a permanent spot on your feed. This is how you can create your story highlights.

1. Click on the ‘highlight’ section in your IG feed.
2. Scroll through your stories archive and select the best ones to include in your highlight.
3. Label your highlight.
4. Edit your cover photo, and choose the most favorite one.
5. Next, click ‘Add’ from the top right corner.

The best part, you can customize them just the way you like. From foodie adventures to travel tales and even your furry friend’s daily antics. Highlights can help you to showcase your favorite moments and share your story with your followers. Moreover, this feature can perfectly keep your Instagram profile organized and highlight your most engaging stories.

Related Article: 20+ Cool Instagram Story Ideas to Revamp your Post Engagement in 2024

How to Delete Your Instagram Story?

So, Instagram stories aren’t permanent, they will disappear after 24 hours, but you can delete it any time. Here’s how to delete your Instagram stories.

1. Go to your story
2. Tap the dots at the bottom of your story
3. Now tap ‘delete’

How Many Times Can a Person See My Instagram Story?

While you can see who viewed your story, unfortunately, there isn’t any way to tell if a person has viewed your story more than once. Each time your followers view your story, they are added to the top of the ‘story view’ list.

How Can I See Someone’s Story Anonymously?

Well, there’s a secret way to see someone’s story without knowing them. Here’s how you can do it:

• First, open your Instagram account.
• Wait for a few seconds, and switch your phone to airplane mode.
• Once done, now open the IG story you want to watch.
• Close your Instagram account after seeing it and switch off airplane mode.

This way, your followers won’t come to know that you have seen their story.

Can You Tell if Someone Screenshots Your Instagram Stories?

No, unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t send a notification if someone screenshots your stories. However, the feature is available on Snapchat.

Automate Instagram Story on Social Champ

Make your Instagram stories shine and schedule your IG post with Social Champ. If you want a pinkish circle around your profile picture every time, try scheduling your stories instead of manually publishing them all the time.

3 Reasons to Start using Instagram Stories in 2024

IG stories have become the hottest trend in the social media world for a reason. It is one of the exceptional features for sharing your daily adventures, promoting your brand, engaging with your followers, and so much more. With its playful filters, fun stickers, and exciting features, Instagram Stories offer a unique and interactive way to connect with your audience.

• Place your content on the top: The best thing about the story feature is that it helps you stay at the top if you consistently publish your stories.

• Add a human touch to your post: You can post sales-y content as a main post on your feed, but stories allow you to add a human touch using the creative in-app tools.

• Endless opportunities: The best part of the story feature is that it offers endless opportunities. You can tag your favorite mentor, and they can reshare your story, add your favorite location, custom hashtags to increase more reach, trending sound, time, and fun stickers.

Instagram Story Features That Can Revamp Your Engagement

Instagram offers an array of features that can help you captivate your audience, increase your reach, and keep your followers coming back for more. From polls and quizzes to gifs and stickers, Instagram stories offer a fun and interactive way to connect with your audience. So, whether you are a business owner, an influencer, or someone looking to spice up their Instagram game, these Instagram story features can definitely help you to revamp your engagement.

1. Question Stickers

   Ever felt like you are not getting enough engagement on your story? Well, let the question sticker do the job for you, then. The feature allows you to ask your followers anything you want, and they can respond with their own creative answers. This playful question sticker has quickly become a fan favorite among Instagram users, inspiring countless hilarious and entertaining moments. Celebrities to big brands often use this feature to connect with their followers.

   You can ask an interactive question like ‘what’s your favorite pizza topping’ or ‘where’s your dream vacation spot?’. Not only does this sticker add a touch of excitement to your stories, but it also provides a unique opportunity to connect with your audience on a personal level.

2. Emoji Slider

   Tired of using the same old boring posts in your Instagram stories? Well, get ready to spice things up with another exciting Instagram story feature – the emoji slider! This fun and interactive feature enables you to get more creative with your engagement and gives your followers a fun new way to interact with your content. All you need to do is post a picture of your new outfit on your story and ask your followers how much they love your new outfit, or you can post a picture of food and ask them how spicy they like their food. Add a cute and playful emoji to your question that your followers can slide to give their response.

3. Music Library

   The Instagram Music feature is here to save your day against all the odds. This nifty little feature allows you to add your favorite tunes to your stories, making them more engaging and captivating for your followers. Whether you’re creating a short clip of your daily life or showcasing your latest creation, music can add that extra layer that makes your story stand out from the rest.

   You can now add catchy tunes to your stories, making them more fun and interactive. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a foodie, or just love sharing your daily adventures, this feature will add excitement to your stories. Upload a video or a picture and choose your favorite music from Instagram’s vast music library.

4. Countdown

   Have you ever wanted to add a little bit of excitement to your Instagram stories? How about adding a countdown feature to your Instagram Story? This playful and interactive feature allows you to count on an upcoming event, product launch, or a fun weekend getaway. Not only is it super easy to use, but it’s also customizable to fit your style and personality.

   The features add an element of anticipation and are one of the finest ways to engage with your followers and get them excited about what’s to come. So, whether you are a business owner, influencer, or just a casual user, it’s time to add some excitement to your Instagram Story with a countdown feature.

5. Avatars

   Instagram recently launched a new feature that allows you to add avatar stickers to your stories. You can make your avatar look just like you and accessorize it with cool outfits, hairstyles, and even different facial expressions. This feature is a fun and playful way to add more personality to your stories and make them truly one-of-a-kind. This feature brings a whole new level of fun and creativity to your social media presence.

Featured Article: How to Optimize Snapchat for Business in 2024: Tips & Strategies 

Winning Instagram Stories Strategies for Your Business

Tired of posting the same old Instagram stories that hardly get any engagement? Well, it’s now the time to know the secret recipe to create winning Instagram stories for your business. Instagram stories are powerful enough to connect with your audience, showcase your brand’s personality, and drive traffic to your website. However, crafting stories that stand out from the crowd can be daunting, especially when competing with millions of other brands.

Here’s a treat for you! I have compiled some playful and effective Instagram story strategies that can help you take your business to the next level.

1. Maximize Your First 3 Seconds

   Do you know that the first 3 seconds of your Instagram story can either make or break your entire content? Yes, the moment your story pops up on your followers’ feed, they only have a few seconds to decide whether to continue watching or swipe past your content.

   This means that you have just a few seconds to steal your audience’s attention and make a lasting impression. To maximize your first three seconds, try to come up with a strong opening that immediately hooks your audience. This can be anything, a compelling headline, an attention-grabbing image, or a powerful statement that piques their interest. Once you have their attention, you need to keep them engaged by providing valuable information, entertaining content, or solving a problem that they are facing.

2. Share Announcement Posts

   Instagram Stories are not just for sharing your daily activities or a glimpse into your personal life. You can also use them to share exciting news or updates about your business, blog, or even something new that comes your way. With a variety of creative features available on Instagram, like stickers, filters, and text options, you can make your announcement posts stand out.

   Sharing announcement posts can be an effective Instagram story idea that can help you to spread the word about exciting news and updates. Whether it’s a new product launch, a special event, or just a simple announcement, sharing it in your story allows you to engage with your followers more personally. With features like stickers, GIFs, and text overlays, you can add a creative touch to your announcement and make it stand out from the rest.

   So next time you have an exciting announcement to make, consider sharing it on your Instagram story and watch your followers flock to see what’s new!

3. Brands X Influencer Collaboration

   With millions of people using Instagram Stories every day, it’s no wonder that brands are eager to tap into this audience and work with influencers to promote their products and services.

   Brands are increasingly turning to Instagram to collaborate with influential individuals to promote their products with the rise of influencer marketing.

   Instagram stories are one of the innovative ways for brands to create a more personal connection with their audience, and influencers are a great way to reach a larger and more diverse audience.  Collaborating with influencers on Instagram stories can help brands to tap into the influencer’s loyal following and reach potential customers who may not have heard of their products before.

   The key to a successful brand and influencer collaboration on Instagram stories is to ensure that the partnership feels authentic and natural.

4. Shoot Vertical and Lo-fi

   One way to add a unique twist to your stories is by shooting them vertically and adding a lo-fi filter. According to the stats, around 90% of the videos viewed vertically have a higher completion rate than those viewed horizontally. They are easier to watch and require less effort from the viewer. On the other hand, if I talk about those aesthetic lofi filters, then they give your stories a vintage feel that captures an audience’s attention.

   Whether you are showcasing your latest project or simply sharing a moment from your day, shooting vertically and going lo-fi can help you create a captivating Instagram story that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impression. So don’t be afraid to shoot vertically and embrace the beauty of lo-fi aesthetics.

5. Run Interactive Polls & Quizzes

   If I talk about myself, I really enjoy ongoing polls and quizzes on influencer stories, I am sure you would too. Whether you are a blogger looking to gather opinions on your latest post, or a business owner seeking customer feedback, interactive polls are one of the innovative ways to get the information you need and increase engagement and interaction with your audience.

   These Instagram features help encourage your audience to participate in your content and better understand their preferences and interests.

   Moreover, these interactive polls can be used to gather feedback on a specific topic, while quizzes can be used to test your audience’s knowledge or personality traits. Both features are easy to use and can be customized to fit your brand’s unique voice and style. Also, they are super fun that can keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.

   Here’s how Canva is utilizing the quiz sticker

6. Use a CTA

   You may have noticed, everytime time an influencer or a brand comes up with something new, they usually place a sticker on their stories. It can either be a ‘Sign Up’, ‘Tap Here’, ‘More Info’, or something else. A CTA Instagram story can help you to drive traffic to your website, increase sales, and grow your following. With so much competition on Instagram, it’s never been more important to stand out from the crowd, and a CTA Instagram story can help you to do just that. So, why not give it a try?

   Whether you are promoting a product, encouraging people to visit your website, or simply asking for their opinion, a well-placed CTA can make all the difference. Take inspiration from Manchester United.

7. Share Memes, Puns, & Jokes

   All those funny memes and jokes you look at in Instagram stories are enough to make your day, right? How about posting hilarious content that will surely make your followers smile? Whether you are a fan of classic internet memes or clever puns, we’ve got you covered.

Make the Most of Your Instagram Stories

Instagram stories offer businesses an incredible opportunity to grab people’s attention and share engaging content quickly and easily. With the ability to add polls, GIFs, music, and interactive elements, stories can be one of the best features for marketing on Instagram today. Just remember to keep your stories creative, relevant, and fun. It’s important to use the right visuals and content that show off your product, brand, or message in an authentic way. Keep your stories fresh, fun, and engaging to keep your audience coming back for more. ‘

Frequently Asked Questions