As you probably know by now, Instagram Stories are one of the BEST ways to engage with your audience, introduce them to what you do, and build connections with them.
In this article, you will find our tips to leverage Instagram stories and boost engagement!
Sharing a Feed Post to Your Story
To share a feed post to your story, just tap the paper airplane button below the post, just as you would to send it via Direct Message. At the top, you'll now see the option to create a story. Tap it to see the feed post and you’re ready to share to your story.
Note from Instagram: It’s important to note that you can only share someone's post from Feed to your story if their account is public and they've allowed resharing of their posts.
Saving Stories as Highlights
Do you ever wish your stories could live longer than 24 hours? Highlights are here to save the day!
You can save any story as a highlight by following the steps below:
Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
Tap the blue plus sign or, if you don't see it, tap Story Highlights.
Tap to select the story or stories you want to add to highlights, then tap Next.
Choose a cover photo and enter a story name for your highlight, then tap Add (iPhone) or Done (Android). You can add more photos or videos to your highlight at any time by tapping and holding on the highlight and then tapping Edit Highlight.
Note from Instagram: Stories you add as highlights remain visible as highlights until you remove them, even after the original story has disappeared. Keep in mind that those you've allowed to see your story can also see your highlights. Learn more about privacy settings for stories.
Using Your Instagram Story Highlights For Engagement
Is "Make Instagram Story Highlights” at the top of your Marketing To-Do List? Let us help!
Here are 4 topics your Instagram Story Highlights need:
1. Inspiration
This is your opportunity to spread the love and encourage your audience on a rainy day, Monday morning, or just because. For example, you could tell a funny joke to lift their mood, explain how you get through a bad day or share your favorite pump-up playlist to start the morning!
2️. Behind the Scenes
Whether you’re showing off your workspace, demonstrating tools of your trade, or giving a sneak peek into your workday routine, this Story Highlight will invite your audience to see “real life” behind your business. Show them what it’s REALLY like to work with you or your team! The more candid, the better!
3️. Products & Services
This is where you will introduce your audience to the products or services you offer. Aim to use educational and benefit-driven language in these Stories and include a way for your audience to purchase, either with a link to your website or instructions on how to get in touch. Be creative… marketing is just repeating the same message over and over in different ways!
4️. Credibility
This Highlight is crucial to prepping your audience for sales. It may include showcasing client testimonials, awards you’ve won, or even re-posts from customers using your products. It’s your time to shine!
How to See Who Engaged on Your Instagram Stories
Whether you want to see the results of your Poll, who slid an Emoji Slider sticker, or who picked what answer on a Quiz sticker, the way you access this information is different if you are checking within 24 hours of posting, between 24 and 48 hours of posting, and after 48 hours of posting.
To see who engaged on your Stories, simply follow the steps below!
Within 24 hours of posting
Click on your Story in the top left corner of your Instagram Homepage.
On the Story Slide with the Engagement Tool you wish to see the analytics for, click on the people who watched your Story in the bottom left corner of the Slide.
View the analytics.
For the Emoji Slider sticker, you will see each person who answered and how far they slid the emoji right away. Click “See All” to view more than 10 responses.
For the Quiz sticker, you will see how many people responded to each Quiz option right away. Below that, you will see who responded and how they answered!
For the Poll sticker, you will see how many people responded to each Poll option right away. Below that, you will see who responded and how they answered!
For the Questions sticker, you will see how many people responded to each Quiz option right away. Click “See All” to view more than 3 responses.
Between 24 and 48 hours of posting
Click on the 3 Lines in the top right corner of your Instagram Profile, then select 'Archive'. This will bring you to your Stories Archive.
Within your Stories Archive, click the Story Slide with the Engagement Tool you wish to see the analytics for. Then click on the people who watched your Story in the bottom left corner of the Slide.
View the analytics.
For the Emoji Slider sticker, you will see each person who answered and how far they slid the emoji right away. Click “See All” to view more than 10 responses.
For the Quiz sticker, you will see how many people responded to each Quiz option right away. Below that, you will see who responded and how they answered!
For the Poll sticker, you will see how many people responded to each Poll option right away. Below that, you will see who responded and how they answered!
For the Questions sticker, you will see how many people responded to each Quiz option right away. Click “See All” to view more than 3 responses.
After 48 hours of posting
Click on the 3 Lines in the top right corner of your Instagram Profile, then select 'Archive'. This will bring you to your Stories Archive.
Within your Stories Archive, click the Story Slide with the Engagement Tool you wish to see the analytics for. You will see the final results of the Poll, Emoji Slider, or Quiz, but will not be able to see the viewer count or individual responses.
Note: There is currently no way to see who turns on a reminder from your Countdown sticker or Swipes Up to a link.
Instagram Story Engagement Tools
Are you using ALL of the tools Instagram has to offer to make our stories stand out from the crowd and increase your engagement?
Let’s dive into a flash-fire rundown of our favorite Instagram Engagement Tools and how to use them!
Location Sticker
Description: The Location Sticker allows you to tag where you are located when creating an Instagram Story. Your audience will then be able to click the sticker and view your location.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Location Sticker (a white box with the label “Location”). Select this sticker, then wait a moment for the sticker to suggest nearby locations. You can choose to select an auto-generated nearby location or search for a more specific location. Select your location and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the Location Sticker will be added to the Slide.
@Mention Sticker
Description: The @Mention Sticker allows you to tag another user in an Instagram Story. Your audience will then be able to click the sticker and go to the user’s profile.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the @Mention Sticker (a white box with the label “@Mention”). Select this sticker, then search for the user you’d like to tag. Select the user and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the @Mention Sticker will be added to the Slide.
#Hashtag Sticker
Description: The #Hashtag Sticker allows you to add a hashtag to your Instagram Story. Your audience will then be able to click the sticker and view other posts and stories that mention that hashtag.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Hashtag Sticker (a white box with the label “#Hashtag”). Select this sticker, then search for the hashtag you’d like to use. Select the hashtag and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the #Hashtag Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Captions Sticker
Description: The Captions Sticker allows you to provide your followers with an automatic transcription of what you’ve spoken in a Story.
To Use: After recording a video Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Captions Sticker (a white box with the label “Captions”). Select this sticker, then wait a moment for the sticker to transcribe your audio. You can also change the font of the captions by rotating through the text options at the bottom of the screen. Once finished, click “Done” and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the Captions Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Emoji Slider Sticker
Description: The Emoji Slider Sticker allows you to ask your followers a question, select a related Emoji, and allow them to “slide” the Emoji to the appropriate place indicating their response.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Emoji Slider Sticker (a 😍 Emoji sliding to the right on a white square). Select this sticker, type the question you’d like to ask your audience, and select a corresponding Emoji by swiping through the options above your keyboard (or clicking the “+” to have a wider variety of options). You also have the option to change the color of the Emoji Slider Sticker by clicking the Color Wheel at the top of your screen multiple times to rotate through the options. Once finished, click “Done” and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the Emoji Slider Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Questions Sticker
Description: The Questions Sticker allows your followers to ask you a question or respond to one you ask them. Each response can be shared publicly in an additional Story.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Questions Sticker (a white box with the label “Questions”). Select this sticker and type the question you’d like to ask your audience. You also have the option to change the color of the Questions Sticker by clicking the Color Wheel at the top of your screen multiple times to rotate through the options. Once finished, click “Done” and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the Questions Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Quiz Sticker
Description: The Quiz Sticker allows you to quiz your followers by asking them a question. They then select their answer and immediately see if they selected the correct one.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Quiz Sticker (a white box with a rotating green tube, with the label “Quiz”). Select this sticker and type the question you’d like to ask your audience. Then, type up to four quiz options with one being the correct answer. You also have the option to change the color of the Quiz Sticker by clicking the Color Wheel at the top of your screen multiple times to rotate through the options. Once finished, click “Done” and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the Quiz Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Poll Sticker
Description: The Poll Sticker allows your followers to vote on a question you ask them. The Poll results can be shared publicly in an additional Story.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Poll Sticker (a white box with the label “Poll”). Select this sticker, type the question you’d like to ask your audience and type a positive and negative response in each Poll option. Once finished, click “Done” and drag the sticker to the desired place. Post your story, and the Poll Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Countdown Sticker
Description: The Countdown Sticker allows you to share about an upcoming event, product launch, sale, etc. that counts down to a date and time you set. Then, your followers can opt-in to receive notifications of your event, which will send them a reminder when the countdown is complete!
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Countdown Sticker (a white box with the label “Countdown”). Select this sticker, then set a date and time for it to count down to. Then, give your countdown a title and drag the sticker to the desired place. You also have the option to change the color of the Countdown Sticker by clicking the Color Wheel at the top of your screen multiple times to rotate through the options. Post your story, and the Countdown Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Donation Sticker
Description: The Donation Sticker allows you to select a charity or fundraiser for an Instagram Story. Your audience will then be able to click “Donate” on the sticker to view the verified nonprofit’s profile and make a donation of their choosing.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Donation Sticker (a white box with the label “Donation”). Select this sticker, then wait a moment for the sticker to suggest popular charities. You can choose to select a recommended nonprofit or search for another. Select the charity you’d like to share, give your fundraiser a title, and drag the sticker to the desired place. You also have the option to change the color of the Donation Sticker by clicking the Color Wheel at the top of your screen multiple times to rotate through the options. Post your story, and the Donation Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Link Sticker Feature
Description: The Link Sticker allows you to link to an external URL while watching your stories. Linking to an external URL is now available to all accounts.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Link Sticker (a white box with the label “Link”). Then, insert the web address you’d like to add to the story and click “Done” in the upper right-hand corner. Post your story, and the Link sticker will be added to the Slide.
Photo Sticker
Description: The Photo Sticker allows you to add photos from your phone’s camera roll to your Instagram Story. You can use it multiple times in one Story, dragging and resizing photos to create a unique look.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Photo Sticker (a circle with the most recent photo in your camera roll in it and a photo symbol overlaid on top). Select this sticker, then select the photo you would like to add to your Instagram Story. Once you have selected it, drag the photo to the desired place, tap it to rotate through different cropping options, and pinch the photo with your fingers to make it larger or smaller. Post your story, and the Photo Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Add Yours Sticker
Description: The Add Yours Sticker allows you to share your content to another sticker that is already being used by other creators.
To Create Your Own: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Add Yours (a white box with the label “Reshare”). Select this sticker, give your sticker a direction for other creators to follow (such as “Drop your favorite sunset photo”) then post your Story.
To Add to Another: Alternatively, you can use the Add Yours sticker when you see another creator having used the sticker. Tap the “Add Yours” button on their Story and immediately you will be redirected to create an Instagram Story. Then, either take a photo or select the one you would like to add to your Instagram Story from your camera roll. Post your story, and the Add Yours Sticker will be added to the Slide, and your Story will be viewable by everyone who searches through that Add Yours sticker.
Music Sticker
Description: The Music Sticker allows you to add a song to your Instagram Story.
To Use: After creating an Instagram Story, open the Sticker Tray at the top right of your screen (the square with a smiley face). There, you will see the Music Sticker (a white box with the label “Music”). Select this sticker, then search for a song in the search bar or browse recommended songs. Select the song you’d like to add to your story and drag the sound waves to the left and right to choose the section of the song you’d like to play. You also have the option to feature the album art, lyrics, and more by clicking the “Aa” buttons at the bottom of your screen multiple times to rotate through the options. Post your story, and the Music Sticker will be added to the Slide.
Avatars
Description: You can create and customize an avatar to resemble you through the Instagram app for Android and iPhone. If you sync your Facebook and Instagram profiles, you can use the same avatar on Instagram and Facebook.
To Use: Creating your Avatar from Instagram Stories is easy and fun! Simply follow the instructions below:
Tap "+" at the top or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
Take a photo or video, then tap the stickers icon.
Tap AVATAR.
Tap Create avatar, then tap Get Started.
Choose your avatar's skin tone, then personalize your avatar with hairstyles, outfits, and more.
Note that you can tap on the globe icon to see yourself on camera while you create your avatar.
Tap Done in the top right to save and create your avatar.
You can edit your avatar at any time before sharing a story by tapping the sticker icon, then tap AVATAR and tap Edit in the top left.
When editing your avatar, you can delete it by tapping the trash icon, then tap Delete. Keep in mind that this action is permanent and cannot be reversed.
Using Stickers on Reels
Description: You can now make your Reels more interactive and boost your engagement by using Stickers! This feature used to only be available in Stories, so this is GREAT news because it’s one more engagement-boosting way to connect with your followers!
To use:
Step 1. Film your Reel
Step 2. Click ‘Next’
Step 3. Click on the Sticker feature at the top of your screen
Step 4. Choose the Sticker you’d like to use
Step 5. Add your options to the Poll, Quiz, Slider Sticker, or Add Yours Sticker and then click ‘next’
(Ex: You need help deciding which candle-from your new line-you should light in your new workspace first.)
Ideas on how to use this added feature for your business:
Create a Poll for your audience asking which kind of product they’d like to see next.
Use the Quiz sticker feature to test your audience’s knowledge on a service you offer.
Invite your followers to have fun engaging on your Reel with the Emoji Slider sticker
Using the Reaction Sticker on Stories
Description: You can now customize and add Reaction Stickers to your Stories.
To Use:
Step 1. Create your Story
Step 2. Click on the Sticker feature at the top of your screen
Step 3. Choose the Reaction Sticker
Step 4. Customize the Reaction Sticker with the emoji you’d like to use and then click the arrow in the bottom right corner to post your Story.
(Ex: You use the heart-eyes emoji on a Story featuring a benefit of your product or service or the mind-blown emoji for a Story featuring a testimonial you received on a service you offer, etc.)
👉 Wanna Dig Deeper?
You’ll LOVE Using Instagram Stories to Get More Customers. This Action Plan is all about providing tips, tricks, and done-for-you templates to help you buckle down, show up, and reach out via Instagram Stories.