Your brand’s Instagram Story is the right place to engage fans, promote new products, and improve your brand’s awareness.
After all, over 500 million users watch Instagram Stories each day. So when you aren’t utilizing the function as a part of your social media strategy, you are potentially leaving lots of money on the table.
However what exactly should you put on your Instagram Story? Fortunately, we are here to answer this question.
Under, we have included the 20 creative Instagram Story ideas. They will assist you to create an endless well of content to draw from and will assist you to get the most bang for your buck from the platform.
Let’s jump in.
20 Instagram Story ideas that will boost engagement
1. Promote blog posts
Your brand’s Instagram Story is an ideal place to promote your blog’s newest article.
When coupled with the “Swipe Up” function, you will be capable of sending users straight to publish instead of referring them to the link in your bio. That is good for generating leads with a brand new avenue of traffic to your blog posts.
Unfortunately, the Swipe Up function is currently only available to business accounts with 10k or more followers.
When you aren’t there yet, don’t worry. Take a look at our article on how to get more Instagram followers.
2. Promote Instagram posts
Instagram Stories are an excellent place to share your newest post to all your followers. After all, you could not really predict what posts your fans will see on their feed — however, you could be sure that all of your Story followers see that you have a new post.
Just take a screenshot of your Instagram post or feed and obscure the picture. That method you tease the post for your fans.
Take a look at how photographer Mark Averill does it in his Story above.
3. Promote products
Launching a product you wish to generate buzz for? Your Instagram Story is ideal for that.
Announce a product launch, get feedback on a product, or promote a current product you have already launched.
In the instance above, Ramit Sethi uses his Instagram Story to promote his online courses. It’s a simple and fun method to build engagement while growing product sales. Double win!
4. Create a shoppable story
Instagram launched their shoppable Story stickers in 2019. This permits companies and entrepreneurs to sell their products directly on their Instagram Stories utilizing a particular sticker without requiring the user to “swipe up” and navigate away from the app.
There are some requirements to get the sticker.
You have to be selling a physical product that complies with Instagram’s policies, and you have to have a business profile on Instagram. As of 2019, the sticker is only available in 46 countries.
5. Story takeover
An Instagram takeover is if you permit somebody who does not typically have access to your Instagram account to post on it for a day. This could be an employee, coworker, or an influencer you have hired to promote your brand.
Of all the Instagram Story ideas on this list, it is a fun method to humanize your brand and provide some fun content for your audience. When you partner with an influencer, you could also promote your brand and products.
The Mighty Missouri Coffee Firm did this in the instance above once they partnered with travel influencer @outsidevibes.
6. Go live
Live videos are a fantastic method to directly engage your followers.
Instagram Live permits users to ask questions, comment on your live video, and provide real-time engagement.
Most users will even be notified with push notification if you begin broadcasting live.
That is good for enhancing engagement.
And once you are completed with the live video, it’ll appear directly on your Instagram Story. This permits those who may have missed it live to check the video out later.
As with any Instagram Story, it will be available for 24 hours before being archived.
7. Use IGTV
Launched in June 2018, Instagram TV (IGTV) is Instagram’s standalone video app that permits creators to make long-form video channels a la YouTube.
Creators could connect their IGTV profiles to their normal Instagram profiles and provides their audience a one minute preview of their channel on their Instagram Story feed.
It is a great method to share longer-form video content for your audience.
As of 2019, unverified users could publish videos up to 10 minutes long, while verified users could enjoy videos up to one hour long.
8. Conduct a poll
Instagram provides a poll sticker for users to put on their Stories. It’s easy: Ask your fans a question with a choice of two responses.
Polls are a good way to engage your audience and build your brand. The best part is that there are lots of how you could approach you poll.
For instance, you could gamify your Story by quizzing your readers on different topics. Or, conduct simple customer analysis by giving your fans an option of two products you may release soon. Or, just have some fun like in the instance above.
9. Thought leadership
Have a hot take? Got some tips or hacks to share?
Your Instagram Story is a superb place for your brand to present some thought leadership. Doing so will build engagement and position your brand as a trustworthy source of data.
Personal finance and growth expert Ramit Sethi does this very well with his Instagram Stories. Each day, he speaks directly to his Story viewers about different money-related topics—and answering questions once they come up. Think about how you could do the same with your Story.