More than 300 million people use Instagram Story Features daily, the Snapchat-like feature that makes a picture and video sequences that disappear 24 hours after being updated. But not everyone to know all the Instagram story hacks.
This post includes 23 Instagram story hacks which are for marketers who want to better understand the way to use Instagram Story features.
Instagram Story hacks
1. Record video hands-free
How you can do it:
- Swipe from left to right from your newsfeed screen to open the Instagram Stories camera
- Swipe via the options at the end of the screen—regular, Boomerang, and so on.—and stop at the HANDS-FREE recording option
- Choose the record button at the end of the screen to start recording
- To stop recording, either let the max time run out or tap the capture button once more time.
2. Add as much text as you need to posts in Stories
How you can do it:
- Swipe from left to right from your newsfeed screen to go to the Instagram Stories camera
- Snap a picture or record a video
- Choose the screen to add text OR choose the Aa icon in the top right corner
- Write your desired text
- Choose the > icon
- Repeat as many times as wanted to include more text
3. Change the color of individual letters or words in your text
How you can do it:
- Go to Instagram story camera
- Snap a picture or record a video
- Choose the screen to include text OR tap the Aa icon in the top right corner
- Type your text as normal
- Press and hold on a word or individual letter to choose and highlight
- Select your desired color
- Continue editing and share as normal
4. Change the colors or information displayed on a sticker
How you can do it:
- Choose a sticker to include to your post
- Choose it for different color options, or, in the case of things just like the temperature sticker, you could select between celsius and fahrenheit
5. Share someone else’s post in your feed on Instagram Stories
The Instagram Story version of a program—good for sharing user-generated content or giving a shoutout to another related brand or influencer.
How you can do it:
- Tap the paper airplane icon under the post you wish to share
- Click on Add post to your story
- The post will appear as a sticker with a custom background
- You could rotate, scale, move the sticker, and choose it to discover other styles
- When you are happy with the way it looks, select the Your Story button to include it to your post. The post will show the original poster’s username. When somebody taps the post, they will be able to view the original post and more content from the person who made it.
Note: You could only share posts from public accounts. When you do not want your posts shared on Instagram Stories by other people, you could opt out in settings.
6. Add a soundtrack to your Story with Instagram’s music library
There are millions of songs to select from!
- When you took a photograph or video to add to your Story, select the Stickers icon (folded smiley face) on the top of the screen
- Then choose the MUSIC sticker from the menu to open Instagram’s music library
- Select your song by searching for a particular track or browse by mood, genre, or what’s trending
- Choose play to preview the song before including it to your Story
- When you have chosen a song, you could fast-forward or rewind it to begin it at a particular point
- End including to your post as usual and click on the Your Story button at the bottom to post it
7. Share a song or album from Spotify on Instagram Stories
Show off how hip your brand is.
How you can do it:
- Open the Spotify app
- Discover the song or album you want to share
- Choose the … icon to open the options menu
- Scroll down and choose Share
- Select Instagram Stories
- It’ll open the Instagram app and you could add a sticker, text, or doodle to the picture of the album you are sharing (when you are sharing a particular song, the app will still display the album it’s on)
- Then select Your Story to add the song
8. Get music recommendations with the questions sticker
Whether you need fresh music to get in the holiday mood, or new tunes to get you through the final few weeks of school, your friends could now assist you to discover the perfect tracks.
How you can do it:
- Choose the square happy face on your Story to Add a questions sticker.
- Choose the questions sticker and then select the music icon to let people send you a song. People could tap the sticker in your Story, then type a query to ask you or send you a song.
- Once you view your own story and swipe up, you could see who responded. Tap a response from somebody to share it. Their picture and username will not be shown.
9. Save your entire Story to your camera roll
In case you need to post it on a different channel at a later date.
How you can do it:
- Open your Story
- Swipe up on the screen
- Choose the arrow in a circle icon on the high right corner of the screen
Note: You could also save individual posts from your Story as you publish them by tapping the downward arrow icon in the bottom left corner of the screen. When you have already shared it, go to the picture or video you would like to save, choose the … icon in the bottom right corner, and choose Save Photo.
10. Share your Story to your profile
In case your Story’s hot and you need everybody to see it—even those who do not log in during the 24 hours that it’s live—post it on your profile.
How you can do it:
- Open your Story
- Choose the … icon in the bottom right corner of the picture or video you would like to share
- Select Share as Post
- Edit—add filters, tags, a caption, and so on.—and post as you usually would
11. Find out how your Story’s performing
Wish to understand how your Story’s doing? Take a look at this little-known feature to search out who’s viewed it.
How you can do it:
- Open your Story
- Swipe up on the screen
- Instagram will show the number of views as well as the names of people who have seen each picture or video in your Story
12. Zoom out and in on videos with a single finger
How you can do it:
- Open the Instagram Stories camera
- Hold down the capture button with one finger to start recording video
- Slide up or down with the same finger to zoom out and in
13. Hide your Story from particular users
How you can do it:
Method 1
- Go to your profile and select the hamburger menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Privacy and Security > Story Controls.
- Choose Hide Story From.
- Choose the people you would like to hide your story from, then select Done (iOS) or the checkmark symbol (Android).
- To unhide your story from somebody, choose the blue checkmark to unselect them.
Method 2
You could also select people to hide your story from as you are taking a look at who’s seen your story.
- Choose the three horizontal dots on iOS and the three vertical dots on Android to the right of their name and choose Hide Story From [Username].
Note: Hiding your story from somebody is different from blocking them, and does not prevent them from seeing your profile and posts.
14. Hide your Story from a location or hashtag
How you can do it:
- Choose Seen by on your Story.
- Viewers who’re seeing your story through a location or hashtag page will appear at the high.
- Tap x to the right of a location or hashtag page to hide your story from it.
15. Only share your Story with close friends
Create a “close friends list” to share extra personal moments with a smaller group which you select.
How you can create:
- Go to your profile and choose the hamburger menu
- Choose Close Friends
- Choose Add next to the people who you need to add to your close friends list. You could also choose Search to seek for a friend.
- Select Done once you have completed including people to your list.
You could update your list and remove people at any time. People will not be notified once you add or remove them from your list.
How you can share your Story with close friends:
- Choose the camera icon on the high left or swipe right from anywhere in the newsfeed.
- Select the circle at the bottom of the screen to take a photograph, or choose and hold to record a video. To select an image from your phone’s library or gallery, swipe up anywhere on the screen.
- Once you are ready to share, choose Close Friends in the bottom left.
People in your close friends list will know they are in it, however, they cannot see who else is in your list. If somebody has added you to their list, you will see a green badge once you are viewing their stories and a green ring round their profile picture.
16. Hide somebody’s Instagram Stories without unfollowing them
Whatever the reason, all of us follow at least one account whose content we might not like, however, for some reason could not unfollow. The solution? Muting their Instagram Stories.
How you can do it:
- Select and hold on the Instagram Stories avatar of the account you would like to mute.
- Choose Mute. This moves the story to the end of the queue and prevents it from autoplaying.
- To unmute, just choose and hold on the stories icon and click on Unmute.
17. Add a text-only post to your Story
An image says a thousand words, however, sometimes you just want to say a few words.
How you can do it:
- With Instagram Stories open, choose Type below the capture button
- Choose the screen and type your message
- Click on the button at the top-middle of the app to cycle via the various styles
- Select a background color and text color(s)
- Press the > icon once you’re pleased with the design to publishing it to your Story
18. Share any size photo or video without cutting anything out
Now you could share that wide-angle firm picture without cutting out Gary from accounting.
How you can do it:
- Add your large picture or video and pinch to zoom out to share the original dimensions
- Any extra room shall be full of a custom color gradient that fits what you are sharing
19. Pin your greatest Stories to the top of your profile
Brands could now hold their best Stories on their profiles for as long as they want with the Instagram Stories Highlights function.
How you can do it:
- Choose the New circle at the far left on your Instagram for business profile
- Select any Stories from your archive (note: Stories from business profiles are automatically saved to the archive after they expire)
- Choose a cover icon for your Highlight and provides it a name
- Your Highlight will appear as a circle below your bio that plays as a stand-alone Story when somebody taps it
- To edit or remove a Highlight, Click and hold it on your profile
Note: Highlights stay on your profile till you remove them, and you could have as many Highlights as you would like. Take a look at these free Highlights cover icons to ensure yours really stand out.
20. Share your Instagram Story to your Facebook Story
You could do this for an individual post, or set it up so all of your Instagram Stories automatically our posted on Fb as well.
How you can do it for a particular Story:
- Begin making a story, then tap Next.
- Choose Your Fb Story.
- Choose Share.
How you can set up automatic Fb Story sharing:
- Go to your profile and Select the hamburger menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Choose Privacy and Security > Story Controls.
- Next to Share Your Story to Fb, toggle on to permit sharing.
21. Share a replay of your live video on Instagram Stories
One other characteristic accessible to enterprise accounts.
How you can do it:
Once you complete broadcasting a live video, just select Share at the bottom of your screen and the video shall be added to your Story.
Note: The recording shall be available for 24 hours. While it plays, it’ll show all of the comments and likes from the original broadcast. Brands will also be capable of seeing exactly how many people viewed the video—both live and in Stories.
22. Share a sneak peak of your Instagram Story
Want to entice your viewers to look at the rest of your Instagram Stories? We have got an easy trick for that.
How you can do it:
- Open Instagram Stories and take an image, or choose one from your library by swiping up.
- Choose the pen icon on the top right corner of the screen.
- Choose a color.
- Select and hold on your screen for 1-3 seconds till the screen is full of a solid color.
- Select the eraser symbol on the upper right corner.
- “Erase” the part of the image you want to show by swiping or tapping the screen with your index finger.
- Choose Your Story to share the completed product.
23. Link to your IGTV video from Instagram Stories
When you have just begun an IGTV account, give your followers a simple method to discover your new content—by sharing it to your Instagram Stories.
How you can do it:
- Open Instagram Stories, choose the picture you want to publish (a screenshot or a still from your IGTV video).
- Choose the link icon on the upper right-hand side of your screen and choose IGTV video from the Add Link menu.
- Choose the correct video and select Done in the high right corner of your screen.
Now your followers could go to your IGTV video by swiping up on your Instagram Story.