IG Story Posts 101: The Ultimate Instagram Stories Guide

Brands and creators fight to the death to curate the most beautiful, aesthetically pleasing Instagram feeds. They conjure feed posts from cute photo dumps to cinematic videos to build the perfect page. But in recent years, quick, concise, casual content has gotten more popular—thus the rise in popularity of Stories. In this Instagram Stories guide, we’ll tell you the ins and outs of mastering the art of this content type.

IG Stories are temporary posts that let people post casual, candid content to show off their most authentic selves. And with Instagram’s many creative tools, you can get as out-of-the-box as you want when crafting and editing your Stories. Are you ready to learn everything you need to know about Stories? Let’s take a deep dive into this well-loved Instagram feature.

What Are Instagram Stories?

Stories are an Instagram content format that lets users upload vertical photos and videos that expire after 24 hours. This lessens the burden of curating manicured, aesthetically perfect content that lives on your feed permanently. Since they’re up on your page for such a short time, Stories can be more casual and authentic, never contrived.

Stories are fantastic for sharing life updates on your personal account or posting promotional content for your business. If you run a brand on Instagram, you can even run Story ads to reach your target audience.

You can also use your Stories to amplify existing content on the platform. Share a post to your Story and get more people to see it. You can do this for your feed posts, or someone else’s that you think is interesting and exciting.

One awesome thing about the Stories feature is that it’s big on viewer interaction. People who see your Story can react with emojis and even reply to it through a direct message. With the help of specific stickers, your followers can also interact with your posts (but we’ll get to that later!). Plus, Instagram shows you exactly who views your Story posts.

Needless to say, Stories have become incredibly successful over time. A few years back, Meta (then Facebook) reported that half a billion users use Stories every day, according to SocialMediaToday. God knows how many people share and view Story content on a daily basis today!

Instagram Reels vs Stories: What’s the Difference?

Instagram Reels vs Stories—how are they different from each other? Well, although these formats are the platform’s two vertical formats, they couldn’t be more different.

IG Reels are short-form videos that go up to 90 seconds long, as opposed to Stories, which can be static photos. Their biggest difference is that Reels live on the feed permanently. They don’t expire like Stories do after 24 hours. So, if longevity and permanence are what you’re after, go for Reels instead of Stories.

Another stark difference between the two is that you can see who views your Stories but not Reels. For the latter, you can only see the number of views you’ve garnered but not who watched your video.

How To Check Instagram Story Views

One of the best things about Stories is that you can see who views your content before it expires. You’ll see whether you’re reaching a good amount of people and if your target audience is viewing your Stories.

Checking your Instagram Story views to see who’s been gobbling up your content is super easy. Just open your active Stories on the Instagram app. Then, swipe up on a Story to see the list of people who have viewed it. This process allows you to see who has viewed your Story at any given time.

What’s great is that your viewer list updates in real time, so you see new Story viewers instantly! However, note that the full viewer list disappears when your Stories expire. When accessing old Stories in the archive, you’ll only see the viewers who reacted to your content.

Instagram Story Ideas for Your Personal Brand or Business

Are you not sure how to use Stories for your Instagram platform? Don’t worry—we have a few Instagram Story ideas up our sleeve to share with you. Here’s how you can use this creative format to promote and drive engagement for your personal brand or business.

For personal brands and influencers:

• Day-in-the-life snippets that show your followers what you do on a regular day
• Storytimes and life updates—basically anything that gets you talking in front of the camera
• Q&A sessions with the use of Instagram’s interactive stickers

For businesses selling products and services:

• Behind-the-scenes content showing your potential customers how you run your business
• How-to tutorials on how to use your products properly
• Frequently asked questions (pro-tip: make a Story Highlight for this!)
• Announcements of your latest product launch with a countdown on Stories
• Posts regarding sales and limited-time discounts on your products or services

How To Save Instagram Stories Before They Expire

As mentioned earlier, Stories are only posted live on your profile for 24 hours, after which they expire. This 24-hour “shelf life” encourages more spontaneous content without making users feel extra self-conscious when posting on the app. That way, you can post anything you want and have fun with it. You won’t need to stress about how polished every Story has to be.

Sadly, once a Story expires, it will live only in your archives, which no one but you can see. But that doesn’t mean you can never access your Story content again. There are actually several ways to save Instagram Stories so you can view and rewatch them whenever you please. Let’s take a look at three of them.

1. Save the Photo or Video Straight to Your Device

The easiest way to save your Stories is by downloading them straight to your device from the app. That way, you can keep a copy of your fave Stories in your camera roll. This allows you to look back on these candid posts whenever you want, long after they’ve expired. Here’s how to do it, step by step:

1. Open your Instagram app.

2. Click on your profile photo in the Instagram Stories section of the home page. This will open your active Story posts.

3. Find the Story you’d like to save to your device.

4. Click the More button (with three horizontal dots) on the bottom-right corner of the screen.

5. Hit Save.

6. Choose to save the individual photo or video or your entire Story.

And there you have it! Now, that Story lives in your camera roll for you to access even offline.

2. Create Story Highlights To Keep Your Content on Your Profile

Sometimes, Instagram’s stipulation that Stories expire after 24 hours simply sucks. You work so hard on your brand’s Story content only for people never to see it again after a day.

But there is a way to keep your old Stories on your profile. How? With Story Highlights, of course!

When you create a Highlight on your page, you can permanently store old Stories on your profile. You group old Story posts in one collection and create a Highlight for them, making them very organized. That way, people who visit your page can rewatch them at any time.

Here’s how to create Story Highlights, step by step:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.

2. In the Highlights section below your profile photo and bio, click the plus icon. This lets you add a new Highlight.

3. Select Stories from your archive to add to your new Highlight. Then, click Next.

4. Tap Edit cover and choose what photo you want to display as your Highlight cover.

5. Name your Highlight.

6. Finally, click Add to publish the Highlight to your page.

3. Download Instagram Stories Posted by Other Users With a Third-Party Tool

Things get a bit trickier when you want to save someone else’s Stories. Instagram has no in-app feature that lets you download Instagram Stories from others directly. The only way to do so is by using a third-party downloading site.

These sites all usually work the same way. You enter the handle of the user whose Stories you want to download. The website then fetches their current Story. From there, you can download their content straight to your device. You are done and dusted! Now, you have a copy of their Stories to go back to and rewatch whenever you wish.

How-To’s for Sprucing Up Stories Content

Instagram makes creating Stories incredibly fun for any user with plenty of creative tools exclusively for Story content. You can add just about anything to your Stories to make them pop, from text to emojis to cute stickers. That way, you can make your content as engaging as possible, even if they’re only up for 24 hours.

Do you want to know some of our favorite ways to spruce up Stories? Here are a few step-by-step guides on how to elevate your content before you hit “post.”

How To Add Links to an Instagram Story

Adding a link to your Story content used to be possible only for influencers with significant fanbases. However, in recent app updates, Instagram has started allowing people with personal accounts to post links in Stories.

There are many reasons why it might be beneficial for someone to share a link on Instagram. It helps drive traffic to any site outside the app, whether it’s your shop’s e-commerce site or a personal blog. It also allows you to share other content on the internet you would like other people to see.

Here’s how to add links to Instagram Stories in a few easy steps:

1. Open the Instagram app and create a new Story.

2. Import a photo or video from your camera roll (or take a new one with your camera!).

3. Click the sticker icon at the top of the editor screen.

4. Tap the Link sticker option from the choices that appear.

5. Enter the URL you want your sticker to link out to.

6. Type the custom sticker text you want displayed on your Story.

7. Click Done.

8. Move and resize your link sticker however you want it to appear on your Story. Customize your Story by adding even more stickers and text if you want.

9. Click Your story at the bottom of the editor screen to publish your Story.

How To Add Music to an Instagram Story

Adding music to your IG Story posts is a fabulous way to spruce up your content. Not only do you get to share your favorite songs with others, but you enhance your post’s storytelling as well.

Music helps set the mood and atmosphere for your Stories, making them more engaging and intriguing. It could even boost audience retention because it encourages people to watch your Story for longer.

Do you want to set the tone (literally) for your Story content? Here’s how to add music to an Instagram Story:

1. On the Instagram app, create a new Story and upload or capture your visual content.

2. Click the music icon at the top of the Story Editor screen. This will open Instagram’s music library.

3. Tap the search bar and type the name of the song you want. Alternatively, you can choose from Instagram’s recommended songs.

4. Click the song you want to add to your Story.

5. Drag the slider to choose which snippet of the song you wish to incorporate into your post.

6. Choose what kind of music sticker you want people to see on your Story. You can choose from animated lyrics, the song’s album cover, and many more options.

7. When you’re happy with your music snippet and sticker selection, click Done.

8. Move and resize your music sticker however you want on your Story.

9. Tap Your story to publish the post.

How To Add Multiple Photos to an Instagram Story

Sometimes, adding one photo to your Story isn’t enough. Maximize your Story’s real estate by publishing more than one image in one go. Here’s how to add multiple photos to an Instagram Story to show off numerous pretty pictures all at once:

1. Open the Instagram app and create a new Story.

2. Instead of uploading or capturing new visual content, click the layout icon on the left corner of the screen. It should look like a grid.

3. Click Change grid and choose which multiple-photo template you want to use. There are six options to choose from that let you post 2-6 photos in one go.

4. After choosing your layout template, swipe up on the Story Editor screen.

5. Pick a photo you want to include in your Story from your camera roll.

6. Repeat the process of swiping up and choosing a photo until you fill up your layout.

7. Then, click the check mark at the bottom of the screen to finalize your multiple-photo Story.

8. Customize your Story post however else you want with stickers, text and more.

9. Tap Your story to publish your final product.

And there you have it! Now, people will see multiple photos in one Story.

How To Insert Fun Stickers to Your Stories

IG stickers are amazing for making your Stories look extra vibrant and entertaining. GIFs and emoji stickers make them look more exciting. Meanwhile, interactive stickers like polls and trivia questions can help boost your content’s engagement. You can even add product stickers to promote specific items featured in your Story!

Do you want to insert fun stickers into your Story posts to enhance their visual appeal and interactive nature? Here’s how to do it:

1. Create a new Story and upload a photo or video.

2. Click on the sticker icon at the top of the screen.

3. Choose from the many sticker options. For this example, let’s click GIF.

4. Select a sticker from the suggested results or use the search bar to find stickers related to a theme.

5. If you see a sticker you want to add to your post, tap it.

6. Resize and move the sticker to where you want to position it on your Story.

7. Add more stickers until you’re happy with how your post looks.

8. Hit Your story to post the finished post for your followers to see.

The process is pretty much the same for other stickers, from decorative stickers to interactive ones.

Play With Instagram Story Templates: How To Make a Collage on an Instagram Story

Do you want to be more creative and out-of-the-box with your Story posts? Consider using ready-to-use Instagram Story templates from third-party tools. These are perfect for users who want stunning Stories but don’t have the knack for creating cool collages and layouts.

Tried-and-tested tools such as Canva and the SCRL app are popular for their aesthetically gorgeous Story templates. Whether you’re interested in Polaroid-themed templates or collages with photos stacked on top of each other, these tools have it. It’s difficult to learn how to make a collage on Instagram Story all on your own. But with these tools, making collages, montages, and seamless, creative Story posts is a walk in the park.

The process is super simple:

1. Choose a template from a trusted third-party template tool.

2. Create your Story by filling in the template with your photos or videos.

3. Save the Story you made to your device.

4. Open the Instagram app and upload the Story you made for your followers to see.

Easy peasy, right? Now, you have beautiful collages and layouts for your Story without having to do the heavy lifting!

Instagram Stories Guide: Show Off Your Personality To Captivate Your Audience!

Think of the Instagram Story Editor as a blank canvas where you can express yourself online with no holds barred. Posting Stories allows you to show off your personality without the pressure of curating the perfect feed. And while they expire in 24 hours, you can always save your content to your device or through Story Highlights.

Now that you know how to create awesome Stories with stickers, music, links, and more, it’s time to get cracking. Use all your new knowledge from this Instagram Stories guide to craft the best Stories for your brand. Make it engaging, exciting, and enticing for your target audience to gain the most traction possible!

Do you want more people to see your Stories? Grow your fanbase to widen your reach with Path Social. We use tried-and-tested promotional strategies to push your page out to the right people, so you can get more of your target audience to discover your profile. This leads to more followers and higher engagement, taking your brand to new heights. Grow your Instagram community with Path Social today!