What Does Forward Mean on Instagram & Other Story Analytics

What does forward mean on Instagram? Or tap backward? Instagram Insights shows you engagement analytics to enhance your Instagram for Business strategy. It eliminates guesswork, helps you get more likes and followers, and grows your profile. 

While Insights makes the user experience better, understanding them can often pose serious challenges, especially for influencers and businesses. This article will walk you through what Tap Forward and other Instagram Story Insights mean. 

How To Check Instagram Story Insights?

You can easily check your Instagram Story Insights by tapping the ‘Insights’ button in the top-right corner of your profile. 

However, if you still haven’t shifted to the business profile, follow these steps and view Instagram insights. 

1. Open Instagram: Launch the Instagram app on your desktop or mobile.
2. Go To Settings: Tap on the profile picture in the bottom-right-hand corner of the feed. Click on the lines (hamburger icon) in the top-right corner. From there, choose the Settings and Privacy option.
3. Account Type: Scroll down on the Settings and Privacy page until you find the Account type and tools. Select this option.
4. Switch To ‘Professional’ Account: Select the Switch to Professional Account option. Follow the provided instructions, which may include specifying the category your account relates to, and then click Done.
5. Get Access To Instagram Insights: With your professional account set up, return to the profile page. You can check your insights through the ‘hamburger icon’ or by directly clicking on it from your Instagram profile.

Once you open Insights, go to the ‘content’ tab. Here, you’ll find a range of data for Instagram Stories, posts, and other promotions you run. 

If you tap the See All button next to Stories, you can seamlessly filter metrics by types of interactions and date range. 

Also, you can access these analytics directly from the active story by swiping up. It opens various metrics related to that Story, such as profile visits, link clicks, impressions, etc. 

Now that you know how to view Instagram stories insights, let’s find out what forward navigation means on Instagram.

Instagram Story Insights: What Does Forward Mean on Instagram Story?

So, what does forward mean on Instagram story exactly?

Taps forward on Instagram show how many users skipped your Story without watching it entirely. When users tap to move to the next Story in a queue, Instagram counts it as a forward. 

If only a few people skip your ‘full’ Story, it’s a sign you create engaging content. However, if many people tap forward, it’s a sign that you must improve your story content.

You can boost engagement and reduce rapid exits by using Instagram story games. 

Also, it’s a given that many people quickly tap through Instagram Stories. So, it’s best to look at taps backward, exits, and next story metrics to effectively gauge your Instagram story performance.

Other Instagram Story Insights You Should Track

Instagram story analytics provide insights into how users interact with your stories. This data helps understand how many viewers engage with your ‘entire’ Story.

In addition to taps forward, there are several other metrics like next Story and taps backward. 

They help find what content form works best so you can post more of that in your Instagram stories. Let’s discuss each separately.

Taps Backward

Taps backward measures how often users tap the left side of the screen to rewatch a previous story. 

It’s a valuable indicator of what type of content works and what does not. 

When viewers tap backward, it suggests they find the content worth revisiting. Or it grabs their attention during a quick scroll. If your post receives many ‘taps backward,’ take note of the content type and continue experimenting. 

This is a top method for discovering Instagram trends and understanding what resonates with your audience.

Next Story and Exits

Exits track how often someone swipes out of your Story. Whereas ‘next story’ measures tap to the next account’s Story. Although these two metrics are somewhat similar, exits may not always indicate disinterest. 

For instance, an exit simply means the user was short on time. They might also have swiped up for more information if you provide a link. In contrast, the ‘next story’ metric suggests users wanted to skip to the next one, indicating a loss of interest. You can use these metrics to determine your ideal story length – whether it’s 3 or 13 slides. They also reveal areas for content improvement. 

If you notice many exits or nexts, make sure to create captivating content to engage your audience. This will get users to stay till the end and eager to return for more.

Discovery Metrics

Believe it or not, discovery metrics matter a lot. Many people use the Instagram app to find new brands. 62% of people say they become more interested in a product or brand after seeing it in Stories.

To understand how much your target audience watches your Stories, compare impressions and reach numbers to follower count.

• Reach – This tells you an estimate of how many users (accounts) viewed your Story. 
• Impressions – This shows how often people watched your Instagram story, including repeats.

Tip: Make sure to include stickers to increase your Story’s discoverability. When you employ location stickers or hashtags, your Story will likely appear in the Explore Page or sticker’s larger Story. If you’re a small business, it’s best to use Gift Cards or Food Orders stickers. 

Interactions Metrics

Listed below are a few interaction metrics you must consider:

• Profile Visits: Times people viewed your profile after seeing your Story.
• Replies: Users responded to your Instagram stories.
• Follows: New followers you gained from your stories.
• Shares: Amount of times people shared your Story.
• Website Visits: Clicks on your profile link after watching the Story.
• Sticker Taps: Taps on location, mention, product stickers, or hashtag in your Ig story.
• Calls, Emails, Texts, Get Directions: Users who took these actions when they saw your Story.
• Product Page Views: Product page views you get through product tags in your Story.
• Interactions: Total actions taken after seeing your Story.

If you want to achieve engagement or other specific actions, these stats can help measure success. 

Want more followers? Compare Profile Visits with Follows. However, if you hope to drive traffic to your website, look at Website Visits to gauge performance.

Tip: Stick to one clear CTA that matches your goals. Highlight it with branded stickers or creative elements. According to Facebook data, highlighting CTAs boosts conversions in 89% of cases tested.

Optimize Your Marketing Strategy Based on Instagram Story Analytics

Instagram Stories Insights such as taps forward can help improve marketing efforts and increase audience engagement. 

Here are six ways to optimize your strategy based on the Ig insights you collect:

• Find Content That Works: Monitoring your Stories’ performance can help identify top posts. Recreate videos and photos that outshine your other stories. 
• Listen To Audience Feedback: Pay attention to both qualitative and quantitative data, including poll and quiz responses. Use it to inspire new services, products, or content.
• Understand How People Love To Communicate: Analyze metrics for text, call, and email interactions. Adjust your approach based on audience preferences to boost engagement.
• Post At Optimal Times: Let’s say your data indicates more engagement on weekdays at 8 p.m. So, plan your content to go live then for increased visibility and interaction.
• Track Audience Demographics: If your target audience is women aged 20-32, create stories that appeal to their needs and interests.
• Leverage UGC: User-generated content can be increasingly helpful for your stories. Share content from satisfied customers using your products to build trust and credibility.

Optimize Your Instagram Stories Strategy With Path Social

Now you know what does forward means on Instagram, along with other popular story metrics. 

Apart from tap forward and other navigation metrics, consider story length and content type to ensure your Story performs best. 

Want to make stories that go viral among your audience? Choose Path Social! With custom strategies and tools, refine your Instagram account, unleash the true potential of your profile, and grow your followers. Don’t wait to learn what forward or other metrics mean by yourself – let Path Social help you. Start growing and gaining Instagram followers today!