Make the Most of Instagram Stories

 

Storytelling is an effective way to share your message on Instagram. With many brands now using  Instagram Stories, several best practices are emerging.

Understand the Format

Instagram Stories is a feature that lets users post photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours.

Instagram Stories appear in a bar at the top of the feed. All Instagram accounts can share stories. When there’s something new to see, the profile photo has a colorful ring around it.

To view a story, users tap on the profile photo and the story will appear full-screen, showing all the content posted in the last 24 hrs. The content plays in chronological order from oldest to newest.

Seven Frames Is Best

The best length for Instagram stories is seven frames. Research has shown that after seven frames engagement drops to less than half.

Engagement Is on Personal Time

Most people engage with Instagram on their personal time. Early morning hours, lunchtime, and evening hours are peak for engagement.

This likely aligns with when people have time to actually watch Stories. They’re more involving than a regular Facebook post or a tweet, so they require a bit more time.

Keep it Simple

People are looking for quick, effective frames, not in-depth content. Simple images are best at drawing viewers in.