We all like the idea of keeping up with our content schedules, but that can feel a lot harder than it looks. Maintaining Instagram story ideas on a consistent basis is tough as it is, but you don’t have to face it all by yourself. Integrating services and technologies to help manage content goals like this is how you get it done.
Regardless of how daunting it might seem, creating a consistent stream of Instagram story post ideas is a must for engagement. While static posts and reels are usually the hot topic, many creators ignore the potential of creative Instagram story ideas.
Most people need a push in the right direction to get started. In short, it doesn't hurt to look for a little creative help to get the ball rolling on your Instagram stories. This article dives into 30 effective yet simple Instagram story ideas that you can utilize to attract more followers.
Creating Instagram Stories: Basic Rules
While you should definitely keep an open mind to styles and strategies in content creation, there are still some basic rules involved. Whether it's related to Instagram story ideas for photos or another specific approach, best practices can act as a guiding light.
A few examples of this include focus areas such as:
- Developing a narrative
- Writing scripts for video or voice-over content
- Creating unique, individual ideas consistently
- Sharing first-hand experiences and knowledge
- and more
Understanding the importance of the sections below will always keep you one step ahead of uncertainty when it comes to winning story ideas for Instagram.
Form the narrative
Before you get into any kind of scriptwriting, you’ll need to have a strong idea of the narrative. This isn’t just for a single story, but the entirety of your approach. For every piece of content, there should always be a beginning, middle, and end, each with its own intent. Having a narrative with layers to it is how you keep an IG audience engaged.
Write the story
In today’s world, you don’t need to be any kind of pro to get a script produced on your own. All you need is a little guidance, and you handle the trial and error from there. One of the main points about scriptwriting is that you always want to keep it relatively brief. Have a narrative, but don’t keep people waiting too long to get to the point either. Having a script also makes for a much more professional sound and look if you’re posting videos.
Keep churning good Instagram story ideas
This is likely to be one of the most challenging areas for any creator: maintaining unique, fresh content ideas consistently. Tech can help out with this a lot, which has helped to streamline the creative process for many people.
Spending time on other successful accounts can help keep the ideas coming. If you’re worried about being seen as a watchful eye, that’s why you watch Instagram stories anonymously with the right tools. Using an anonymous Instagram story viewer gives you access to a range of inspiration regarding cool Instagram story ideas. By being able to view public stories without needing an account, you can streamline Instagram story layout ideas for better execution.
Talk about what you know
Do your best to stray from clickbait or stick to content just for the sake of going viral. People can easily pick up on inauthentic content, especially if you don't sound like you know what you're talking about.
Here are a few steps you can take to figure this out if you aren't sure what your strong suits are:
- Write down the areas where you have the most experience
- Take note of the frequent questions you receive about these topics
- Keep track of your biggest wins and challenges
- Itemize what interests you most about this information
- Identify which content of yours generally receives the most engagement
- Create themed content around the topics you know about most
Seems pretty easy, but this can be a taxing process for someone who has never done it before. It's a good way to figure out where you can truly provide value. Instead of another void of copy-and-paste story ideas Instagram has seen too many times to count.
Have the facts ready
Even if you know you’re an expert on the topics you bring to your audience, you have to remember that they don’t know that. Expect some questioning and doubt at first, but there’s a trick you can use to get around that with a bit of grace.
Including factual references or statistics behind your content and specific claims can really help tone down the naysayers. At the end of the day, the content your audience engages with should stick to the facts.
Working through these tips and tricks is important, but that shouldn't keep you from finding inspiration anywhere you can. Below, you'll get a look at many winning story ideas that cover many different topics and content pillars.
Instagram Story Ideas for Business
If you're running any kind of business, then social media is pretty important. You'd be surprised at how you could spin business content in many different ways. Keep in mind that the examples below are just a glimpse at what's possible for engaging Instagram story ideas.
1. Create FOMO
Maybe you have a new product launch coming or simply a big announcement. This is something you want to build hype for, which can surely be done through Instagram stories. More specifically, give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at what's to come. As time goes on, make a schedule out of this type of content to really drive the results home when you drop the announcement.
2. Inside look at content creation
Many people get a huge kick out of seeing how businesses put content together. Even if it's just for a story, this should still be looked at as decent ad space. Businesses are encouraged to give their content a lot of consideration, as this is how many people will discover them in the first place.
3. Customer highlights
We're living in a world where people feel more invisible than ever. Finding opportunities to highlight your customers and directly show appreciation can go a long way. This is not only for the individual but also for everyone else who sees how you treat them.
4. Sharing UGC
In today's world, making use of UGC is one of the most beneficial pieces of content you can take advantage of as a business. Having authentic people every day using and showcasing your product can be a blend of paid and free advertisement.
5. Address FAQs
There are many ways you could go about answering the most frequently asked questions about your business. For many people, this can be easily accomplished by utilizing Instagram story text ideas. Write out the question and then a direct and concise answer; people love being in the know.
6. Hands-on with the product
You don’t have to put on a massive demonstration to get the point of your product across. With short-form content being king right now, it’s more important than ever to get to the point fast. Focus on short-form story content that’s concise but doesn’t skip on the important product details.
7. Time-sensitive promotions
Some people view the 24-hour limit on Instagram stories as a crutch when it’s actually a decent marketing feature. This is a great way to drop in surprise promo deals that can only be found through fun Instagram story ideas.
8. Get to know your audience
Taking the many features of Instagram stories into account, there are many ways you could get to know your audience better. A go-to way to get this done is through polls, but you want to make sure you don't spam this idea. People love to engage, but not if they feel constantly prompted for it. For a change, you can encourage them to ask about yourself.
9. Showcase industry authority
It's important that your audience sees you as their go-to source for whatever it is you're selling. This pertains to not only the product itself, but also how you present yourself and your business online. If it seems like you're in tune with the latest in your industry, people are more likely to stick around.
10. Product comparisons
This is a great way to take advantage of Instagram story collage ideas. Make sure you don't paint any given product in a bad light, but it allows you to kill two birds with one stone. You can highlight more than one product while driving interest in what makes them unique.
Instagram Story Ideas for Experts
Another type of content that's popular on Instagram nowadays pertains to the subject matter experts (SMEs). Many pages on the platform have turned into a hub of information for a specific topic and surrounding subtopics.
This particular focus on content has also been shown to be great for interactive Instagram story ideas. Nevertheless, as always, there are several ways you can go about this.
11. Explain the “why”
Since Instagram has become so populated over the years, it’s truly challenging to stand out from the noise. Although there are likely many other people making similar content to yours, this shouldn’t deter you from diving in. Many of your followers would love to learn about what drives the passion behind the expertise you share with the rest of the world.
12. Highlight your journey
When people discover you for the first time, it’s helpful to remember they likely have no idea where you came from. Creating content around highlights in your journey can offer perspective to viewers and help form new engagement and interest.
13. Case studies are king
This might seem excessive to some, but case studies are hard to argue with. Regardless of your following or how you present yourself, there will always be those who doubt every word. Dropping a few case studies into your Instagram story design ideas can help provide the assurance people are looking for.
14. Reflect on past mistakes
You didn't become an expert overnight, which means there are many people who are or will encounter the same hurdles you did. By focusing on past mistakes you made and how you overcame them, you can act as a beacon of clarity for others. It also adds context to who you are now and why you're making the content you're pushing out.
15. Collaborate with other experts
Consider bringing in other experts to collaborate on content. With a good word or additional insight from a trusted expert, it’ll add credibility to your voice and overall content. Using this for IG stories is great for those who don’t want to collaborate on static posts or reels.
16. Recommending resources
If you've gained a following by being an expert on something, there's a good chance your viewers would like to be an expert as well. This could be in the form of linking to educational resources, or simply talking about your favorite books, articles, or podcasts.
In fact, you can come up with any type of recommendations — just make sure they are relevant for your target audience. Look how a pet clinic showcases pet-friendly dining venues in its Stories.
17. Address comments through stories
An excellent way to individually tap into your audience is to make content around the comments they leave behind. You can create video stories providing insight and answers to various comments, helping to drive the conversation even further.
18. Flashback Fridays
You don’t necessarily have to label it as Flashback Fridays, but showing physical proof of where you came from is comforting to many. Whether it’s a side-by-side then and now or simply reminiscing, it adds a very human element to your content.
19. Share the work
Instead of just dropping advice or getting into educational discourse, don't be afraid to show people what you're working on. It's a part of your day-to-day, and shows a little bit about what you're focused on. You don't have to show anything you don't want to, just a bit more detail into what's keeping you busy off-camera.
20. Debunk the myths
Another idea that ties into educational content, experts are the ones people trust most to debunk myths. To make it easy on yourself, dive into the most common myths based on your niche and segment them into different story posts.
Personal Instagram Story Ideas
Maybe you aren’t interested in being an online guru or business owner, but still want to put yourself out there. This definitely isn’t uncommon with social media, but if you want to grow, it’s time to lean into that personal brand.
21. Ponder on the future
Most people stress about their own future every so often, which can make for some relatable content. With a personal brand, what you want is to feel relatable to others. Since many people see the future as a daunting topic, try spinning it with some cute Instagram story ideas for a lighter take.
22. Be transparent with your time
Since we’re talking about personal content here, it’s wise to get detailed with the things you love most. What do you like to spend your time on? It could be the arts, cooking, cleaning routines, anything that fills the hours in your day.
23. Trending pop culture
This is a pretty general topic that's bound to help drive engagement here and there. While movies may not be the forefront of your personal brand, it's still relevant to the masses. Stay on top of trending articles and media to chime in from a personal viewpoint.
24. Recent life updates
Even if your life isn’t pure excitement every day, the small moments matter too. Giving followers a closer look at what’s going on with your life in the background helps them feel more connected.
25. The daily essentials
Regardless of the scope of your personal brand, everyone has their daily essentials. People like to know about the products that their favorite creators are using. On a side note, this is a great way to eventually find potential brand deals.
Instagram Story Ideas to Sell More
From brick-and-mortar stores to online business models, there’s a lot of sales being made through Instagram stories. However, you’re going to have a tough time unless you’re putting effort into your content. Once again, thanks to short-form content, it’s never been easier to push a product to the masses.
26. Highlighting the target market
Sometimes, even if you explain the product in great detail, viewers might struggle to know exactly who it’s for. This is where hands-on applications can make for some great content.
Work on creating numerous scenarios that make it obvious who the target market is. Whether it’s real estate Instagram story ideas, finance, or video games, content is king for a reason.
27. Set up a giveaway
This can require a little back and forth, but setting up a giveaway can drive a lot of interest over time. For one, everyone likes free stuff, and two, it's an easy way to create some long-term engagement. If it all pans out, the value of the engagement can lead to more sales down the road.
28. Multi-part guides
Outside of individual Instagram story ideas, developing a multi-part series can keep viewers coming back for more. Keep it simple for yourself and post one update per week, and use the content as a funnel to a sale for the full guide.
29. Focus on the specs
Visuals are one part of making a sale, but the technicalities matter to a lot of people too. Depending on what you're trying to sell, there are many times when the technical specs will create buyer interest better than anything else. If you're product comes with specs people should know about, it doesn't hurt to get verbal about it through IG stories.
30. Promote a live stream
This can take a bit more planning, but live streams are one of the most personal ways to connect with an audience. To help drive viewership, you can use Instagram story ideas to save the date. On the other hand, you could resort to virality in your stories to promote the stream, causing people to chime in for what comes next.
Instagram Story Hacks: How to Keep Viewers Engaged
Once you have a pretty good idea of what your IG story content schedule will look like, you have to keep viewers coming back for more. Although content is a big part of this, it's how you engage with followers and the platform that matters as well. This can look like the following examples.
Benefit: instantly holds user attention
Hack: content segmentation
Benefit: breaks down large topics into multiple pieces of content or into a series
Hack: craft the narrative
Benefit: helps to build curiosity and long-term viewership
Hack: IG story stickers
Benefit: engage your audience with interactive Instagram story ideas by giving them something to tap on
Of course, the details are a bit more than this, but the point is to remain flexible with your approach.
Using external links
When we're talking about engagement, this literally means a physical action people take on your content. You don't want them to just tap forward, but explore the content you're providing to learn more.
Adding links to your stories as a clear focus will drive enough interest from many people to look into it a bit more. You don't want to spam links, but it never hurts to make them the focal point every now and then.
Instagram story stickers
This has been briefly covered here and there, but most people would be surprised at how many engagement tools IG stories has. It isn't just a photo collage and placing links. Focusing certain content pillars around these features can help to diversify your posting schedule as well.
Track the data
Another part of keeping followers engaged is watching the data change over time. Instagram story and surrounding analytics can help guide your decision-making in the right direction.
Without this engagement data, you’d continue to gamble on one content idea after the next. Analytics can take some time to be actionable, but it definitely isn’t something that should be ignored.
Conclusion
There are many different ways you can go about sharing your Instagram story ideas. What you've learned in this article is just the cusp of what's possible in your creativity.
It's always best to diversify your approach until you can gather enough data to align your focus. After enough consistency and time, you'll know exactly what type of Instagram story ideas help grow your follower base over time.
FAQ
How do I make a great Instagram Story?
There’s no singular rule of thumb for this, but the best Instagram stories consider best practices while utilizing in-app engagement tools. Make sure there is always some kind of reasoning or prompt for viewers to dive deeper into your content.
What should I include in my Instagram Story?
This is going to vary depending on what your niche, content pillars and schedule looks like. Your Instagram story ideas should always include some kind of engagement prompt with a clear yet concise narrative-driven context.
Are Instagram Stories Effective?
Thanks to the many integrations involved, Instagram story ideas offer their own unique level of efficacy. Overall, they’re still more than effective for businesses and individual creators alike.
