Today, we’re talking about six tips to increase your Instagram story views and engagement. I’ll be sharing some of the strategies I use to get people talking with me, sending me DMs and engaging. We’ve been sharing a lot of Instagram tips lately and everyone seems to love them, so let’s keep that going! Check out some of my recent tips here about ideas for Instagram stories and then we can jump right in!

#1: Be Strategic about Your Stories (at first…)

If you haven’t posted a story in the last 24 hours or lately at all, be strategic about what you want those first few stories to be. Those will be what most people see, right? Those will also be the stories that Instagram uses to decide if they should promote or push your content out at all, too. So use those strategically by thinking about what kinds of posts get the most engagement, interactions, or DM responses. For me, I know that sharing my daily BTS content or family content does well on my Stephanie Kase account. I always try to be sure that the content I share in the first few stories is my content, too. Not resharing or reposting someone else’s content. Those just don’t do as well for me normally. Instead, I want those initial posts for the day to be my face or my content. Think of your stories as an actual story – what do you want people to learn from them?

#2: Experiment with content

This might seem super simple, but I don’t think enough of us do this. Simply experiment with sharing content and understand that every single thing you pose isn’t going to be the best or most important piece of content you’ve shared. Try different types of stories or resharing content. Once you understand what works for your audience, you can create more of that. This is why experimenting and reviewing your analytics really matters. Give yourself that permission. And remember, just because it “flops” doesn’t mean that it’s failed. It means that you’re learning how to create better content in the future.

#3: Use Instagram Story features

If Instagram has a feature available, use it. They love when we use the tools and options they’ve provided. Things like emoji sticker sliders, question boxes, polls, quizzes, and so on are all great ways to take advantage of the tools provided. I’ve found that using them does increase engagement – which then tells Instagram that people like your content – and they’ll push it out to more of your followers. One of the newer features that’s been fun is the “share yours” boxes. You can tap the box and share your photo that follows the prompt. It’s a super easy and fun way to create conversation and enter into something that’s everywhere on the app. Another fun way to drive engagement is doing a Q&A box. We’ve mentioned this before, but it really can be a great way to boost your engagement!

#4: Limit links

It used to be a SUPER big deal to hit 10K followers because you could share links on your stories. But I’m telling you, it isn’t all that it seems to be. Now most of us have the option using a sticker feature in the app, but I want to caution you to limit how many you share. Obviously, we want to use this platform to grow our brand, make connections, and turn followers into customers. That means sharing some links – to your email lists, free downloads, or affiliate links. But I want to encourage you to limit how often you do that. If you are going to share links, make sure it’s a few stories in – that seems to work better for me. It’s less obnoxious and salesy, in my opinion. Plus, if you’re constantly directing people off the app, Instagram won’t like that – and neither will your followers. When you do share links, make sure you’re reviewing analytics so you know what’s actually getting clicked on. That will help you in the future.

#5: Show up on Instagram stories

I know this sounds cheesy, but I want to encourage you that Instagram stories is an amazing place to share yourself and your brand in a less filtered and more genuine way. Instagram stories don’t have to be super curated and can happen on the fly. I think people genuinely do love seeing you share about yourself and the things that make you… you. So, start incorporating your personality into your stories. It will make a huge difference in helping you stand out. It’s important to understand your numbers and analytics, but make sure that you’re focusing on creating connections.

#6: Review your analytics often

I’ve hinted at this tip a few times now, but make sure you’re checking out your analytics. At the end of the day, I can give you all of these tips and suggestions, but what works for me may not resonate with your audience. Experiment and review what worked well for you! The analytics on your profile will make sure you understand what resonates with them and what they want from you.

To access your analytics, go to your profile on Instagram (I’m on a creator account). Go to tools, account insights, and tap on “see all”. Here, you can look at your story analytics. Set the time frame – we’re going to look at the last month. So, if we’re looking at this, you’ll be able to see what people clicked, if they skipped or if they engaged with the story.  In the video above, I’m walking you through my top posts – so make sure to tune in to see the break down.

There’s your six tips for increased engagement on your Instagram stories! We also have a free sample Instagram posting schedule for you to grab. It breaks down some more ideas for stories, feed posts, and Reels. Grab that HERE.

Other Instagram Resources 

I also offer a free one-hour Instagram Reels class if you want more help with how to grow your reach, followers, and customers with Reels in 2 hours a month! You can sign up for that HERE. And, if you have questions or want some extra support, I’ve got a FREE Reels Growth Facebook Community that you can join. I absolutely love getting to chat with everyone and help them work through their questions about Reels!

Wondering what to make for your next Reel? Free quiz to find out what type of reel idea you should make next! 

We’ve started a podcast! If you haven’t checked it out yet, now is the time!  This has been such a fun project since maternity leave and I hope you’ll tune in. If you’re listening and you have ideas about what to talk about next, please send in your requests! I really do want to know what you want to hear about in future episodes. Email me at [email protected] with your questions!! I can’t wait to hear from you!