20 Instagram Story ideas to boost views & engagements in 2024
Instagram Stories have become an invaluable tool for brands and businesses, providing a new platform for creative storytelling, customer engagement, and increased visibility. More than 500 million people worldwide post Stories daily, and 70% of Instagram users watch them every day. With so many views, Stories have a lot of potential to help businesses reach a larger audience and increase their engagement with customers.
Instagram Stories are an interactive type of content that allow you to post photos and videos that last for 24 hours before they disappear (unless you add them to your Story Highlights.) While most Stories users are individuals, 36% of businesses use Stories to promote their products.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best tips and techniques to use Instagram Stories for your business in 2024, including plenty of Instagram Story ideas to kick your Instagram account up a notch.
Summary/Overview
Cool Instagram Story ideas
Looking to spice up your Instagram game and captivate your audience? In this section, we've compiled a collection of fun and creative Instagram Story ideas that will help you stand out from the crowd.
From interactive challenges to captivating Q&A sessions, these ideas will breathe new life into your Stories and keep your followers engaged and entertained.
1. Create a challenge
Engage your followers by starting a fun and creative challenge related to your brand or niche. Encourage them to participate and share their entries, which can boost user-generated content and increase your brand's visibility.
2. Host a giveaway
Everybody loves freebies! Organize a giveaway where followers can enter by reposting your Story or tagging their friends. This will not only attract new followers but also create excitement and increase brand awareness.
3. Initiate a countdown
Generate anticipation for an upcoming product launch, event, or milestone with a countdown Story. It will keep your audience engaged and eager for what's coming next.
4. Run a Q&A session
Encourage your followers to ask questions about your brand, products, or industry. Answer them through Stories, giving your audience valuable insights and fostering a sense of community.
Cute Instagram Story ideas
Get ready to add a dose of cuteness to your Instagram Stories! Try your hand at this adorable array of Instagram Story ideas that will melt the hearts of your followers.
From showcasing office pets to hosting engaging quizzes, these ideas will infuse your Stories with endearing content that keeps your audience coming back for more.
5. Highlight a new post
Draw attention to your latest Instagram post by creating a Story that complements and promotes it. Add some behind-the-scenes details to pique curiosity.
6. Show off office pets
Bring a smile to your audience's faces by featuring adorable employee or team pets in your Stories. It adds a personal touch and showcases the lighter side of your brand.
7. Make a quiz about your business
Craft a playful quiz related to your brand or products. This interactive content can be a charming way to educate your audience about your offerings.
8. Run a poll
Engage your followers by hosting polls on various topics related to your brand. It's an excellent way to gather feedback and involve your audience in decision-making.
Creative Instagram Story ideas
Unleash your creativity and take your Instagram Stories to the next level with our handpicked selection of innovative and imaginative ideas.
In this section, you'll find a variety of creative Instagram Story ideas, from captivating behind-the-scenes glimpses to interactive and user-generated content that will captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression. Get ready to inspire, engage, and stand out with your uniquely creative Stories.
9. Go behind the scenes
Showcase the behind-the-scenes process of your product or service. Give a sneak peek into upcoming projects or events, or share personal Stories from team members. Behind-the-scenes content gives viewers an exclusive glimpse into the workings of your business, which can build authenticity and trust.
10. Interactive Stories
Interactive Stories are a great way to keep your followers engaged and foster meaningful conversations with them. Interactive Stories utilize polls, FAQs, quiz stickers, and other interactive elements to encourage viewer participation.
Question stickers allow you to post questions, share countdowns, and start Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions. Any one of these ways can further conversations with your viewers.
11. User-generated content
Highlighting user-generated content (UGC) is an especially effective way to show the impact of your brand and build trust and a sense of community with potential customers. You can repost and reshare customer reviews, testimonials, DMs, and how-tos as “social proof” that customers enjoy your product.
You can also use UGC as part of a larger marketing campaign, such as hosting giveaways or contests with user-generated content as entries. Inviting followers to submit their own ideas or creations for your product is a great way to increase engagement. You can give a shoutout to loyal customers and get valuable feedback. Plus, it increases the chance of having other users share your posts, furthering the reach of your business.
12. Host a live Q&A session
Go live on Instagram and host a Q&A session where your followers can ask you or your team questions in real-time. This type of engagement provides a setting for direct interaction and ultimately humanizes your brand.
Instagram Story ideas for photos
Looking to make your photos shine on Instagram Stories? You've come to the right place.
In this section, we've curated a collection of captivating Instagram Story ideas tailored specifically for showcasing your stunning photos, whether it's through eye-catching collages, intriguing layouts, or helpful customer testimonials. Get ready to make your visual storytelling on Instagram truly stand out.
13. Create a collage
Showcase multiple photos in a creative collage to tell a visual story. Collages are ideal for sharing highlights from an event or a collection of products.
14. Create a unique layout
Experiment with different layouts and templates to present your photos in a visually appealing way. Use design apps or Instagram's layout feature to play with your photo arrangement.
15. Share customer testimonials
Use Stories to feature customer testimonials with accompanying photos. This builds trust and social proof, showing potential customers that others have had a positive experience with your brand.
16. Host a photo contest
Encourage your followers to submit photos related to your brand or a specific theme. Then, showcase those submissions in your Stories and let your audience vote for the best one. This creates excitement around your brand and fosters engagement among your viewers.
Instagram Story ideas for product demos
Ready to show off your products like a pro? In this section, we've got you covered with a range of engaging and effective Instagram Story ideas for product demos.
From step-by-step tutorials to unboxing experiences and customer testimonials, these ideas will help you showcase your products in a captivating and informative way, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. Get ready to boost your brand's visibility and drive more conversions with these creative product demo Stories.
17. Step-by-step tutorial
Create a series of Stories demonstrating how to use your product or showing its various features in action. Use clear visuals and concise captions to guide viewers through the process.
18. Unboxing experience
If you sell physical products, film the unboxing experience and share it with your audience. This builds excitement and gives potential customers a closer look at what they'll receive when they purchase your product.
19. Before and after
Showcase the transformation your product can bring by sharing before and after images or videos. This is particularly effective for products related to beauty, fitness, home improvement, or any visual improvement.
20. Quick tips and hacks
Share quick and useful tips or creative hacks that demonstrate alternative ways to use your product. This not only educates your audience but also encourages them to make the most out of their purchase.
Tips for making winning Stories on Instagram
Making winning Stories on Instagram is all about engaging your audience and keeping them interested in your content. Here are some tips to help you make Stories that keep your followers coming back for more:
- Keep branding consistent. Brand consistency is key to building brand recognition, whether you have a small business or a large corporation. Keep your Stories consistent with your brand image, tone, and messaging. Add your company’s unique personality to every Story and feed post.
- Use a consistent aesthetic. Use a consistent style or theme for your Stories, such as a specific color palette, font, or filter. This will create a cohesive and recognizable look for your content. You can make Instagram story templates for different content categories like promos, questions, countdowns, sales, education, etc. so you have go-to designs to match your brand style guidelines.
- Highlight popular Stories. Use the “Highlight” feature to keep popular Stories accessible to your followers even after they disappear from your Story feed. This can include your best-performing Stories or those that provide the most value to your audience.
- Track story traffic. Use Instagram Insights to track the performance of your Stories. This will help you identify what type of content resonates with your audience and what’s working on your Instagram feed.
- Post at specific times. Consider the time of day and day of the week you post your Stories. Schedule your content for Instagram in advance. Trying to please the algorithm is hard, so check your Instagram Insights to see what time is best to post on Instagram. This can ensure the maximum number of followers see each new post.
- Add links for more info. IG Stories used to have a “Swipe Up” feature to visit off-platform links, but it has since been retired. Instead, you can add a link sticker to direct your audience to your website or special landing page.
- Use video content. A staggering 91% of consumers are interested in seeing increased online video content from brands. Video content performs better than images on Instagram, so consider incorporating video into your Stories. Even better, you can repurpose Instagram Reels into Stories or post them on TikTok, Snapchat, or YouTube Shorts to reach an even wider audience.
- Have fun with it. Above all, make sure your Stories are fun, engaging, and reflect your brand’s personality. Don’t be afraid to convert a fun video into a GIF, meme, or emoji to share if they match your brand voice and messaging. Funny posts are very shareable.
Create engaging IG Story content with Adobe Express
Creating Instagram Stories can be a great way to connect with your followers and share your brand's personality, but it can be tough to come up with ideas and make sure your Stories look professional.
Adobe Express can help you create engaging Instagram Stories that will impress your followers. With Adobe Express, you can choose from thousands of templates, add your own text and images, and even add animations and stickers.
No matter what kind of content you want to share, Adobe Express can help you create engaging Instagram Stories that will help you connect with your followers.