Instagram Stories are a powerful tool for engaging your audience, sharing snippets of your daily life, and marketing your brand. However, it can be disheartening when your story views are low, especially if you have a large following. In this blog post, we’ll explore effective strategies to organically boost your Instagram story views.
Key Takeaways
- Make Stories Interactive: Use polls, stickers, and quizzes to engage your audience.
- Post Long Text with Small Font Size: Encourage viewers to spend more time on your stories by making them read.
- Create Relatable and Shareable Content: Share memes, inspirational quotes, and other content that resonates with your audience.
- Avoid Sharing Underperforming Posts: Instead of reposting underperforming content, share behind-the-scenes or bloopers.
- Optimize for the Instagram Algorithm: Engage your audience to signal the algorithm that your content is valuable.
The Basics of Instagram Stories
Instagram launched Stories in August 2016, and they quickly became popular among content creators and brands for marketing purposes. Stories are visible for 24 hours and disappear afterward. Users can add interactive elements like swipe-up links, polls, stickers, questions, and music to make their stories more engaging. However, with the rise of other Instagram features like Reels, story traction has decreased over time.
Strategies to Increase Instagram Story Views
1. Make Your Stories Interactive
Interactive stories are more engaging and can capture your audience’s attention better than static ones. Use polls, stickers, questions, and quizzes to encourage interaction. This signals to the Instagram algorithm that your story is worth watching, which can lead to it being shown to more of your followers.
Example: Ask simple questions that your followers can answer quickly, such as “Which outfit do you prefer?” or “What should I cook for dinner?”
Interactive elements make the audience feel involved in your content, creating a sense of participation and investment. When followers engage with these elements, it boosts the visibility of your stories as Instagram’s algorithm favors content that retains viewers and prompts interactions.
2. Post Long Text with a Small Font Size
Posting long text with a small font size can make viewers spend more time on your stories. This strategy works because people enjoy reading short, interesting stories, whether they are inspirational anecdotes or everyday gossip.
Tip: Ensure the text is readable and not too small to avoid frustrating your viewers.
This technique can be particularly effective when sharing compelling narratives or detailed updates. The key is to balance the length and readability to maintain interest without overwhelming the viewer. The additional time spent reading signals to Instagram that your content is engaging.
3. Create Relatable and Shareable Content
Just like posts, stories can be shared too. Content that is relatable and shareable is more likely to get more views. Memes, inspirational quotes, exotic destinations, and aesthetic looks are examples of shareable content.
Example: Share a meme that resonates with your audience’s daily experiences or an inspirational quote that can motivate them.
When your audience finds your stories relatable, they are more likely to share them with their followers, extending your reach organically. Understand your audience’s preferences and tailor your content to fit their interests and values.
4. Avoid Sharing Underperforming Posts
Sharing an underperforming post on your story with a “new post” sticker might not help much. If the post didn’t perform well on the feed, it’s unlikely to engage people in your stories. Instead, share bloopers or behind-the-scenes content linked to the original post to attract quality engagement.
Strategy: Create a story showing the behind-the-scenes process of a post. This can intrigue your audience and drive them to check out the original post.
Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand and adds a personal touch that followers appreciate. It provides a glimpse into your creative process, making your audience feel more connected and invested in your content.
5. Optimize for the Instagram Algorithm
The key to getting more views is to engage your audience so the algorithm promotes your stories. The more your followers interact with your content, the more likely it is to be shown to a broader audience. Focus on creating high-quality, engaging content consistently.
Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes content based on user engagement and interaction. Consistently posting engaging stories ensures that your content remains visible to your followers. Analyze your story insights regularly to understand which types of content perform best and refine your strategy accordingly.
Practical Tips to Boost Story Engagement
1. Use Instagram Story Highlights
Save your best stories in highlights to keep attracting views even after the 24-hour window. Highlights serve as a curated collection of your most engaging and relevant stories, allowing new followers to see your top content at any time.
Tip: Organize your highlights by themes or categories to make it easier for viewers to find content that interests them.
2. Post Consistently
Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and returning for more. Establish a posting schedule that works for you and stick to it. Consistency helps in building a loyal audience base that anticipates your content.
Strategy: Plan your stories and use tools like Instagram’s scheduling features to maintain a consistent posting routine.
3. Collaborate with Others
Partner with influencers or brands to reach a wider audience. Collaborations can introduce your content to new followers and boost your story views through cross-promotion.
Example: Host a joint Instagram Live session or co-create stories with a collaborator to engage both of your audiences simultaneously.
4. Use Hashtags and Location Tags
These can help your stories reach people who don’t follow you but are interested in similar content. Hashtags and location tags increase the discoverability of your stories, bringing in viewers who are searching for specific topics or locations.
Tip: Use a mix of popular and niche hashtags to broaden your reach while targeting specific audience segments.
Get a list of 500+ Instagram hashtags for free
5. Analyze Insights
Regularly check your story insights to understand what works and what doesn’t. Adjust your strategy accordingly. Insights provide valuable data on viewer engagement, drop-off points, and interaction rates, helping you to fine-tune your content for better performance.
Strategy: Experiment with different types of content and formats to see what resonates most with your audience. Use the insights to inform your future story planning.
Advanced Techniques to Boost Instagram Story Views
1. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)
Encourage your followers to create content related to your brand and share it in your stories. User-generated content builds community and trust, as people tend to trust content from their peers more than from brands.
Example: Run a contest asking followers to share their experiences with your product and feature the best submissions in your stories.
2. Utilize Instagram Ads
If budget allows, use Instagram Ads to promote your stories to a larger audience. Target your ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors to reach the most relevant viewers.
Tip: Create visually appealing and concise ad stories to capture attention quickly.
3. Engage with Your Followers
Respond to comments, answer questions, and engage with viewers who interact with your stories. This fosters a sense of community and encourages more interaction in the future.
Strategy: Use features like Instagram Subscribers to offer exclusive content to your subscribers, making them feel special and valued.
Conclusion
By making your Instagram stories interactive, posting engaging long texts, creating shareable content, avoiding underperforming posts, and optimizing for the Instagram algorithm, you can significantly increase your story views organically. Implement these strategies and watch your story engagement soar.
Disclaimer: All data shown in the pictures above is real and organic. It is not to be used for commercial purposes without permission.
5 Responses
Very interesting! I can’t wait to try it out. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for visiting. Do tell if these tips helped you increase Instagram story views.
Great content, thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. Do tell how these tips worked out for your Instagram stories