8 Content Ideas for Instagram Stories

Stuck and don't know what to post on your Instagram story? These ideas are sure to get you back on track and showing up for your followers!

Want a reason to be on Instagram to serve others? At the beginning of 2021, there were 1 billion monthly active users. 140,000 million of those are in the United States alone. Instagram stories are proving that this platform can be a game-changer for your business in the social media world. So, if you haven’t started using stories to help tell the story of your brand, then we highly recommend that you start.

Of course, Facebook also has stories and we think they could become more popular but that remains to be seen. Note: We have our IG account set to automatically share our IG story over to FB but we don’t usually post just on FB stories (not yet, anyway). If you are ONLY on FB, ask your audience how often they watch stories on FB before you spend time daily posting there.

Instagram stories are an amazing way to give a face to your brand. As we always say, YOU are your brand. This is a wonderful way for you to go deeper with current followers. It’s the place to show up casually & show behind the curtain of your life (how much is totally up to you). The problem that comes up quite frequently in our Social Tech Academy is that they just don’t know how to use Instagram stories, so they just end up posting random stuff. So, here are some ideas of things you can share with your audience that will give them a better idea of who you are. When you share what you and your brand are all about, this allows people to really connect with you and in turn, keep tuning in for whatever you are sharing.

Use Polls: Polls are a great way to get your followers interacting with your account. They are fun and you can use them to your advantage. You can use the simple yes or no. You can also change the response in the box to an emoji (thumbs up or thumbs down). Get feedback on new products, what outfit you should wear, online party options. Some of these will help you know what they prefer and some are just for fun. Everyone loves to give their opinion.
Share behind the scenes: The best way to get people to connect with you is to add to your story consistently. Now we don’t mean snapping a photo or recording a video of everything you are doing but rather, every few hours throughout your day. Stories can be planned but it’s also great to have “on-the-go” intertwined as well.
For example, when you start the process with a new hostess/client, show your followers behind the scenes the progress or process. Share what steps you take to do _____{a FB party, prepare for a vendor event, pack orders, etc). Then, share the process as you are doing it (not too much but just a little behind the scenes).
Share your location: Use the geotag (aka location sticker) to show your followers where you are and what you are up to. This works great when you are at an event, conference, or meeting a customer/hostess. People love to know what you are doing and where you are going. You can use a general city or you can tag the specific coffee shop (up to you) but it can allow others to discover you.
Share parts of your daily life: Make your followers feel like they are getting to go along with you somewhere. Chat as you talk your daily walk. It makes them feel special and allows them to get to know you better. It’s a great way to build on the know-like-trust factor. They truly feel like they know you and you are a part of their life. Integrating your family in this is totally optional. If you do share your family life, do so sparingly. People like to see your life but five consecutive story slides of your baby or kids on the playground (in a row) just aren’t serving THEM well.
Promote something: You can and should talk about your products/services from time to time but not in a selling kind of way with photo after photo in your stories. If you’ve been doing this, consider a different way. It is not serving your followers. You can promote just by sharing. People want to see YOU….not just photos of products. Talk about a best-selling product by sharing why you or your customers are loving it. Share how to use/wear it. Be helpful. Use the question sticker at the end of your “series” and allow them to ask you anything about what you just shared. Promoting isn’t just about your products. Once a week or so, talk about another IG account (tag them), a book, a place you love to eat (tag or use location sticker). What new products are you using? What is a drink you’ve tried and liked recently? Share the love and be an influencer.
Be helpful: People like seeing how you put things together, how you do something, make something, a tip, a hack, or an idea you have. By keeping your content real & helpful to THEM, you allow people to get a realistic glimpse into your life and that allows them to connect with you. Pick a topic weekly (or daily) and talk about it. You never know who will relate and then tell her girlfriend about ya! You won’t relate to everyone but when you show up authentically but you will attract your tribe. It’s a beautiful thing.
Send people to your other IG content: Yes, don’t let them forget that you are still posting photos, reels, IGTV on your Instagram account with great content. Snap a photo of your IG feed or share a new reel to stories with the specific post covered with a new post or new reel sticker and tell them to go check it out (but tell them why in the story...don’t just say it’s a new post/new reel). Tell your audience about a topic you recently went deeper into, then link your IGTV to that story and they can “swipe up” to watch!!! Note: You won’t be able to see that swipe up on your end but your followers will. Just be sure you tap the link at the top before posting your story, then select the IGTV you want to be linked then post the story.
Share your Why: Why did you start your business? It’s another way people will be able to identify with your story and will give life to your brand. Don’t just post photos of your team meetings….talk about why you enjoy those meetings (via video) then add the photo of everyone on Zoom! You can sprinkle this subject in from time to time in your story too without telling the whole story all in one day. Your why is a great story to save as a highlight.

These are just some examples of ways to get your Instagram stories back on track. Next time you create a story using any of these ideas, please tag us @socialtechteam so we can see what you're up to. Each story you post will remain for 24 hours unless you add them to your highlights. If you want to create story highlights and need some pretty icons, you can grab some here.