8 Ways to Use Instagram Stories Like a Pro

Not too long ago, Snapchat was social’s queen of full-screen visual communication. But it didn’t take long before Instagram snatched the throne. In 2016, the year of Snapchat’s reign, Instagram launched Stories. While it remained the top competitor, Snapchat slowed down from 143 million in Q2 to 158 million in Q4. But Instagram just went from zero to 150 million daily views in four months.

The numbers matter. You know that. The meaning of these numbers matters more. The latest reports show Stories attracting 400 million users every day. Snapchat has 191 million (so we probably should drop it at this point).

Beyond figures, Instagram the company has created much value for brands. With Stories, it provides a medium for you to connect with a generation obsessed with ephemeral photos, disappearing videos, and yet, immersive experiences. All while retaining that classic Instagram promise of giving creatives a platform and a voice.

So, set your creative spirit free and design compelling Instagram Stories now. Here are ways to get you started:

Show ‘Em What You’Ve Got

This isn\’t just about abs and curves. If you have good, high-definition photos, this is a chance to have a mini-exhibit of them here.

To do that, open Instagram and look for the camera icon on the upper-left corner. You will then see a full-screen canvas similar to the image below. Its appearance depends on what your smartphone camera is capturing real-time, and whether you’re using the front-facing or back-facing camera.

Tap on the lower-left square that’s in the same row with the round white button. That will take you to your phone’s gallery. Scroll until you find the image you want to use.

The image will now appear on your canvas. Instagram will know what date it was taken or saved on your phone. You can keep or remove this detail. To delete, drag the text until you see a trash bin icon. Drop it there.

Experiment with Fonts

Click on the A-in-a-square icon or Aa on the upper-right side to type a title, comment, or caption.

Font options will appear in the upper-middle portion of the screen. Try all of them to know which matches your image perfectly. Select from Classic, Modern, Neon, Typewriter, and Strong.

Alternatively, you can go one step back, click on the pencil, and use your handwriting to create your own font

Play With Colors

Return to your canvas. As the previous image shows, you will find three sets of colors at the bottom. Swipe left to see the other sets. Pick a color for your text. Check if your font has a text highlight feature by looking for an A-in-a-square icon to its left.

Play with the hues until you find a combination that’s true to your branding personality.

Apply finishing touches and then share by clicking Send to >

Have Fun With Stickers

Stickers are useful tools if you want to jazz up your Stories. Click on the square icon with a smiley face to get to the most popular ones. You’ll find cute, colourful, and animated (gif) stickers. Explore other options by using the Search feature on the top.

Be Bold With Filters

You may be hesitant to try this feature because you need to draw the line between professional and personal. But if it fits your content strategy, then go all out.

Besides, it will help your viewers relate more to your brand if they see a human face on-screen. Also, who says you can’t assign someone from marketing as your mascot?

The animal filters would be very handy in this case.

Be Smart About Hashtags

Are hashtags just for photos and videos that go on your feed? Apparently not. Whether it’s a hashtag sticker, like in the screenshot below, or a hashtag in a caption, it will help you get found. That means more engagement and more visibility. So be sure to ride trending hashtags or search for niche ones. Whatever you do, be strategic about it.

@ Someone

That means tag or mention someone for those who don’t do internet-speak. For instance, you can do this if you want to credit the owner of the visual content you used in a particular Story. You can also tag important people like influencers and brands you’re collaborating with. Also, it’s a way to introduce individuals from your team, another example of injecting a human touch into your Stories.

Take Things to the Next Level with Videos

Of course, everything becomes more interesting when you replace still images with videos. You can shoot a video prior to uploading. You can also record a clip or a series of clips with a 15-second interval. Better yet, do it live. Yes, Instagram Stories has a Live feature.

Before sharing or broadcasting, just make use of the necessary embellishments: fonts and colors, stickers, filters, hashtags, etc.

Best of all, enjoy creating on Instagram Stories!