Think about your own Instagram habits. How often do you scroll your feed versus tap through stories? For most people, the answer is simple: they’re glued to stories. This format has evolved from a simple fleeting moment to a powerful engine for engagement, community-building, and business growth.
But here’s the problem: most creators and brands are still treating stories like an afterthought. They post a few random photos, share a feed post, and wonder why their views are low and their engagement is non-existent.
The truth is, stories are a completely different beast from your regular feed posts. They require a unique strategy to turn a passive viewer into an active follower and, eventually, a customer. When you use them correctly, stories can drastically increase your reach, drive traffic to your content, and help you build a loyal, connected audience.
In this guide, we’re going to break down four proven strategies that will help you stop guessing and start using stories like a pro. These are the same tactics top creators use to get more views, more DMs, and more results from their profile. Ready to turn your story game into a powerful growth engine? Let’s dive in.
1. Use Interactive Stickers to Drive Engagement
The Instagram algorithm loves one thing above all else: engagement. It’s a key signal that your content is valuable and worth showing to more people. And when it comes to stories, nothing drives engagement like interactive stickers.
These aren’t just for fun; they’re your secret weapon for getting the algorithm to work in your favor. When a viewer interacts with a poll, a quiz, or a question sticker, it signals that they’re not just a passive consumer—they’re an active participant. This tells Instagram that your story is highly engaging, which increases your overall story reach and helps you show up in more people’s feeds.
Here’s how to use them effectively:
- The Poll Sticker: Use this to ask a simple, two-option question. The easier the choice, the more likely people are to participate. For example, “Are you team Reels or team Carousels?” or “Working on my new guide—what’s more helpful? 📈 or 📝?”
- The Quiz Sticker: This is perfect for teaching your audience. Frame it as a fun test of knowledge. It doesn’t have to be complex; a simple question with a clear answer can lead to a powerful learning moment.
- The Question Sticker: This is the best way to get direct feedback from your audience and source content ideas. Ask for their biggest pain points, what they want to learn next, or simply “Ask me anything!” The responses you get can be used to create your next viral Reel or blog post.
The psychology here is simple: people are hardwired to engage with questions and choices. By making your stories a two-way conversation, you’re not just broadcasting content; you’re building a community and training your followers to interact with you regularly. This turns a simple tap into a powerful signal for the algorithm, and the more you do it, the more people you reach.
2. Host a Takeover or Go Live
Instagram stories are all about building a connection with your audience, and there’s no better way to do that than by getting face-to-face with them—or, at least, screen-to-screen. Hosting a takeover or going live is a fantastic way to break the monotony of your content and create a dynamic, highly engaging experience.
Think of it as a collaboration. When you host a guest, you’re not just creating a great story; you’re also tapping into their audience, which can bring a fresh wave of new followers to your profile. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
The Power of a Takeover
A takeover is simple: you hand over your story for a day to a creator or brand in a complementary niche.
- For your audience, it’s a refreshing change of pace and an opportunity to learn from a different expert.
- For the guest, it’s a chance to showcase their expertise and get in front of a new audience.
- For you, it’s an incredibly powerful way to get new eyes on your profile.
Choose your guest wisely. Look for someone with a similar audience to yours but with a slightly different focus. For example, if you teach Instagram growth, a takeover with a graphic designer who specializes in Instagram visuals would be perfect.
The Benefits of Going Live
Instagram Live is the closest you can get to a real-time conversation with your audience. When you go live, the algorithm notifies your followers, giving you a powerful boost in visibility.
You can use Live to:
- Answer questions: Host a Q&A to address your audience’s biggest pain points and position yourself as a helpful expert.
- Interview a guest: Bring on an expert to discuss a topic relevant to your niche. This provides value to your followers and introduces you to the guest’s audience.
- Do a behind-the-scenes tour: Show the human side of your brand by taking your followers on a tour of your workspace or showing your creative process.
Both takeovers and live sessions are a fantastic way to leverage the power of collaboration and real-time interaction to build a stronger community and expand your reach beyond your existing followers.
3. Post Previews of Your Feed and Reels
When it comes to your Instagram content, you need to think about it like a full ecosystem. Your stories aren’t just a separate entity; they should be a powerful tool to drive traffic to your main content. This is where the “Tease and Redirect” strategy comes in.
It’s simple: use a captivating story to create curiosity and entice your followers to click through to your latest feed post or Reel. This isn’t just a convenience for your audience; it’s a critical signal to the algorithm. When people click from your story to your post, it tells Instagram that your content is valuable and connected, which can boost its overall performance.
How to Create a Compelling Preview
A good preview is more than just a quick share of your main content. It should be a strategic glimpse that creates a sense of urgency and value.
- Create a custom story graphic: Don’t just hit the “share to story” button. Create a unique graphic in Canva that acts as a headline. For example, a blurred-out screenshot of your Reel with a bold text overlay that says, “Behind the viral video… Tap to watch the full breakdown!”
- Use the “New Post” sticker: This is a simple but effective way to get people’s attention. Instagram’s own stickers often get priority in the algorithm.
- Pose a question: Lead with a question on your story that the main post answers. For example, “Are you making this common mistake with your captions? Find out in my new post!” This creates a clear value proposition.
- Show a “Behind the Scenes”: Use your story to show a quick clip of your content in the making or a snippet of your research. This builds anticipation and makes your audience feel like they’re getting an exclusive look.
By using your stories to strategically promote your main content, you’re not only increasing your post’s views and engagement, but you’re also training your audience to look to your stories for exclusive, valuable content. This creates a powerful cycle of traffic and growth that helps your entire profile perform better.
4. Cross-Post Stories to Other Platforms
Think about the time and effort you put into creating a great story. It’s a shame to let that content disappear after just 24 hours. The final strategy to boost your reach is to cross-post your stories to other platforms. This simple move can dramatically increase your content’s lifespan and get it in front of a brand new audience without you having to create anything new from scratch.
This isn’t about creating separate content for every platform. It’s about taking the dynamic, engaging stories you’ve already made and giving them a second life somewhere else.
The Simple Process of Cross-Posting
Many platforms are designed to work together, so this is easier than you think:
- From Instagram to Facebook: This is the most straightforward. In your settings, you can link your Facebook account to your Instagram, allowing you to automatically share your Instagram Stories to your Facebook Stories. It’s a quick way to double your reach with zero extra effort.
- From Instagram to Pinterest: Pinterest is a visual search engine, and stories can be a powerful tool there. You can create a “Story Pin” by using your video stories. It’s an excellent way to turn a quick, engaging story into a long-lasting, searchable piece of content that can bring traffic to your website or profile for months to come.
- From Instagram to Twitter: If you’re active on Twitter, you can download your story videos and post them directly to your Twitter feed. A short, compelling video story can stand out in a text-heavy feed and drive clicks back to your Instagram profile.
The goal is to get the most out of every piece of content you create. Your stories are a valuable asset. By sharing them across different platforms, you ensure that your message reaches a wider audience, bringing in new followers who might not have found you on Instagram alone. It’s a smart, low-effort way to maximize your visibility and growth.
Conclusion: Stories Are Your Growth Engine
It’s easy to dismiss Instagram Stories as just a fleeting moment in a day, but that’s a massive mistake. When used strategically, they are one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal for building a community, driving engagement, and drastically boosting your overall reach. They are your daily opportunity to connect with your audience in a more personal, authentic way than a perfectly polished feed post ever could.
Remember these four key strategies to turn your stories from an afterthought into a growth engine:
- Make it a conversation: Use interactive stickers to get people engaging with your content and telling the algorithm that you’re worth watching.
- Collaborate and expand: Host a takeover or go live with a complementary creator to tap into a new audience and build credibility.
- Redirect with a purpose: Create captivating story previews to drive traffic to your feed posts and Reels, boosting their performance.
- Maximize your content: Cross-post your stories to other platforms to get more eyes on your content without any extra work.
The key to all of this is consistency and a clear strategy. Don’t just post for the sake of it. Every story should have a purpose, whether it’s to inform, entertain, or drive a specific action.
Now, go put these strategies to work and watch your story views—and your business—grow.