How are instagram viewers ranked

Understanding Instagram algorithms: Are Instagram Story views ranked based on your likes?

Trying to understand the data behind your Instagram Story views sequence? Learn how Instagram ranks Story viewers and how you can boost Instagram engagement for your business.

By now, most of us are Instagram users either for business or personal reasons, or both. It’s an amazing platform for visual inspiration and to keep up with everyone from friends to Instagram influencers and celebrities you’ve never met. It has also become a major shopping platform for products and services.

Instagram Stories, in particular, are increasing in popularity. For business owners trying to develop an Instagram presence and engagement, you will benefit from learning more about the Instagram algorithm, what it tells you about potential clients, and how to leverage Instagram into business growth.

You might’ve noticed that you can see a list of people who watch your Instagram Stories, but how much do you know about the data behind the order of viewers that Instagram shows you? Is it meaningful or random?

Let’s dive into Instagram Stories, how to interpret the order of Instagram Stories views, how to maximize your profile views, and how to turn it into conversion for your business.

What are Instagram Stories?

Instagram took a page out of Snapchat’s book by unveiling Instagram Stories in 2016. Since then they’ve only increased in popularity. Now, some Insta users don’t even bother to scroll down their feed, they just stick to story viewing!

Instagram Stories allow users to post 15-second videos that only last for 24 hours. To extend their life, you can save your Instagram Stories to your profile by adding them to your Instagram profile page’s “Highlights,” where they will be available indefinitely.

You can use filters, add text, and add fun gifs and images. Stories allow you to play around with filters, text, GIFs, images, videos, polls, stickers, Q&As, and music. For businesses, Stories present an opportunity to share promotions, discount codes, and behind-the-scenes content. They’re great for content that’s time-sensitive or a little more casual.

Businesses can also advertise using Instagram Stories. Users will see a sponsored story every few Stories that they tap through, so you’ll reach many users with this sort of ad placement.

Can I see who viewed my Instagram story?

Want to know how to track Instagram viewers? It’s simple. Tap your profile picture at the top of your feed to view your story. Look at the lower-left corner of your story. If anyone has viewed it, you’ll see one or multiple profile pictures with a “Seen by” label and number beneath it.

Tap the “Seen by #” label to open your Instagram story viewers list. Here, you’ll see a list of everyone who has viewed your story as well as the total view count.

How does Instagram rank story viewers?

Many users suspect that Instagram displays story viewers in a particular order. According to Julian Gutman, product lead for Instagram Home, the profiles at the top of your list are based on who you engage with the most, not vice versa.

Just because someone is at the top of your viewer list doesn’t mean that they visit your Instagram feed the most or watched your story multiple times. The Instagram algorithm simply displays your viewer list based on your activity and who it thinks you’re closest to.

Your interaction data can come from posts you like or comment on, profiles you look for in the search bar, and when you swipe up on an account’s Instagram Story. This data reveals quite a bit about our social media habits. Your taps and swipes are telling the app who you care about most!

There’s your answer! The profiles at the top of the list have nothing to do with privacy settings, number of views, number of Instagram posts, or your business account’s unfollow ratio — and won’t tip you off if you have an Instagram stalker. It’s simply a reflection of how you spend your time in the Instagram app.

While the order of Insta Stories views isn’t the most compelling engagement data for business owners, it’s interesting to be aware of your own habits and understand how the platform works.

So, the Instagram algorithm isn’t telling me who likes my Instagram business account the most?

The Instagram feed algorithm is different from the Instagram Story algorithm. When we refer to the “Instagram algorithm,” we’re talking about the order in which Instagram presents new content posted by accounts you follow as well as the profiles that appear on your Discover page.

You might’ve noticed that Instagram doesn’t display feed posts in chronological order. The Instagram algorithm intends to surface the best, most pertinent content to each user every time they check their feed.

What you see is an algorithmic timeline, which means the content Instagram thinks you’ll likely be most interested in. The order of photos and videos in your feed is based on the likelihood you’ll engage with the content, your relationship with the account posting it, and how recently the content was posted.

Instagram is all about engagement, so its algorithm is precisely designed to increase the chances of users liking, swiping, or making a purchase in the app. Of course, timeliness still plays a part in what you see, as Instagram considers recent posts more relevant.

If you’re worried that the algorithmic timeline means you won’t see posts from friends and loved ones, Instagram has addressed in concern, stating, “no matter how many accounts you follow, you should see your best friend’s latest posts.”

How to watch Instagram Stories anonymously

Many of us have the occasional instinct to view Instagram stories anonymously. So how can you watch stories anonymously without revealing who you are to the person who posted? If someone has a public profile, you can always view it from your "finsta," or unidentifiable account. There are also third-party apps that apparently let you view people's stories without notifying the poster that you viewed them.

How can I improve my Instagram Story engagement?

An Instagram account is worth pursuing for your business simply because there are more than a billion active monthly users on the platform!

The foundation of a successful Instagram presence is to post frequently. First, make sure you have a public Instagram account so people can search for you and gain access to your active Stories. Over time, you will learn how fast and often your audience views, likes, comments, shares, and saves your new posts and Stories. Until then, all you can control is sharing high-quality content regularly. The Instagram algorithm will reward you for your output.

To increase the engagement your posts and Stories receive, which will rank you higher in the app’s algorithm, you should always post crisp, attention-grabbing photos and videos that offer value to your audience.

If your content isn’t as strong as you’d like, you can try doing giveaways or promotions that encourage visitors to engage with you. This may mean responding to a poll, submitting a question, or asking them to slide into your DMs (direct messages) with responses. Soliciting questions from followers allows you to respond to them directly. This establishes authority, lets you give them free advice, and builds rapport.

Your content will improve as you devote more time and resources to it. The better you get at creating interesting content for your audience, the higher your engagement will be and the more relevant your posts will be according to the Instagram algorithm.

If you’re using Instagram for your professional venture and want to know how to get more likes and followers, this guide helps you to do just that.

Download my free guide

Tracking your Instagram insights

Like any project, it’s a good idea to track your Instagram profile insights over time. Keep a spreadsheet where you track each week’s performance metrics, including likes, comments, shares, and saves that your content (both new and old posts) receives.

This will help you objectively measure which posts perform better, and over time, identify trends when it comes to the type of content that delivers the most value. No ads needed! Just organic growth for your business.

You should also seek out other accounts in your niche and engage with them. You can team up for cross-promotions, content collaborations, partner giveaways, or simply repost their content that your follower might enjoy.

What affects Instagram engagement?

Factors that may impact an Insta story or post’s metrics include:

Number of Instagram followers
Number of people who see your post
Hashtags
Frequency of your feed posts
Type of content
Timeliness of content
Number of fake accounts following you

For more tips on how to get the most out of your Instagram efforts, check out our guide for succeeding on Instagram.

Download my free guide

How can I turn an Instagram Story viewer into a client for my business?

Now that you understand how the Instagram algorithm works for Stories and how to use it to your advantage, you can start building a better Insta presence for your business. However, an effective Instagram business profile is only one piece of your digital marketing strategy. The most important part is a professional website, which is where you’ll want to direct all of your online traffic, including from social media platforms.

B12 builds professional websites that have the tools and functionality your business needs to sell your services online and engage new and existing clients. Beyond websites, we offer SEO, blog posts, online scheduling, online payments, and much more. Elevate your online presence and professionalize your business by getting started with B12 today.

Instagram Stories Viewers Order: Secrets Behind the Rankings

Instagram has been a huge hit since its launch in 2010. By the end of its first year online, the social media platform had already racked up 10 million users.

Now, a little over a decade later, Instagram has amassed more than 2 billion monthly active users and remains one of the most popular and essential social media apps in the world.

This growth wouldn't have been possible, of course, without the exciting features and updates that have been released by the company over the past few years to keep users hooked. One feature, in particular, Instagram Stories, was perhaps Instagram's best move yet (the fact that you're reading this article attests to that).

Instagram Stories: The #1 brand-boosting feature

Instagram Stories is a convenient feature that allows users to share and appreciate the little things that go on in their daily lives. Random or spontaneous moments, which are not exactly feed material, can be uploaded in Story format, bypassing the Feed for immediate consumption with an automatic expiration date of 24 hours.

This encourages Instagram users to be spontaneous and share as much and as often as they like without cluttering their Feed or ruining their Instagram grid aesthetic.

An important feature for businesses, Stories allows brands to share raw behind-the-scenes footage, limited-time deals, marketing campaigns, interactive Q&A sessions, and other posts that increase reach and engagement with their target audience and promote their brand.

Unlike normal Instagram Feed posts that allow people to observe without interacting, the Instagram Stories feature provides users with a list of people who viewed their Stories.

Now, imagine that a particular name keeps showing up at the top of that list every time you post a Story. What could that possibly mean? Do you have a stalker situation? Should you consider blocking a certain someone?

This is what we're here to help you figure out. In this article, we'll look into what the Stories Viewers Order means and where you might rank on someone else's list.

The Instagram algorithm

Before we get into the Stories Viewers Order, it is important to understand the Instagram Algorithm and how it influences user experience. Simply put, the Instagram Algorithm is a system that takes note of all your interests and interactions on the platform and uses that data to personalize your Feed.

For example, if you tap like on a lot of cat pictures on Instagram, more cat content will start popping up on your Feed and Explore pages. What does this have to do with Instagram Stories and the viewers order?

Essentially, if a certain someone or group of people interact with your posts a lot, there’s a very high chance that your Story will appear at the top of their Feed. And since the top Stories are usually the most viewed, this could explain why certain names keep appearing at the top of your viewed list. So maybe it’s not a stalker after all! You may just have a fan or small fan club.

How is the Instagram Stories Viewers Order determined?

Stories Viewers Order refers to how Instagram ranks the people who have viewed your Story. It allows individuals and brands to see who their content is reaching and who seems to be coming back for more. The only problem is, it doesn’t state how exactly the people are ranked.

At first, practically every Instagram user assumed that the list was arranged chronologically. That made perfect sense. The person at the top, being the first to view, and possibly the most interested (especially if they happen to be at the top a lot), and the person at the bottom of the list being the last to view. Unfortunately for us, Instagram loves to keep its users guessing.

Ultimately, the Stories Viewers Order is determined by Instagram’s all-seeing algorithm. Julian Gutman, Head of Product for the Home Experience of Instagram, confirmed this in an interview with The Verge. He explained that the order is based on user activity such as likes, comments, messages, and profile visits. Since Instagram is all about showing users the people and content they love to see, it makes sense that the people at the top of your viewers list would be those that the algorithm has deemed your “besties”, based on all your interactions. While this is a reasonable explanation of the ranking system, it’s just not the answer that Instagram users have been looking for, or want to hear.

In a bid to crack the code (D-I-Y style), several Instagram users have run tests to determine how the viewers are ranked. The results of these tests suggest that there are two aspects of the Stories Viewers Order:

Chronological order

If less than 50 people view a particular Story, the order of the viewers listed will be chronological.

Interaction-based order

Once that same Story gets more than 50 views, the order will change and will be determined by the algorithm. In this case, your most engaged followers will be at the top of the list.

If you, like many other Instagram users, were hoping that the Stories Viewers Order was a way to easily find out who's obsessed with you, we’re sorry to break your heart. For now, the Instagram security team alone is privy to that information.

Why does the Instagram Story Viewers Order keep changing?

If you pay close attention to your Stories Viewers list, you’ll notice that the order changes several times as your views go up. As you might have guessed already, this is the work of the Instagram Algorithm.

A key characteristic of this algorithm is timeliness. What this means is that the Instagram algorithm is constantly studying your activity and interests, and trying to bring fresh and more relevant content to your attention. If it notices that you’ve been interacting more with a particular account recently, that account may move up higher on your viewers list. Also, if your Story is viewed by an account that shares similar interests with you, the algorithm may rank that account higher in an attempt to pique your curiosity and connect you with the account holder.

Can people tell how many times I watch their Instagram Stories?

One thing we all love about Instagram Stories is that we have access to the list of people who view our Stories. Unfortunately, this also means that we appear on other people’s lists when we view their Stories. The good thing though, is that Instagram does not show users the number of times that their Stories have been viewed by a particular account. You could rewatch a Story over a hundred times (no judgment here) and it would still register and count for one view.

Thankfully, watching the same Story multiple times has no effect on your ranking on the viewers list. How high you rank on their lists though, depends on your other interactions with their accounts. But then again, the algorithm works in mysterious ways, so you might be topping the lists of people you don’t interact with much.

Another good thing to know is that, unlike Snapchat, Instagram does not notify users when someone takes a screenshot of their Story or shares their Story with someone else.

How to watch Instagram Stories anonymously?

Have you ever accidentally viewed a friend’s Story after you left them on read? Or wanted so badly to “keep tabs” on someone but couldn’t because you didn’t want to show up on their Stories Viewers list? You’re not alone.

Most people post the juicy and wild bits of their lives on their Instagram Stories, so it’s no wonder why Stories are the best place to look for more info on someone. The bad news is that the Stories Viewers list is a whistleblower. The good news is that there are ways to beat it.

Whether you want to stalk an ex or a crush, or even conduct some research on a rival brand without them knowing, here are a few ways to creep all you want without getting caught…

Use a Finsta

Using a fake Instagram account (or Finsta for short) is the best way to view Stories anonymously. The key is to create an Instagram account with no real information about you. Extra points if you make it a private account. This way, you can view the person or brand’s Stories all you want, and even though your “name” will still show up on their list, they won’t be able to tell that it’s really you. You can comfortably switch between your main account and fake account whenever you want to view a Story without the poster knowing. The power of deception!

Try Airplane Mode

If you don't have a Finsta and are not interested in creating one, you could try putting your phone on airplane mode before viewing the person-of-interest’s Story.

The logic behind this is that, technically, you need an internet connection to be able to interact with posts, view Instagram Stories, and most importantly, show up on the viewers list. Since Instagram automatically preloads some photos and videos that have been posted as Stories (while you have an internet connection), it is possible to view these Stories on airplane mode without Instagram registering you as a viewer. This method is not as full-proof as the Finsta one, but it has a fairly good success rate.

Third-party sites

A simple Google search will lead you to several third-party applications and websites that are supposed to allow you to view Instagram Stories anonymously. Most of them don’t require you to log in. Simply enter the Instagram handle of the account you want to see and enjoy viewing. But be careful which device you use them on, because a lot of these sites are not secure.

How are Instagram Stories arranged in my Feed?

We’ve discussed how Instagram determines the order of viewers in your Stories Viewer Order list, now it’s time to touch on how users’ Stories appear on your Feed.

Instagram uses another algorithm to organize your home screen. This algorithm focuses a lot more on user pattern/behavior. This means that it studies not only who you engage with, but also HOW you use the platform. If, for example, the first thing you do when you log into Instagram is to check your best friend’s page, the algorithm will register that you enjoy that particular account’s page the most, and will push their Stories to the top of your Feed. The algorithm essentially learns your habits and predicts your next move, providing a much better user experience.

Another factor that determines the order of Stories in your Feed is your interests. If you keep using certain keywords or hashtags in the search bar, Instagram will take note of this and give the top spot to the Stories/accounts that share your interests.

Tips for getting better Instagram Stories engagement

Instagram Stories are especially useful for business accounts. They provide great audience insights that help plan or tweak marketing campaigns and build their following. Whether you’re looking to grow your business or personal brand, here are a few tips that could seriously boost your Instagram Stories engagement levels.

Hashtags are your friends!

Always add hashtags to your Stories to improve your reach. The best thing about this is that you can easily look up popular hashtags that are related to your brand or message. Once you add them, anyone who follows the hashtag will be able to see all the posts under it, including your own.

Make polls

Polls are a fun way to keep your followers engaged. You can use stickers and pictures to make your polls more attractive and pique people's interest. Allowing your audience to help you make certain decisions will create a sense of closeness and familiarity.

Use your Feed

If you get more engagement on your Feed posts, try to direct your audience to your Stories when you can. You can upload a teaser picture to your Feed and come up with a caption that'll drive your followers to get more details from your Stories.

Tell stories on your Stories

Instead of just posting a picture or video with a simple caption, try giving more context about it. A little story time every now and then will keep your followers interested and coming back for more.

Always add a location

The best way to reach people in other cities or countries is to use the location tags before posting a Story. For example, if you're in America and you're trying to reach people in the U. K., try tagging that location. Your Story will automatically be grouped with other public Stories under that same location, and anyone who searches for that location will be able to find you.

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Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels

90,000 Storytelling per Instagram account. How to turn stories into a tool for captivating stories about life and work? — Social networks on vc.ru

5152 views

Summary

Interesting stories intrigue, stay in memory; can't wait to share them with friends. You can create these too. You don't have to be O. Henry or Oscar Wilde to do it. The ezem.agency team has prepared an instruction (with examples) on how to take Instagram Stories to a whole new level.

In the beginning, we were skeptical about storytelling in the disappearing “9*16 boxes” and thought:

Is Instagram Stories really such a cool tool?
Which is better: separate stories that are not connected to each other, or a cycle of 7-20?
What is more universal: a post or a series of stories?
How to tell stories in social networks, on personal topics and about your business?

Why choose story series and not something else?

Why stories?

Instagram Stories is subject to the same attention management principles as a post, magazine article, or kitchen gossip. But it is Instagram stories that are characterized by visual figurativeness, dosed presentation of information and elements of the game. They will add volume to your story, even if it has not yet formed into a graceful string of sentences. Where there were not enough words, a photo or video will come to the rescue. Where there should be a text divided into paragraphs, a conversational story can enter the stage. It's up to you to decide how to frame your idea.

Single stories or a story with a plot?

Why cram the incredible events of your life into two or three stories? It's like taking a huge canvas and painting only in one corner of it. Publishing stories related to the topic and plot in sets of 7, 10, 15, 20 kindles the interest of your subscribers much more than single stories like “good morning”, “promotion”, “typical working day”.

Longread vs story series

Who should post series of stories and who will watch them?

Storytelling is a versatile tool. It may come in handy:

smm-manager who manages the company account;
to a specialist who independently promotes his services through Instagram;
to any active social media user who wants to express himself, stand out among friends and share bright moments of life, unique experience or knowledge.

For a storyteller, storytelling woven from fifteen-second content is:

a convenient way of expressing thoughts: it is impossible to stop in the middle of a post, but here it is only you who determines where to put an end;
open storylines: the post was written and forgotten, but here you can pick up any secondary topic and turn it into a spinoff;
fascinating process: now I will throw a poll, then a comment “in author mode”, then a collage of photos;
is the perfect way to determine for yourself how long stories you are ready to create: five lines daily with a break of several hours, or one scheduled longread per week;
the ability to work both alone and to attract assistants: you start, I will pick up - or: I will write the essence, you will complete it.

And for subscribers it looks like this:

answering a story is easier than collecting your thoughts and commenting on a post;
the percentage of perception of information increases, there is a sense of contact;
interactive elements in the story make the viewer feel part of your life/brand;
getting used to such content is formed, and these are guaranteed views.

Instruction

How to make a coherent, effective visual story out of single stories?

You need an idea that will interest the audience. Crazy, funny, stupid ideas are also accepted and sometimes have an advantage: you will not only open a window into your life, but take the viewer to the other side of the moon!
Record all thoughts, events, quotes of heroes in notes on your smartphone.
Now for the cut-and-paste step: rearrange the snippets so that they complete the 4 parts of your storytelling: intro, opening, climax, denouement, epilogue.
Now it's time to choose a visual accompaniment for your story. Click the "Gallery" icon and select all the photos and videos related to the theme. Don’t be afraid if you don’t have enough of them — stories “in author mode” with stickers and gifs will come to the rescue.
There is a plot, there is a visual - start the mixer! You need to thoroughly mix photos, videos, stories “in author mode” and conversational stories.

Ready-made design options for short series of stories, see Ezem Agency Pinterest.

Let's look at an example: how to implement this in an account?

1. Introduction

What will be discussed and what will be interesting for your audience?

For example: we are talking about cooking, at the end there will be a promotional code for food delivery.

What you need: some pictures, Q&A stickers or quizzes.

We announce the topic.
Adding a question to engage the audience in the process.
In the next few hours we will answer the question so as not to lose the attention of the audience.

2. Set-up

Who is the main character? Where is everything happening?

For example: we cook a dinner party for friends at home, we present each friend as a critic or connoisseur of a particular dish.

What you need: photos, short videos, boomerangs.

We post stories with short captions: we introduce the audience to the characters, the place, the subject of discussion.

3. Climax and nuances

What you wanted to share, but without an introduction and tie it would be incomprehensible to the viewer.

For example: cooking process revealing recipes and tricks that will enchant every guest.

What you need: video, stories "in author mode".

Describe in detail everything that happened. We give examples, point out the positive and negative points.

4. Decoupling

How did it all end?

For example: reviews of friends about the event and dishes. Backstage from dinner.

What you need: conversational stories, photos with voting stickers or a clear call to action like send a specific emoji in response to your story.

We tell you why this issue is important and relevant.
Calling the audience to interact, adding interactive elements.

5. Epilogue or open final

Bonus for your subscribers, questions about their experience, opinions.

For example: promotional code for subscribers + an offer to create a menu for the next dinner party.

What you need: photos or videos “with peppercorns”: the most funny, provocative, unexpected; stories with gifs.

Three Popular Questions

When and how can I pause during storytelling?

Take breaks from posting stories from 40 minutes to 4 hours. Feel like a Scheherazade, don't post everything at once.
Add mysterious stories “in author mode” with captions like “And then I realized/la…”, “And then something happened that no one expected…”, “We didn’t even imagine that this was possible…” and let the subscribers dream up .
Use polls and voting: let the audience influence the course of events or the order of presentation of information!
Take breaks at the end of each stage (after introduction, opening and climax).

How often to post such a series of stories?

Once a week is enough.

Where can I get so many photos and videos?

Stop deleting bad-looking frames from your smartphone.
Take screenshots of funny notifications and messages.
Arrange yourself photo-meditations: this week take pictures of all the cats you meet, the next - open windows. So you will train to see the beauty around and collect enough photos.

Storytelling examples Ezem Agency

7 topics to start with

1. Recent trip: where were you, with whom, what do you remember the most, what went wrong, where next?

2. Discussion of a film that has just premiered.

3. Hobby presentation. What do you do in the evenings; how long has it been with you; how did you learn it?

4. Constructor with an example: how to assemble several seasonal bows, organize an event.

5. Work project: how does a good working day go, what does an unproductive day look like, what do you do and what do others do, what are 5 questions beginners ask about this work, is it possible to see the result somewhere?

6. A story about a fatal mistake - and how it could have been avoided.

7. History of one purchase (yours or your client): description of the product and related purchases, answers to questions (doubts or alternatives), assessment of benefits.

More ideas and design examples can be found on Pinterest Ezem Agency.

how to do, what to ask — LiveDune Blog

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This type of question is relevant for commercial accounts that want to increase purchase motivation. Usually there are several such surveys on the same topic, which go one after another in turn.

1 example (heating for sale):

We start the survey “Which model do you like best No. 1 or No. 2?”. You can repeat 3-5 stories with different options. Next, choose the models for which the majority voted, and announce SALE on them (launch of the sale).

Those who voted see the answers of other users and which product is "leading", so you should not go to the trick and pass off another product as the one chosen by the poll participants.

2nd example (for making money on advertising):

Are you interested in telling about something. For example: “Do you want to know how I lost weight for the new year?” and add a motivating before and after photo. Or “Tell me where I got such a hairstyle / made such a closet?” etc.

If the majority answered “Yes”, in the next story post, for example, a photo of a miracle cure, product, person or company and a link to the advertised object.

3rd example (to increase reach and subscriptions):

“Run a giveaway?”. If the majority answered "Yes", then continue to warm up. Next ask: “What to play?” (Answers: men's or women's sneakers; discount on course No. 1 or course No. 2, etc.) For most answers, you choose a product and announce the start of the draw and the conditions.

If the product is desirable (because the majority voted for it), then the reaction can be large-scale. The main thing is to write down the conditions of the draw in detail: what needs to be done (subscribe, like, tag friends in the comments), the dates of the draw, etc.

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