How to make creative instagram stories

36 Trendy Instagram Story Ideas (2022)

Instagram Stories has fundamentally changed the way people use Instagram.

Both individuals and brands are breaking down the barriers of beautifully curated feeds to share more off-the-cuff and behind-the-scenes content through Instagram Stories.

All of this casual sharing is generating deeper engagement, as over half of the platform’s more than one-billion monthly users watch stories on a daily basis. Check out our guide on how to get followers on Instagram to build and grow your Instagram business account.

To help you raise your game, we wanted to share some of our best Instagram Story ideas, tips, and tricks (with step-by-step tutorials), so you can impress your followers and keep them coming back for more.

💡 Tip: Taler is a free tool from Shopify that can help you get started with tons of Instagram Story templates to choose from.

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Without downloading any additional photo editing or Instagram tools, there’s plenty you can do within Instagram to make your Instagram Stories stand out. Here are some creative Instagram Story ideas you can easily apply.

36 creative Instagram Story ideas

1. Use rainbow or ombre letters

To add flashes of color to your Instagram Stories text, you can use rainbow or ombre letters to make your captions stand out.

Type out your word or phrase.
Select all of the letters.
Hold down your cursor on the letters and the color selection tool at the same time, both from the far right.
Slide both fingers at the same time and watch as each letter gets updated with a different color gradient.
Let go of both fingers and rearrange your rainbow letters to the desired place on your screen.

2. Change the background color when sharing a post

There may be times when you want to notify your followers that you have posted something new to your grid by sharing your post to your Instagram Stories. But the default background color for it might not be what you had in mind. Here’s how you can change it.

Select the photo from your grid that you’d like to share on your Instagram Stories.
Click on the sharing options and share to your Stories.
Click on the drawing tool.
Use the color selection tool and drag to the desired color for your background.
Hold down on any part of the screen; your background color will be updated.

3. Use individual letters as decorations

This might take a little more time, but decorating your Instagram Story with the individual letters of a caption adds flair that will help you stand out.

Select where you would like to use the individual letters to decorate, ideally framing or tracing an object or subject within your shot
Type and adjust each letter individually to place it around your object or subject.
Repeat until your word is completed and readjust the positioning of the letters, if needed.

4. Mix fonts and handwriting together

Show your personality by writing part of your caption with your own handwriting and mixing it with a complementary font for the rest of the text.

Use the drawing tool to write out the word or phrase with your finger,
Type out the second part of your phrase and adjust the positioning,

5. Add a drop shadow to your text

Add an instant pop to your text by adding in a shadow.

Add a text to your story,
Copy the text and paste onto the screen ,
Select a different color for the newly pasted text,
Readjust to show a drop-shadow effect,

6. Use text as a backdrop

Create a unique background and get your message across with this text-based backdrop Instagram Story idea.

Type out the phrase, select all text, and click to copy.
Move to another section of the screen, paste the phrase, and adjust for positioning.
Repeat the pasting and adjusting until you fill the screen.

Learn more: Find out how to use Instagram hashtags for your business.

7. Create a collage with multiple photos

Give your Instagram Story a scrapbook look by using this idea to create a collage to share multiple images at once (iPhone only).

Start with a background of your liking.
Go to our album and click to copy the image you want to use.
Go back into Instagram Stories and post the image as a sticker.
Repeat the copy-and-paste process to include all of the images you desire.
Rearrange photos to the layout you planned.
Add a caption if needed.

Android users: With the Gboard keyboard enabled, you can add a collage of photos to a single story if you select the 🔎 when entering text to search for photos.

8. Convert a Live photo into a Boomerang (iPhone only)

Without the need to take your Boomerang within the Instagram or Boomerang app, here’s how you can turn a Live photo into a Boomerang.

Take and then select a Live photo from your Instagram Stories upload cue.
Hold down on the image.
Watch as it gets updated to a Boomerang.

9. Use the eraser tool to reveal parts of a photo

Add a little bit of mystique or unveil an exciting surprise for your followers by using the eraser tool to showcase the most important part of your Instagram Story.

Start with a photo you want to partially reveal.
Use the drawing tool to select a color.
Hold down on the screen to cover up your photo.
Switch over to the eraser tool.
Move and erase part of the photo you want to reveal.
Add additional text to complete the Instagram Story.

10. Decorate with dotted lines

You can bring more attention to the main subject of your story with dotted lines. Here’s how to create them by combining the drawing and the eraser tools.

Draw some lines on the screen to frame a subject or object.
Use the eraser tool to remove part of the line to create dotted lines.
Add additional text to complete the Instagram Story.

11. Show off your products

One of the most obvious—but still stellar—Instagram story ideas is showing off product photos or videos. Sharing footage of your products either in shop or in use can be enticing to interested customers, leading them to click over to your profile and head to your website.

Here’s a great example from plant shop Palm and Pine:

It added a series of in-store videos to its Instagram Story, showcasing all of the plants and other accessories available to shoppers.

This is a great idea for small businesses and retail shops to promote in-stock products. Even better—and we’ll cover this a bit later—link the product(s) showcased in your video to your Instagram shop to make purchasing as easy as possible.

While Instagram stories can be a great channel for making sales, it's important to not oversell and to focus on building relationships and trust with your followers.
Taylor Loren, in an edited excerpt from the course How to Make Money on Instagram

12. Use the emoji slider

Instagram has a number of stickers available that help make your stories more engaging. One of these is the emoji slider that lets users drag your chosen emoji as far up the slider as they choose.

There are a few ways you can use this, as Instagram also lets you add a caption to the slider if you want. You can have people use the slider to vote on something, to give their opinion on how much they like something, or simply as an added way to engage with your story.

The last option is exactly how Stitch and Steel Co. used the emoji slider in its Story, below, showing off a rainbow-colored product:

Get creative with your emoji sliders. You can choose any emoji from your phone’s library, so have fun with it!

13. Hold a poll

Another great idea for creating interactive stories that get your audience engaging with your brand is to hold a poll or play the This or That game using the poll sticker. Not only can you get audience opinions with this option, but it’s also a fun way to gauge interest in new product prototypes.

Below, we have a brand that used the poll option to get its audience to choose its preferred earrings for the bride pictured:

The earrings in question are available products, connecting the brand’s product offerings to a fun game on its Stories.

14. Promote your Instagram Reels

Get more viewers to your Instagram Reels by sharing them to your Stories. Because Stories are placed at the top of the Instagram feed, you may be able to reach new audiences who are simply tapping through Stories, rather than scrolling all the way down their feed.

Here’s an example of what this might look like:

When you share a Reel to your Story, you can move it around the screen, adjust the size, and even adjust its orientation. Add a caption, GIF, sticker, or other decoration to the story if you wish to make it even more engaging.

Another option is to cover up the Reel with a GIF or sticker to tease it, making viewers have to click on it to view the whole thing.

15. Share discounts and sales

Use Instagram stories to spread the word about upcoming promotions, sales, or discounts. This is a great way to reach an even wider audience, bringing even more shoppers in the door—or onto your ecommerce website.

Take a look at this example from Ring Concierge:

You can create a branded graphic (more on this later) to promote your sale, share a product photo of select products that are on sale, or come up with another unique idea to get new customers interested.

Learn more: How to Sell on Instagram with Instagram Shopping

16. Showcase behind-the-scenes footage

While your Instagram feed tends to be the place for styled, high-quality, and professional photos and videos, your Instagram Stories give you the chance to be a bit more candid. This is why sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos can be such a fun story idea.

Here’s an example from a video production firm:

Taking a smartphone video of the camera crew at work adds a fun layer to their online presence and helps potential clients see the level of care that goes into their work.

Consider ways that you can also showcase BTS content, giving potential customers and clients a sneak peek into what actually goes into your products or services.

17. Share your daily menu or specials

As a restaurant or bakery, you might have different menu items or specials from day to day. Letting your customers know that they can head over to your Instagram to find out what’s available each day helps to grow your following and increase the number of Story views you get.

This is what bakery Swank Desserts does on its Story:

Social media can be so much more than beautifully curated content. Ideas like this let you use your social media profiles in ways that also make business sense.

18. Share user-generated content

It’s easy to share a regular feed post to your stories—even if it’s not your own post. If you see customers sharing photos of your business, products, or services on Instagram, you can easily share those posts to your Stories so your followers can also see them.

Here’s an example of this in action from The Collins Quarter:

To replicate this, follow these steps:

Find the Instagram post you want to share.
Click the Share icon (it looks like a paper airplane).
Click “Add post/video to your story.”
Add a caption, sticker, doodle, etc.
Click “Your stories” to post.

19. Host giveaways

Giveaways are never a bad idea if you’re looking to increase your Instagram followers. And promoting them on your Instagram Stories can get your giveaways even more attention and entries.

Here’s an example of what this could look like:

You can also create a branded graphic with rules and entry guidelines to post to your story. And when you’re choosing a winner, record the announcement on your Stories as well for even more engagement.

20. Tease product launches

Launching a new product or collection? Let your followers know about it! Use your Instagram Stories to create buzz around a new launch so you can get even more customers coming back to check out new products.

Here’s a great example from boutique jewelry retailer Elysian Theory:

Not only is the brand teasing products available during the launch, but it also used a countdown sticker to make the Story even more exciting.

21. Promote your Instagram posts

Just like you can promote your Instagram Reels in your Stories, you can also promote new posts. Again, this can help people who are tapping through Stories but haven’t scrolled through their feed yet to still find your content.

Here’s an example of what this might look like:

Visme added a caption to further explain what its Instagram post was about. When sharing posts to your stories, you still have access to all of the other Story features: stickers, GIFs, captions, doodles, and more.

22. Promote an upcoming livestream

As a part of your brand’s social media marketing strategy, you’ll want to go live regularly to get that direct, one-on-one communication with your audience. And when you’re planning a livestream, you should use your Instagram Stories to promote it so your followers can plan accordingly.

Here’s an example of what this could look like:

The Sill is hosting an AMA on Instagram Live with one of its team members and created a branded graphic to let followers know ahead of time. This way, it can add it to its calendars and be prepared to join in and ask their questions.

23. Share educational tidbits

Stories are also a great place to share quick tips, life hacks, and other educational tidbits with your audience. Whether you record a video of yourself talking, create graphics, or share photos, this is always a winner.

Venus et Fleur created a Story showcasing upcoming interior design trends, which is useful and perfectly in line with information its target audience would be looking for.

24. Answer questions

Another sticker option available to users is the question sticker. This is useful in a couple of different ways, as you’ll see in our next two story ideas.

First, you can use this like Tan Luxe did below, as an AMA:

You can create themed AMAs that are specific to a product line, new launch, or something else, or you can simply see what questions your customers have for you. By using the question sticker, you’ll be able to see responses when you view your own story. Then you can create a new story for each response and type out your answer using the caption feature, or record a video of your team providing the answer.

This option is also useful if you’re doing a story takeover, where an influencer or thought leader in your industry is getting temporary access to your account in order to provide specific insights and information to your audience.

25. Ask questions

The next way to use the question sticker is to ask your audience questions. You can ask fun, light-hearted questions, or you can use this feature to gather customer insights for future business ideas.

Here’s a more light-hearted question Blossom and Rhyme asked its audience:

As a brand that creates floral displays from wedding bouquets, a question like “What’s your favorite flower?” is right on brand. Think of questions you can ask your audience as well. The more they engage with your stories, the higher likelihood the algorithm places your stories toward the front of their feed.

26. Link to your product pages

In the past, brands had to get 10,000 followers to get access to the swipe up feature in order to add external links to their Instagram Stories. But with a recent update, there are now link stickers available to add right on top of a story design.

This makes it easy to link to your website, a product page, or even products from your Instagram shop. In the example below, Brightland is linking directly to their product page while also sharing a mouth-watering description of said product:

There are many ways you can take advantage of this link sticker, such as linking to your landing pages, FAQ, other social media platforms, or even a new podcast episode.

27. Promote events

If your company holds events, whether in-person or virtual, you want to reach as many potential attendees as possible. This is why promoting upcoming events via your IG Stories is a great way to promote awareness and increase registrations. You can also shout out speakers or seminars at your upcoming event to generate even more buzz.

Here’s an example of what this looks like:

Not only did Curious Elixirs repost its feed post promoting the event, but it also added additional information alongside an RSVP link sticker for interested viewers to sign up.

28. Share branded graphics

Another creative idea is to create branded graphics specifically for your Instagram Stories. There are endless possibilities for this, whether you’re sharing quick tips, sale information, or product release dates.

Just keep in mind the dimensions for your Insta Stories: 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels. You can easily create your own branded graphics using the Adobe Suite, or with a DIY graphic design tool like Canva.

Here’s a great example of what this looks like in practice:

Make sure to use your brand fonts and colors to help increase brand strength. Having a strong brand improves your overall brand awareness and recognition as well, so it’s a win-win all around.

29. Link to blog content

You should also regularly share your latest blog post to your story to increase views and readership. This idea works for both bloggers and company blogs as a part of their digital marketing strategy.

Take a look at one way you can do this:

Another option is to repurpose your blog post into multiple story graphics by summarizing your key points in your Story. You can then link to your blog post for viewers to learn more if they wish.

30. Promote affiliate content

If sharing affiliate links to bring in passive affiliate income is a part of your overall marketing strategy and revenue structure, you can easily promote affiliate products and services on your Instagram Stories.

Here’s an example (although for true affiliate promotions, you’ll need to disclose it’s an affiliate link):

31. Share reviews and testimonials

Sharing reviews and testimonials showcasing happy clients and customers is a form of social proof and can help prospective customers feel more confident about moving forward with your business.

Here’s one example from Prose:

It’s created a graphic with a review, but you could also share video testimonials or even screenshots of tweets and review sites with positive ratings and reviews.

32. Quiz your audience

Another fun sticker to use is the quiz sticker. Here, you can test your audience’s knowledge of your industry by creating multiple choice quizzes. Your audience will be able to tap the answer they think is correct, and the quiz sticker will show red or green, based on the selection you’ve added in as the right answer.

Here’s an example of this from Hungry Root:

It shared a few stories with educational info, then quizzed its Story viewers on what they had learned from those Stories.

33. Share styled photography

While we talked about how your stories are the perfect place to share unstyled photos, we still love a good styled photoshoot. Everyone enjoys looking at pretty pictures, so consider adding some of the same photos you’ve taken for your Instagram feed as a full-screen story image.

Pura did just that, while also creating a sticker link to their product page:

34. Share memes

If your brand has a humorous side, bring that into your Stories by sharing relevant memes and funny photos that your audience will enjoy.

Take a look at how mental health app Talkspace shared a meme from another account below:

You can create your own memes to share, or make things easy by finding and reposting other funny images to your story.

35. Provide how-tos and tutorials

For products that might have a bit of a learning curve, it’s a good idea to share how-to guides both on your feed and on your Stories. This could be as simple as a diagram, or you could create a video.

Glamnetic showed us another great way this can work—by working with influencers and reposting their reviews and tutorials:

Influencer and content creator tutorials are useful for consumers because it shows them how a real-life person is using your product.

36. Share career opportunities

Our last idea is meant to help you expand your team. Add your career opportunities and job listings to your Instagram story!

Here’s an example of what this looks like:

And of course, use a link sticker to send interested applicants directly to your careers page or individual job listing.

Photography tips for Instagram Stories

Some say that Instagram Stories are a place for photos and videos that aren’t good enough for your feed. But with a bit of curation and planning, you can produce standout Instagram Stories that are worthy of pinning to your profile as a Highlight.

Sarah Pflug, an in-house photographer for Shopify’s Burst stock photo library, recommends understanding the following photography fundamentals before playing around with each component.

Rule of Thirds. This classic theory suggests dividing photos into 9 equal quadrants as a guide to place the main subject not directly centered but within the right or left third. To hone this rule, try shooting photos on your phone with the "grid lines" setting on. Once you are acquaintanced with where to place your subject, feel free to break this rule by testing out how you like to frame your vertical photos for Instagram Stories.
Lighting. Before sourcing lighting equipment, first master natural lighting by placing your subject in front, to the side of, and behind your light source. Seeing how lighting affects your photos allows you to experiment with shadows, glares, and additional light sources.
Cropping. Uploading a pre-shot photo to Instagram Stories often makes it less sharp and resizes it to 9:16. To combat this, edit your photos beforehand to a 9:16 aspect ratio before uploading them to Instagram photos.

Start sharing your story with Instagram Stories

With these tips and tricks now at your disposal, go ahead and experiment to bring your own style to your Instagram Stories. Instagram marketing is all about creativity and play, so try out new designs, keep tabs on your Instagram Analytics, and post consistently to share your story as Instagram Stories.

Ready to create your business? Start your free trial of Shopify—no credit card required.

Instagram story ideas FAQ

What should I put on Instagram Stories?

Promote blog posts
Promote products
Create Shoppable Stories
Conduct a poll
Tease product launches
Provide how-tos

How do I make my Instagram Stories interesting?

Mix up text colors
Go Live
Use pleasing color schemes
Use high quality photos
Express your feelings

Change Background Colors & More

Ready to take your Instagram Stories game to the next level?

Knowing the latest Instagram Stories hacks will keep your posts on point (and ahead of the trend!)

From little-known design tricks to engagement-boosting strategies, we’re sharing every Instagram story hack you need to know in 2022:

Instagram Stories Hacks You Need to Know in 2022

Instagram Stories are getting a lot more creative — from responsive AR filters to interactive Instagram Stories stickers, there are tons of new features to experiment with.

Ready to get started? We’re sharing the best Instagram Stories tips and tricks you (probably) don’t know yet.

Discover the top Instagram story hacks in action! Watch the full YouTube tutorial here:

Table of Contents:

Instagram Story Design Hacks
Instagram Story Photo Hacks
Instagram Story Sticker Hacks
Instagram Story Video Hacks
Other Instagram Story Tips and Tricks

Instagram Story Design Hacks

Instagram Stories Hacks #1: How To Change The Background Color On Your Instagram Story

To change the background color of an Instagram story, tap the draw tool in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, and select a color.

Next, tap and hold on the screen for 1-3 seconds. If you’ve shared a feed post to stories, the background will fill with your chosen color behind the post.

If you’ve created a new story, the whole screen will fill with color, creating a layer of color on top of your photo or video:

You can then use the eraser tool to create a “scratch card” effect to reveal part of your image or video.

Tap the eraser icon on the upper right-hand corner of the screen and select the size of the eraser using the slider on the left-hand side of the screen. Now tap or swipe on the screen where you would like to reveal the underlying image.

And that’s it! If you’re looking to entice your audience and share just a tiny highlight, this Instagram Stories hack should come in handy.

Instagram Stories Hacks #2: Add a Background Image to Your Instagram Story

When you share a feed post to your stories, not only can you change the background color but you can also add in a background image from your camera roll!

If you want to add an image to your Instagram Stories background, here’s how to do it:

First, select the post you want to share to your Instagram Story and select “Add post to your story”.

Tap the sticker tray and select the Instagram “Add from Camera Roll” sticker. Scroll through your images and select the image you want to use as your story background.

Move the feed post to one side of your Instagram Story screen and expand the added photo using two fingers (in a pinch motion). While doing so, tap and hold the original feed post using your thumb. This will bring it to the front of the screen:

Positioning the feed post on the right-hand side of the screen will increase the likelihood of taps — as people typically tap here as they browse through stories.

TIP: If you don’t have access to the “Add from Camera Roll” sticker in stories yet, use an Instagram Stories template app like Unfold or Storyluxe.

Instagram Stories Hacks #3: Access More Colors in Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are the best place to show off your brand’s personality. But, what if Instagram doesn’t offer your brand’s color in its default color options?

Luckily, there’s a hidden Instagram Stories hack that lets you access every color you could ever need!

Open your Instagram Stories and select the draw tool. Tap and long-hold any of the default color options at the bottom of the screen to open the color slider. Then, swipe across the slider to pick a custom color for your story.

BONUS HACK: Make a rainbow effect on your Instagram Story text.

To do so, open Instagram Stories and type out a message. Next, tap on text and tap “Select All” to highlight.

While your text is highlighted, press and hold one finger down on the color palette tool at the bottom of your screen (like you did before) to open the entire color spectrum.

With one finger held down on the color slider, and one on your highlighted text, begin to drag both fingers toward the left side of your screen at the same time.

You’ll see your text begin to change color, letter by letter, as you drag your finger across the color spectrum! You can move your finger faster or slower for additional color variations, or alternate the direction that you drag your fingers across the screen to achieve an entirely different result.

Instagram Stories Hacks #4: Add an Effect to Your Emojis

If you’ve ever wanted to make your emojis stand out more on stories, this Instagram trick is for you!

To add extra depth or a glow to your emojis, open your stories, tap the screen to open the text tool, and scroll through each of the fonts until you find the style you like!

Instagram Stories Hacks #5: Add A Custom Font to Your Stories

If you’re looking to make your stories feel a little more “on brand,” adding a custom font is a great option. Here's how to add a custom, branded font to your Instagram stories.

Start by downloading the GoDaddy Studio (formerly known as Over) mobile app. Once downloaded, AirDrop your font’s .OFT file to your mobile device.

Select “Over” from the menu that pops up.

Once you’ve got your custom font added, you can design stories in the Over app (there are tons of story templates to choose from) or you can write a line of text on a transparent background, save to camera roll, and then add them to your stories via the “Add from Camera Roll” sticker.

Looking for more ways to create Instagram Stories that match your branding? Check out our free video workshop on how to design captivating Instagram Stories!

Instagram Stories Hacks #6: Create Cool Effects with the Eraser Tool

Did you know you can actually use the eraser tool to create all kinds of cool effects on your Instagram Stories?

First, upload the photo of your choice and use the draw tool to draw an effect over the image.

Next, use the eraser tool to remove parts of the zig-zag to create a 3D effect.

This is just one of many ways you can use the eraser tool to create cool design effects on your Instagram Stories!

Instagram Stories Hacks #7: Add Your Brand Colors to Your Story

While Instagram’s full color palette is extensive, it can be hard to pick out an exact color.

Thankfully, there’s an Instagram hack for this.

Use the Instagram Stories “Add from Camera Roll” sticker to add an image with your chosen colors in it.

Next, use the color picker tool (the pipette icon on the left-hand corner of the screen) to sample your desired hue:

You can then use this color for your stories background, the draw tool, or your text.

You can remove your color reference by holding the image down with your finger and moving it to the bottom of the screen until the little trash can appears.

See more tips for branding your Instagram stories here.

Instagram Story Photo Hacks

Instagram Stories Hacks #8: Add Multiple Photos to Your Instagram Story

You can now add extra images to your Instagram story! Here’s how:

#1: Use Instagram’s “Add from Camera Roll” Sticker

To begin, tap the Instagram story sticker tray.

Once you’re in, select any photo from your camera roll, change the size, and place wherever you’d like.

To change the shape of the image, tap the image and select from a circle, star, rectangle, and more.

#2: Copy and Paste an Image from Your Camera Roll

Start by opening a photo from your camera roll and tapping the “export” button.

Now tap “Copy” and head to your Instagram story.

Double-tap the screen to pull up the “Paste” option.

And that’s it! The photo you copied earlier should now appear on your story. Repeat this process for as many photos as you’d like.

NOTE: Only available to iOS users.

Instagram Stories Hacks #9: Turn Live Photos Into Boomerangs

ICYMI: You can turn live photos into fun Boomerangs!

Open Instagram Stories, swipe up, and pick a live photo from your camera roll (you’ll see the boomerang icon on eligible photos).

Once selected, press on the screen for a few seconds until you see the word “Boomerang” appear briefly.

Now you’ve turned your shot into a Boomerang!

NOTE: This hack only works for iOS users.

Instagram Stories Hacks #10: Create Videos That Are the Perfect Instagram Story Length

If you add a photo to your Instagram Story, it’ll play for five seconds. If you add a video to your Instagram Story, it’ll play for 15 seconds.

However, there’s still a way to share longer videos to your Instagram Stories.

If you have a video that is longer than 15 seconds, the whole video will split into 15-second segments. However, you’ll have to add extra elements (such as GIFs, stickers, and text) to each segment. For more tips, check out Later's Ultimate Guide to Instagram videos.

Instagram Story Sticker Hacks

Instagram Stories Hacks #11: Share Multiple Question Answers on a Single Story

The Instagram Stories question sticker has gotten a lot of love from businesses on Instagram — the only drawback is that you can only share one question sticker answer per story.

Luckily, there’s an easy workaround to share multiple responses on one story.

First, create a story where you share a response to your question sticker. Take a screenshot or save the image and exit out of the story.

Open that screenshot and create a second story using a different question sticker response.

Repeat this until you have multiple question stickers on a single story.

And that’s it! Your followers will thank you for saving their thumbs!

Instagram Stories Hacks #12: Pin Stickers, Emojis, Text, and GIFs to Your Instagram Stories

Did you know that instead of layering design elements on top of your Instagram Stories, you can pin text, stickers, emojis, and GIFs into your videos and boomerangs — so they show up at the perfect moment?

To do this, simply record your video then add a creative element like text, a sticker, emoji, or GIF. Then tap and hold the element that you added.

Use the slider bar at the bottom of the screen to scroll through the video and find where you want to pin your creative element.

Once you’ve found the right location in your video, tap “Pin.”

Instagram Stories Hacks #13: Find On-brand GIFs

There are thousands of GIFs available to make your Instagram Stories more interesting.

In fact, there are so many that it can be hard to find good options.

Here are some of our favorite keywords to search in the app to find the best Instagram story GIFs:

Instagram Story Video Hacks

Instagram Stories Hacks #14: Use “Create” Mode to Add a GIF Background

Instagram’s collaboration with GIPHY has been a huge win for businesses and regular users alike.

To create a GIF background to your Instagram story, head over to Instagram’s “Create” mode by tapping the letters icon in the Instagram Stories camera screen, and scroll across to the GIF tab.

From here, you can search from thousands of fun GIFs. They’ll either layer up or display in full length, depending on their aspect ratio.

This is a great way to share content with your audience if you’re running low on original content.

Instagram Stories Hacks #15: Create an Animated GIF with ImgPlay

If you’ve been looking for a way to create fun GIF videos for Instagram Stories, look no further.

The ImgPlay app lets you select multiple photos to create your own looping GIF.

To begin, download the app and select the source for creating your GIF — whether it’s photos, live photos, or a video — then tap “Make.”

Once you’ve created your GIF, you can change the playback speed and duration, and add text, filters, and other customizations using the icons in the bottom bar.

Once you’re done, upload your new GIF to Instagram Stories!

Instagram Stories Hacks #16: Use “Hidden” Instagram Story Filters

Did you know there are a bunch of hidden Instagram Story photo and video effects? To access Instagram Story effects and add a filter to your stories, open up your camera and swipe all the way to the end and select “Browse Effects”.

Here you can scroll and find hundreds of fun effects.

Not sure where to start? Here’s a list of some of our favorite Instagram Story effects to search for:

“Presentation” by rendi_vendi
“Background” by luisgilson_18
“Greenscreen” by Instagram
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Instagram Stories Hacks #17: Add Music to Your Instagram Stories

Adding music to your Instagram stories is a great way to make your content more entertaining.

Make sure you’re using the latest version of the Instagram app, open the Instagram Stories camera, and take or upload a photo or video.

Once that’s done, select the music sticker at the top of the screen (or search for “Music” in the Instagram Stories sticker tray).

This will open the Instagram music library where you’ll find thousands of songs to choose from.

You can scroll through a “For You” tab of suggested songs, browse by categories, or search for a specific song.

When you’re happy with your song choice, you can fast-forward and rewind through the track to choose the exact part that fits your story. You can also choose how long you want the music clip to play for (the maximum is 15 seconds).

Finally, you can customize what the sticker looks by tapping it before publishing (there are six variations in total!):

NOTE: If you have a business account, you may only have a limited selection of music due to Instagram’s licensing agreements.

If you don’t have access to music on stories, check out this blog post for our top trouble-shooting tips. Learn more about adding music to your Instagram stories here.

Other Instagram Story Tips and Tricks

Instagram Stories Hacks #18: Automatically Add Closed Captions To Your Stories

Thanks to the new Captions sticker, it’s easier than ever to automatically add closed captions to stories.

Here’s how:

Head to the Instagram Stories camera and either record or upload a video from your camera roll.

Once uploaded or recorded, tap the sticker tray icon and select the “Captions” sticker.

At this stage, you can choose from four different text formats, move the text around the screen, and change the color.

And that’s it! Your captions will now be generated on your Instagram story.

Be sure to watch and read captions before posting as Instagram may not accurately transcribe your audio.

NOTE: The Instagram captions sticker is currently only available in English and English speaking countries.

Instagram Stories Hacks #19: Schedule Your Instagram Stories in Advance

The most successful stories have a clear flow, a consistent aesthetic, and tell a strong story.

Which is why it’s a good idea to plan and storyboard them in advance!

By scheduling your Instagram Stories posts with Later, you can visualize how your posts will flow together.

Planning and scheduling Instagram Stories posts takes just a few minutes and it can all be done from your desktop.

When the time comes to make your Instagram Stories live, you’ll receive a push notification to your phone and with just a few taps, you’ll be able to share your posts with your followers.

Ready to start scheduling your Instagram Stories posts? Later’s Instagram Stories scheduler is available now on all paid plans. Upgrade now to get access or start scheduling stories!

Instagram Stories Hacks #20: Create and Share Multiple Stories at Once

If you want to add a number of stories at once, Instagram’s multi-capture tool is the way to go.

To access it, press the multi-capture icon on the left hand side of the screen.

Here, you can take up to 10 photos in a row. When you’re happy with the photos you’ve taken, you’ll see the photos in a lineup at the bottom of your screen.

At this stage, you can tap and edit each individual slide. You can change your story background, add text, stickers, music, or effects to each slide.

Instagram Stories Hack #21: Use the Correct Instagram Stories Size

Not sure the correct Instagram Stories dimensions?

Luckily you can share pretty much anything on Instagram Stories, as long as it has a minimum dimensions of 1.91:1 and a maximum dimensions of 9:16.

Because most people prefer their stories to take up the whole screen (no borders), we recommend using an aspect ratio of 9:16 with a size of 1080px by 1920px.

Instagram Stories Hacks #22: See How Many Times Your Post was Shared on Stories

Instagram collects a ton of great data about your post’s performance, like the number of impressions, saves, follows, and more. But there’s one piece of data you might be missing out on: story reshares.

You won’t find this in your Instagram Insights. Instead, you’ll need to tap the ellipsis in the top right corner of a post to pull up a menu with the option to “View Story Reshares”.

This will take you to a screen with a list of public reshares that are currently live.

You can tap one of the reshares to see it live on the user’s account.

If you don’t see the option to see reshares, this either means your post isn’t currently being shared in anyone’s public stories.

This can be particularly useful for finding and replying to shares that you’re not tagged in.

Given the number of updates and new features on Instagram Stories, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the cool features at your disposal.

Hopefully, these Instagram Stories hacks help you create fun, artistic, and creative Instagram Stories that set you apart from your competition!

Start scheduling your Instagram Stories with Later today, available on all paid plans.

Creating Creative Instagram Stories: Tips from Instagram

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Updated 29 August 2022

Instagram Stories are viewed by more than 250 million users daily. For brands, the format creates new opportunities for communication with the audience, which means opportunities for creating creative advertising campaigns.

Instagram published a blog post with case studies of brands that successfully use the Stories functionality.

Progress Bar

In the example, a loading scale was used to show contrast. And it turned out to be a creative story.

15 second videos

You can upload videos up to 15 seconds in Insta Stories. Companies publish several videos in a row, combining them in one message.

Thus, the video length limit becomes not a difficulty, but the basis for the campaign idea. nine0003

Draw attention to profile

Bloggers post profile screenshots with the announcement of a new photo, but this will not surprise the audience. Stories can be used much more effectively to draw attention to the profile. This is how creative Stories turned out in Instagram Joystick studios.

Emoji

Text, stickers and emoticons are an easy way to make your account stand out from the rest and make it more creative on Instagram. If you create a creative, vibrant story, it will bring you closer to greater popularity. nine0003

Random pause

This trick worked with gifs on other social networks and can now be adapted for Instagram Stories. The user is prompted to make a random choice: to do this, pause the story during a frequent frame change. A simple yet effective mechanic for creating interesting creatives on Instagram.

Swipe up

To go to a link added to Stories, the user needs to swipe up. In addition to direct requests, there are unusual ways to do this. nine0003

Cases prove that with a creative approach, Insta stories can help you achieve any business goals, whether it's increasing loyalty, sales, launching a new product or educational materials.

To be aware of what works best in your case, do not forget about Instagram account analytics.

Useful articles on a related topic:

The most popular hashtags on Instagram: quick search and analysis; nine0086
Working ways to come up with ideas and develop creativity;
How to run Instagram beautifully - useful recommendations;
How to advertise effectively on Instagram Stories.

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How to make stories on Instagram — sdelano.media

Life is always in full swing on the Internet, and especially on Instagram. And the busiest place on Instagram is stories. This is a separate feed of photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours from the moment they are uploaded. nine0003

One of the most popular storytelling formats - it helps to establish an online presence without overloading the main feed. In Stories, you can upload tons of vacation shots, broadcast live from festivals, report or conduct polls. If you haven’t done anything like this yet, but would like to, our beginner’s guide will come in handy.

You can access the photo editor for stories by swiping your Instagram feed to the right. There are two ways to upload a photo:
- use photos from the phone's gallery - click on the thumbnail of the last photo taken by the phone, it is located in the lower left corner of the screen;
- take a picture directly in the application - for this, the developers have come up with several modes.

Instagram Stories shooting modes

Regular photo . This mode is enabled first by default. One press takes a photo, a long press switches to a 15-second video mode. You can apply a filter on a photo with some romantic name like Tokyo or Rio De Janeiro - swipe right or left on the photo to apply effects

To send a photo to the feed, click the "Your Story" button at the bottom center of the frame. The "Save" button at the bottom left uploads the photo from Instagram to your phone along with all the changes that you made in the editor: pictures, text and stickers - this photo can, for example, be placed in the main Instagram feed, from where nothing disappears, or sent to friends . The "Recipients" button helps to organize the list of recipients of the frame, if you do not want to share it with everyone in a row - then the application will send the photo to Direct only to the selected ones. nine0003

Tooltip : Stories privacy can also be adjusted in the settings (cog icon in the upper left corner of the screen).

If you have selected a photo from the gallery and it was taken more than a day ago, you will see a sticker with the date in large print on it. To remove it, hold the date with your finger - a trash can will appear where you can drag this sticker.

Screen text . Sometimes there is too much text in the story for a short note on the photo - all the letters can be put on separate screens. In this case, there is a "Text" mode. You can change the background color (the colored ball to the left of the main button) and the font. The font settings are hidden behind a button at the top center. The background for the text can also be a photograph — to do this, click on the camera icon in the lower right. To make a colored background appear under the text, click on the icon with the letter "A" and stars in the upper left corner of the screen. nine0003

Prompt : You can select this mode to tell what's going on in the photo or video you upload next.

Live . In this mode, the video will be immediately broadcast to the Stories feed. You can invite people to watch your live broadcast, but even after it ends, the video will be available for another 24 hours if you click the corresponding button after the broadcast ends.

Hint : This mode is great for shooting at public events, but mobile internet in such places tends to be poor. Provide yourself with a backup link, such as stable Wi-Fi from a friendly cafe next door. nine0003

Boomerang . Boomerang is a two-second looped video that captures a single movement. Swings, fountains, flowing hair, printing presses - they will all be happy to play in your creative boomerangs.

Superzoom . Allows you to shoot a three-second video with an increase in some part of the frame and accompanying music. There are several options for superzoom: drama, TV show, pendulum and disco beat. To select one of these options, you need to successively click on the icon with the treble clef. nine0003

Hint : to keep the music from disappearing from the video, you need to follow the sound speaker indicator in the upper left corner of the frame - there should not be a cross.

Backshot . You shoot the video as usual, and Instagram shows it in reverse.

Hint : It is especially cool with those movements that in the usual version you will not see in reverse - squeezing paste out of a tube, blowing soap bubbles or jumping into the water from a cliff. nine0003

Hands free . In this mode, pressing will start a 15-second recording, and you do not have to hold the record button with your finger. It will come in handy, for example, if you need to record your incendiary full-length dance on video.

Masks, stickers and text on photos

Instagram Stories opens up new possibilities for selfie lovers: you can apply virtual make-up, fan coloring or bunny ears to your photo or video. To turn on the front camera, click on the icon of two arrows in a circle, and then the adjacent button with a smiley. A set of masks will appear below - have fun! A single press will take a photo, and a long press of the button will record a video. nine0003

You can easily add a geotag, local temperature and time, hashtag, Instagram account of your companion to a photo. To access these buttons, tap the square smiley icon at the top of the screen.

You can also choose stickers or gifs there.

The Poll button lets you ask a two-choice question, while the moving emoji button invites your readers to rate it.

To add text to the photo, click the "A" icon at the top of the screen. In this editor, you can change the font and background under the text - the buttons are located at the top, and the color palette is at the bottom. nine0003

By the way, you can write something in another editor designed for drawing. It is activated by the pencil icon at the top of the screen.