If you’re familiar with Instagram, you don’t need an introduction to Instagram Stories.
Started as a copied feature from Snapchat, Instagram stories have come a long way.
With more than 500 million active daily users, Insta stories have become a vital marketing tool.
But, when it comes to using stories effectively, a lot of brands get confused. In fact, only 36% of businesses use Instagram stories to promote their products.
If you’re one of those brands struggling to gather views on Instagram stories, you’ve come to the right place.
In this post, we’ve shared 7 ways to get more views on your Instagram stories.
So, without further ado, let’s dig in!
7 Ways to Get More Views on Instagram Stories
All your efforts into creating the perfect Instagram post will go to waste if you don’t get views on stories.
Instagram stories are viewed by more than 70% of people, according to HubSpot. So, if you want to make it big on Instagram, you have to focus on creating better Instagram stories as well.
But the question is: How you’ll get more views on Instagram Stories.
Let’s quickly look at some of the strategies you can use to get more views on Instagram stories and boost your Instagram following at the same time.
What’s your favorite Instagram hashtag? Is it #ootd or #instadiaries?
Whatever your favorite hashtag is, if you’re using Instagram for a while, you understand how they can influence your post reach.
But, do you know they are equally important for your Instagram Stories?
Yes, if you’re looking to increase your views in Stories, use hashtags!
Instagram algorithms order your stories based on the hashtags you use. The hashtags help IG algorithms determine your account’s niche. Based on your niche, the Insta algorithm pushes your stories at the top of the story bar for those accounts that are your target audience.
For example, suppose you’re a business coach, and your target audience is entrepreneurs. So, you’ve used the #entrepreneurs hashtag on your story. The Instagram algorithm will make your story visible at the beginning of the story bar for entrepreneurs interested in your niche.
Instagram lets you add up to 10 hashtags on Stories. However, you can also add just one hashtag using the Hashtag Sticker.
Hashtags are important for branding as well. You can add your branded hashtag on Instagram stories to reach your loyal audience on Instagram.
You can take Nike’s Insta story as an example here:
A quick tip: If you don’t want to clutter your stories with hashtags, make sure to hide them.
You can hide them under stickers, GIFs or change the hashtag text color, so it blends well with the post. This way, you’ll get all the views without worrying about cluttering the story.
2. Run Giveaway Contests on Your Stories
Be it a fun contest or a giveaway; you can always use Instagram Stories to offer free discounts or coupons.
This will make your audience go crazy with your Insta stories. They won’t be able to resist themselves from seeing your Stories. After all, who doesn’t love freebies?
And not just more views, running giveaways or contests from your Instagram stories can also build brand loyalty and trust.
So, thinking about what are some good giveaways ideas for Instagram stories? Relax, we’ve got your back!
- Offer high-value prizes
If you want to get millions of views and a loyal audience base, offer high-value prices— for example, a dream holiday trip to a great location with all expenses paid.
- Promote User-generated Content
Use Instagram stories to promote contests where your audience can participate and submit their content. You can select the contest winner based on the quality of the submission or random selection.
- Promote Your Product
You can use Instagram stories to promote your products. Ask your followers to participate in a fun contest. And, offer your product as a prize to create hype and get a lot of views.
Here is an example of running giveaways using Instagram stories:
3. Run Polls & Quizzes
Another great way to increase views on Instagram stories is polls and quizzes.
Running polls and quizzes on stories gives your followers a chance to interact with your brand. Also, fun polls can increase engagement. The more people engage with your stories; the more Instagram algorithms push the stories to your target audience feed.
And, not just views, using polls stickers on Instagram stories can also help you gather insights about your followers’ interests.
For example, if you’re a restaurant owner, you can conduct polls on your dishes. And, ask your Instagram followers to rate your dishes based on their choices. This way, you’ll know which one of your dishes is a customer favorite.
You can also take Discovery’s Instagram stories as an example. In this example, the brand promoted one of their shows, “Super Factories: Food Edition”, using a fun poll to get more views and engagement.
4. Ask Interesting Questions to Get Response
“If you do not know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing.”- W. Edwards Deming
If you want to increase your views on Instagram stories, remember this old quote!
Don’t just ask questions; ask interesting questions to engage more followers. Asking the right question will make your brand appear human.
You can use the Ask Me Anything sticker on stories to understand your audience’s expectations and needs.
By asking interesting questions, you can start a conversation on your Insta stories. It will help you involve your followers in your business. You can ask your followers to share their feedback, ideas, expectations from your products or business.
You can also conduct Q&A sessions to encourage the audience to ask whatever they want.
One of the most popular entrepreneurs/influencers, Garyvee knows how to use the Ask Me Anything and Q&A sessions features on Instagram stories. He never fails to ask interesting, valuable, and sometimes funny questions to engage more followers on stories.
Here’s an example:
5. Maintain a Consistent Posting Schedule
Are you posting stories once in a blue moon or when convenient?
If yes, then we’re sorry! Your Instagram stories will always stay down. Even cool GIFs or fun stickers can’t save you!
Consistency is super important for getting good views.
On Instagram, the stories of brands or people you follow appear at the top of the feed. And, the most recent stories appear close to your Insta profile. So, if you want to get noticed and appear at the top, post consistently.
You can even use a post scheduler to upload your stories frequently and on time. From Buffer, Hootsuite, to Later and Sprout Social, you’ll get loads of scheduling tools in the market.
Here’s a heads up, if you ever failed to maintain a constant posting schedule, repost your feed’s content. Cross-promoting your content on Instagram stories is a great way to earn some views and new followers.
5. Use Location Tags
You can make a winning Instagram marketing strategy by using location tags on Instagram stories.
With location tags, you target a specific demographic. If you have a local business, you can use local location tags to target the right audience. If you want to reach a global audience, tag global locations to reach a wide range of audiences.
Let’s say, if you tag your local restaurant or neighborhood places using location tags, your Insta stories will appear in the public stories feed on that specific location.
So, next time someone searches for that specific location, they’ll be able to see your Instagram stories.
6. Give Shoutout to Other Influencers
Another way you can boost your Instagram stories views is shoutouts.
Whether it’s your product launch, event announcement, or simply a live session, collaboration with other Influencers on your niche is the most effective way to build relationships and gain views.
And the reason why influencer collaboration or brand shoutouts are always a good idea is:
- You’re mentioning other people who have a wide range of audiences. That means you’ll easily grab their audiences’ attention on your Insta stories.
- When you shout out to other influencers, they’ll reshare your story. This way, you’ll get more views and engagement.
So, it’s like growing your followers by posting about others. A win-win situation, isn’t it?
Take the example of Maybelline New York’s Instagram story. Maybelline gave a shoutout to actress Storm Reid to promote their products and gain more visibility.
Wrapping Up
Instagram stories are a powerful tool to get high engagement. The simple yet fun framework of stories can help you win your social media marketing strategy.
However, increasing your Instagram stories views isn’t an overnight thing. You have to put in a lot of effort consistently to see the results.
But, to make things a little easier, we’ve tried to research some best strategies you can use to draw more eyeballs to your stories and grow your Instagram story views.
So, the next time you post something on Instagram, try to experiment with these 7 tips and tricks.
And, don’t forget to let us know which one of these worked the best for you in the comments below.
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