Instagram Stories may be a direct copy of Snapchat, but the social media format has taken off in popularity. Users love flipping through Instagram stories within the social media platform, and brands have found considerable success by focusing on their Instagram Stories strategy. 

With new features being added to Instagram Stories every day, you can now link directly to your site from your Stories, share shopping links, and so much more. The options are endless when it comes to marketing through Instagram Stories.

Unfortunately, if no one is viewing your Stories, they won’t be effective. Keep reading for the top tips to increase Instagram Story views. 

1. Be Creative & Consistent

Instagram users are flooded with content on a daily basis. More than 500 million users update their Stories every day, so your brand is always competing for attention.

If you want to get more Instagram Story viewers, you will have to create creative and original content that stands out. While it is okay to follow trends, unique content will have a better chance of catching users’ attention and captivating them. 

Posting once or twice a month to your Instagram Stories is not going to help you increase Instagram Story views.

It is important for brands to be consistent by posting to their Story on a regular basis. Keep a content calendar to help you stay on track of when to post and what to feature. This is also a great way to test your content later on and compare the performance of various posts.

2. Get Interactive 

When posting to your Instagram Stories, act like you are speaking directly to your audience. One of the best practices to increase Instagram Story views is to create interactive content.

Engage with your audience directly by asking questions, adding links, and providing the next step. By telling your audience what to do next, you can greatly increase your interaction and engagement. 

Engage with Stickers

Stickers on Instagram Stories offer another effective way to engage with your audience.

You can boost Instagram Story engagement by adding a poll to your post or including a question. Users can interact with your brand directly from your Story by answering your poll or asking you a question.

You can also use the emoji slider feature, countdown timer, and more.

3. Tag Your Location 

For local businesses, tagging your location in your Instagram Stories can be a powerful marketing tool. Users can see your location as they scroll through Stories, and they will have a much easier time of finding your brick and mortar store.

Share the sights and sounds of your community and tag your location to increase engagement with your local audience. 

4. Give Shoutouts

Use the mentions feature to give shoutouts in your Stories to other brands and users. You can build your own follower count by networking with businesses and mentioning influencers in your content.

Look for brands or users that have followers similar to your audience, and shoutout their name in your Story. 

Shoutouts can be given as a genuine fan of another brand or used to showcase your appreciation for their work.

You can also give shoutouts in your Stories to loyal followers who create user-generated content or consistently interact with your brand. Sharing content from users and interacting with them personally can help build a loyal following for your brand. 

5. Host a Giveaway

If you are wondering how to get more people to watch your Instagram Stories, consider doing a giveaway. Advertise your giveaway ahead of time or make it a secret surprise.

Instead of scrolling past your brand’s Story, users will take pause to see what you have to say. This is also a great way to increase your Instagram follower count and drive engagement on other Instagram posts.

Simply make engagement or interaction part of the requirements for participating in a giveaway.

Share a Limited-Time Offer

In addition to giveaways, limited-time offers are popular marketing strategies on Instagram Stories. Your IG Story disappears after a 24 hour period, you can offer a limited-time promotion or special for customers who view your Story.

Be sure to include links to your products or services, so it is easy for users to make purchases from the app. 

6. Publish Teasers and Reveals

Instagram Stories is a great place to share teasers or reveals of your new products and services. Hype your next reveal to boost Instagram Story engagement and increase your number of viewers for Instagram Stories.

You can highlight your newest products, provide a quick overview of brand updates, and feature your employees on your Stories to keep users connected to your brand. 

7. Incorporate Hashtags

Hashtags may not seem like an obvious choice for Instagram Stories, but they can be very powerful in growing your follower count.

If you are wondering how to get more views on Instagram Stories, properly using hashtags can help. Create branded hashtags and share them within your Stories, so users can follow those hashtags for more information.

You can also boost visibility for your brand by incorporating popular or well-known hashtags into your stories. 

8. Save Your Highlights

You can save your most popular posts to your Instagram Story highlights. These clips or images are always accessible from your brand’s Instagram account, so users can go back and rewatch important announcements, view product highlights, and learn more about your products or services.

You can also categorize your highlights by topic to make it even easier for users to view the content they are looking for. 

9. Create IG Stories Ads

Instagram has created an impressive native advertising platform with Stories. When you create Instagram Story ads, your ads appear almost exactly like organic content.

Users can view your Story and follow through on your call to action by clicking links within your ad. With Instagram Stories ads, you can expand your audience and target your ideal customer through the platform. 

10. Go Live

Live videos are among the best practices to increase Instagram Story views because live videos attract larger audiences.

Live sessions are also an excellent way to boost engagement with your audience. Users can ask questions and make comments throughout the live video, which you can answer or acknowledge during your livestream.

Also, some users receive a notification when you start a live video, so you can draw in even more viewers for your Instagram Story.