Instagram stories are posts that only last 24 hours. Once this time is over, the stories disappear from your profile, and no user can see them again.

Given these characteristics, are stories useful for your marketing strategy?

✅ They generate interactions such as likes, responses and reactions.

✅ They allow you to create flash content which is ideal for offers, discount codes, or current content.

✅ You can make stories stand out on the profile by customizing each album and including more than one story.

So yes, Instagram stories are a fantastic resource to create content on your profile and continue to grow on the social network. Read this guide to Instagram stories and see how you can use stories to stay connected with your community.

How to upload Instagram stories

Instagram stories can be seen on mobile devices and computers, but can only be uploaded from the mobile application.

Check out this step-by-step guide on how to upload a story.

1 Open the Instagram app and go to the profile where you will upload the story.

2 There are several ways to start uploading the content:

▶️ Clicking on the ‘Your story’ icon on the top left.

▶️ Swiping to the right when you are browsing the Instagram home.

▶️ By tapping on the ‘+’ button at the top right of the home page or on your profile page.

3 Now is time to get down to work with the content. You have two options:

▶️ Taking the photo, the video, or the boomerang recording at the moment.

If you are going to make the content from the app, you can place filters and use layouts with different grids. These options are not available when uploading content from the gallery.

▶️ Uploading the content from your mobile gallery.

4 Are you clear about what to upload? It’s time to make up your story with the Instagram options.

When you have the stories ready, it’s time for the final touches before publishing.

That is, customize your content: add text in different fonts or add a sticker with the options that Instagram offers you.

Stickers are a great option to accompany your stories. They allow you to add links, music, mention other users, ask questions, etc. Use them to encourage the interaction of your audience and to participate in your stories.

5 Check that everything is correct and click on ‘Your story’, bottom left.

Your story now on Instagram, ready to get a lot of viewers and reach a large number of users.

💡 Metri Tip

Try some tools and applications to edit Instagram stories available in the market: Canva, Unfold or Mojo allow you to create personalized stories. Unleash your creativity.

How to Schedule Instagram Stories

One of the objectives of the stories is to share content that you have at hand or that happens to you at the moment. You can also upload evergreen content.

And that exact moment, you might think… “Scheduling stories would be great”, and Metricool will help you. 

It will allow you to schedule several stories on Instagram ahead of time and let Metricool be in charge to let you know when the time to post has come. 

⚡️ Go to Metricool, tap on Planning and select the Instagram icon after clicking on Create New Post. 

⚡️ Click on the tab to the right of the Instagram icon and select the ‘Story’ option. 

⚡️ Upload the images or videos that will be part of your story and choose the time and date to schedule.

⚡️ Metricool will send you a notification to the email or your mobile device when it is time to post the story. 

⚡️ You have to take the last step: add the stickers and click on ‘Your Story’.

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The publication of stories is not automatic, unlike single image or video posts (videos under 1 minute), since Instagram doesn’t allow it. You will see that when you select story, the auto-publish button will deactivate automatically. 

Download Instagram stories

As we have mentioned, Instagram stories only last 24 hours. They are then saved to your account file, from where you can view them again and share them as a memory in stories.

⭐️

Go to your profile > click on settings (button with three horizontal lines on the top right) > Archive to find old stories.

Of course, if you upload it as a memory, it will register new stats and views. They are independent of the original story. 

Another option to keep them handy and be able to upload them again is by downloading the content. You can do it with Save-Insta: you just have to copy the story link (click on the three points at the bottom right) and add it to the download box. Ready!

Open this page from your mobile to have your stories on your device, or do it from your PC. 

Track Instagram Stories Performance

Like other content, you need to analyze the performance and impact of your stories.

With both Instagram and Metricool, you can measure how your stories have performed. Let’s see how two do it with both platforms:

Statistics with Instagram

To access the Instagram stories insights in the app, you have to open each of them and swipe up.

When you open the statistics window, you will see:

✅ Number of viewers who have seen your story.

✅ Accounts reached.

✅ Impressions.

✅ Interactions: times it has been shared and replies received. 

✅ Navigation: users who have advanced to the following stories on your profile, moved to another account, abandoned the story, or tapped back.

✅ Profile activity: visits you have generated, new followers, and taps on the Community Manager button.

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Depending on the content you’ve added to the story, you’ll be able to see other metrics. For example, you can measure how many clicks you have achieved if you have added a link sticker.

To see the likes you have achieved with your story, you will have to go to the notification center: the heart icon located at the top right of the Instagram home page.

Instagram statistics with Metricool

Are you wanting to have an overview of your uploaded stories? What information will you find?

✅ Evolution

A summary of how the Instagram stories strategy is evolving.

These include the impressions obtained, average reach per story, and the number of stories published. This way, you can compare the number of stories with the data achieved.

✅ List of Stories

A list of Instagram stories with key data to know the performance of your content includes impressions, organic and paid reach, responses, tap backs, tap forwards, or exits.

✅ Reports

With Metricool, you can download PDF or PPT reports with the performance of your stories.

Customize these reports with the data you need, other social networks you want to include, or with the logo of your client or company.

⭐️ The first step to success is to measure!

With this guide to Instagram stories, now you have everything you need to grow with your content and community.

You just need to add this type of content to your marketing strategy. Check out this Instagram marketing guide with Metricool.

Carlos Bravo , 16 March 2022