You must be already aware of the fact that Instagram has been acquired by Facebook. Since then, Instagram has been constantly revamping. If you use Instagram Stories more often, you would have come across its varied updates.

If you have a startup business, you need to leverage Instagram stories to the fullest. According to Instagram, an approximate 5 million people use the Stories feature. That’s one reason why you should consider making the most of this feature.

Adding Instagram stories to your marketing strategy will pave the way for your business growth. You will not only be able to increase your brand visibility and engagement but you will also get more eyes on what you offer.

Instagram gives its users an opportunity to create short videos for 24 hours for their followers as well as for the public. – So rather than posting photos on your Instagram profile, Stories lets you post a bunch of photos and videos altogether that play like a slideshow. However, your Stories disappear after 24 hours.

But if you want your audience to check those stories whenever they want then you can also put them in the Highlight section. If you are still wondering what Instagram stories are all about, then here’s a detailed guide for you.

Instagram Story Stickers

If you want to add fun visual to your stories, you should consider adding stickers. This feature will be good for your brand’s aesthetic. But what you need to keep in mind is that these stickers are constantly changing. Make sure that you stay up to date and use the best ones that are relevant to your brand. Bear in mind that there is absolutely no need to feel obligated to use all of them.

There are a variety of stickers serving different functions:

• They play a vital role in increasing your brand visibility
• With product stickers, you can easily make your products worth shopping for
• They can express a mood by using a variety of emoji, GIFs, or music

In order to use these feature, you must be connected to high-speed internet, otherwise, these features would be of no use.

Manage Your Instagram Stories

Do you want to customize who can view your story and send you messages? If yes, go to the Analytics page and click the cog in the top left

If you haven’t posted a story and want to access these options alternatively, then you need to go to your profile page, choose the settings cog and lastly select the ‘Story Controls’ option. From there you can not only block users from viewing your story but also control who can reply to your stories

One of the best things about Instagram Stories is that everything you share will disappear after 24 hours!

We find this feature highly engaging because your audience has to watch your stories or they risk missing it.

If you decide to post stories, just ensure your content is interesting and your audience can relate to it. Lastly, don’t forget to check your analytics. This way, you will find out what’s working and what is not.

View Your Instagram Story Analytics

When you post a story, you will be curious to see who has viewed your stories. To check that, you need to click on your profile picture and open your story. The next thing you need to do is swipe up and you will be able to access the analytics from there.

From here you can:

• View the number of people who have viewed each section of your story
• Visit the profiles of the people who have watched your story. All you have to do is tap on their usernames and you’ll come across their profiles
• Download the story on your cell phone
• Upload your story to your Instagram feed
• Delete sections of the story that you no longer want your audience to see

Use Instagram Story’s Special Features

Now that you know how to post photos and videos to your Instagram Story and check your analytics, it’s time to get creative and make the most of Instagram’s special features that are available in Stories.

Here are a few features that you will find on the screen as soon as you open IG Stories:

Type. If you want to post a status or add a caption to your story, you can use the Type feature. This feature lets you type a message using a wide range of colors and fonts.

Music. If you want to give a dramatic aspect to your stories, then you should consider taking advantage of the music feature. It allows you to choose music clips that you can add to your story.

Live. If you want to have a live video session with your audience, then Instagram Live is the best option for you. With this feature, you can easily stream a video in real-time. In order to go live on your Instagram Story, all you have to do is tap Live and Start Live Video. Before the live video starts, there will be a three-second countdown. Know that Instagram Live videos are limited to one hour. But the best thing about it is that you can save it right after you have finished recording. How? Well, all you have to do is tap Save in the upper right corner. This option will let you save your video to your Camera Roll or share it to your IG Story. If you want to get free Instagram followers，you can always try Followers Gallery

Author Bio:

About Caroline Eastman:

Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.