To help you shake things up for the upcoming year, we have 22 unique and interactive Instagram Story ideas for maximum engagement. Before we get into it, let\u2019s cover a few need-to-know points about Instagram Stories.<\/p>\n
Instagram Stories basics<\/h2>\n\n- Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours.<\/li>\n
- Stories are ideal for off-the-cuff and engagement-focused content.<\/li>\n
- In 2022, brands posted to Instagram Stories 11 times per month with a median of 2 Story frames per day.<\/li>\n
- You can save Stories past the 24-hour mark on your Story Highlights<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n Learn more about when to use Instagram Stories vs. posts<\/a>.<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n22 ways to create an interactive Instagram Story<\/h2>\n
Here are 22 ways to create an interactive Instagram Story and get your followers more engaged.<\/p>\n
Remember to make these ideas your own, and don\u2019t hesitate to step outside the box. Story ideas can be repeated, but your brand\u2019s footprint is one of a kind.<\/p>\n
1. Use Q+A boxes to give your followers a voice<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Show your audience you\u2019re here to listen<\/li>\n
- Provide must-know information<\/li>\n
- Increase brand awareness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The possibilities are endless with Q&As. Pop a question sticker in a story to see followers’ thoughts about new launches, industry topics, working at your company, and more.<\/p>\n
You can then follow up by answering their questions in a video response or a text screen.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to save your questions and answers in Story highlights<\/a> so followers can easily go back and reference them.<\/p>\n![\"Dish](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image3-350x620.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
2. Host an \u201cask me anything\u201d hour<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Gauge follower attitudes toward your brand and products<\/li>\n
- Help followers feel like they are part of your brand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Also known as \u201cAMA,\u201d an \u201cask me anything\u201d session goes along the same lines as a Q&A, but instead of focusing on a specific topic, followers can, as the name suggests, ask about anything they want.<\/p>\n
AMAs are audience-led, meaning they can provide a fresh perspective and shed insight into things you may not have thought about before.<\/p>\n
![\"Plant-based](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image2-350x602.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
3. Make your Stories more inclusive<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Appeal to a broader audience<\/li>\n
- Retain the viewer\u2019s attention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As you interact with your audience on Stories, consider how you can make them more accessible to more people.<\/p>\n
Take videos, for example, where you can add closed captions so viewers can read along as you speak. For some Instagram users, there is an audio transcriber in Stories. If this function is not available, you can always use a separate app to add captions and then upload the video to Stories.<\/p>\n
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image19-350x617.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Other ways to make your Stories more inclusive and user-friendly include using large fonts, highlighting texts with bright colors, adding a trigger warning when flashing lights are coming, and writing out image descriptions.<\/p>\n
4. Show off your new Instagram guide<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Provide useful resources<\/li>\n
- Curate content from Stories, feed posts, products, and locations all in one place<\/li>\n
- Repurpose old content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Have you tried using Instagram\u2019s Guide<\/a> feature? You can create a mini blog post on Instagram about any topic you\u2019d like.<\/p>\nCurate a buying guide or an instructional how-to manual, share helpful tips and tricks, tell your brand\u2019s story, answer FAQs, and more.<\/p>\n
Guides don\u2019t appear on Instagram feeds like Reels, carousels, and image posts, so make sure to share to Stories and encourage followers to save the guide and share it with their friends.<\/p>\n
![\"Since](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image5-350x526.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
5. Get feedback with polls<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Cover diverse topics<\/li>\n
- Followers more likely to engage<\/li>\n
- Measure demand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Polls are a great way to increase engagement because they require minimal effort from followers.<\/p>\n
Unlike question stickers, polls provide followers with prewritten options, so all they have to do is click. You can get feedback on various topics, ask about their preferences, and more.<\/p>\n
We loved the travel brand B\u00c9IS<\/a> \u201cPack with B\u00c9IS\u201d series, in which a team member showed themselves packing for a trip. The Stories featured several of the brand\u2019s products and used polls to ask followers to choose their favorite B\u00c9IS bag.<\/p>\n![\"Pack](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image4-1-350x758.png\")
<\/p>\n
6. Let your audience choose \u201cthis or that\u201d<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Low-barrier to engagement<\/li>\n
- Notice patterns among followers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Another easy way to engage your followers is with \u201cthis or that\u201d Stories.<\/p>\n
Start by choosing two photos to upload in a single Story and align them horizontally or vertically. Then, select the poll sticker and write out \u201ctop\u201d and \u201cbottom,\u201d \u201cleft\u201d and \u201cright,\u201d or use finger emojis to signal the option followers are voting for.<\/p>\n
WeWork<\/a>\u2019s \u201cthis or that\u201d coworking space series is a great example. We imagine that as followers voted for their favorite spaces, they visualized themselves working there.<\/p>\n![\"We](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image21-350x623.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
7. Create a behind-the-scenes vlog<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Build trust and tell your brand\u2019s story<\/li>\n
- Show the effort and quality of your work<\/li>\n
- Show off the more casual side of your brand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Video content does especially well on Stories. It shows followers there is an actual human behind the account and helps them feel more connected to your brand.<\/p>\n
With vlogs, you can give followers a peek under the hood, which Gen-Z tends to gravitate towards. Think unpolished, off-the-cuff, and authentic content.<\/p>\n
Pull back that curtain and show your community what a typical day working at your company is like, show how you are preparing for an upcoming launch or anything that gives a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.<\/p>\n
![\"Behind-the-scenes](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image16-350x619.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
8. Use an emoji sticker slider<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Gauge follower attitudes towards<\/li>\n
- An easy way for followers to engage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Pop a sticker slider on your Story and let followers express their feelings by sliding the emoji of your choice.<\/p>\n
You can ask them how they like your newest product, how excited they are to attend an upcoming event, or, like Kodiak Cakes<\/a>, have them rate a series of flapjack flips.<\/p>\n![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image11-350x611.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
9. Get creative with quizzes<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Low barrier to engagement<\/li>\n
- Build excitement for upcoming launches or events<\/li>\n
- Educate your audience about your brand and industry<\/li>\n
- Gauge their familiarity with specific topics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With the quiz sticker function, you can set a prompt about any topic, for example, \u201cGuess when our next product line launches\u2026\u201d or \u201cHow long have we been in business?\u201d You can also test them on topics related to your industry.<\/p>\n
Quizzes can have up to four multiple-choice answers, and after tapping their selection, followers can see if they guessed right in real-time.<\/p>\n
![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image15-350x622.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
10. Post a helpful tutorial<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Provide educational resources<\/li>\n
- Followers can access it at any time<\/li>\n
- Be \u201chands-on\u201d with your audience, even online<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Tutorials are an excellent marketing tool for many reasons: they help followers learn more about your products or services and position your brand as a trusted industry leader.<\/p>\n
You can use a mix of videos and still posts to give your audience step-by-step instructions<\/a> to use a product or, like superfood brand Golde<\/a>, teach followers how to make yummy Matcha Rice Krispies.<\/p>\nAs always, be sure to save your tutorials in Story highlights.<\/p>\n
![\"Under](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image7-350x620.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
11. Host an Instagram Story takeover<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Reach new audience<\/li>\n
- Build credibility<\/li>\n
- Increase engagement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
An Instagram takeover is when someone temporarily \u201ctakes over\u201d your account to share content on behalf of your brand, talk about your products, and interact with followers. Takeovers can involve company team members, content creators, influencers, students, or anyone in your community.<\/p>\n
Not only will this help you tap into new pockets of followers, but adding new voices to the mix will help make your brand more dynamic.<\/p>\n
![\"Takeovers](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image22-350x619.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
12. Participate in a \u201cAdd yours\u201d trend<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Discover more about your followers<\/li>\n
- Reach new audiences<\/li>\n
- Create FOMO<\/li>\n
- It can be as playful as you\u2019d like<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The \u201cadd yours\u201d stickers are one of Instagram\u2019s relatively newer features<\/a> allowing users to post about specific topics to a collective chain. Prompts can range from \u201cFavorite running shoes\u201d to \u201cShow us your dog\u201d (Thank you, Instagram, for that.)<\/p>\nFor brand marketers, the \u201cAdd yours\u201d feature can help you engage with your audience in ways that are both useful and playful.<\/p>\n
You can create a challenge and go viral, ask for feedback on a new product, or keep things light by asking them to show you the best sunset they\u2019ve ever seen or their go-to coffee order. Just tap on the sticker to see what participants have posted to the thread.<\/p>\n
![\"Well](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image10-1-350x549.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
13. Share customer wins<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- It gives new customers a reason to trust you<\/li>\n
- Shows some appreciation to existing customers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Social proof is a powerful mechanism to convert leads into customers. By showing how your brand has made a positive difference in your clients’ lives, followers can feel you could do the same for them.<\/p>\n
You can share a screenshot of a Google review, an email singing your praises, or even a video testimonial.<\/p>\n
![\"Sharing](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image17-350x681.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
14. Shine a spotlight on your team<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Makes employee stories part of the brand story<\/li>\n
- Fosters a sense of community between the brand, audience, and employees<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Put a face to your brand by introducing your team to followers on Stories.<\/p>\n
You can show them who team members are in and out of the office, feature their milestones and notable achievements, welcome new hires, and show how everyone fits into the well-oiled machine that is your fabulous brand.<\/p>\n
Encourage followers to ask questions and pass the mic to your team to follow up with answers.<\/p>\n
Not only will this help your audience get to know your brand better, but you can shine a deserving light on the people who make your company what it is.<\/p>\n
![\"Meet](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image1-2-350x758.png\")
<\/p>\n
15. Re-post tagged posts and Stories<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- One of the easiest ways to show up on Stories<\/li>\n
- Show followers you appreciate their shout-out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Short on time or creative juices? One easy content idea coming right up.<\/p>\n
Head to your tagged posts, Stories, and comments to see how your audience is interacting with your brand and repost them to your Stories. Followers will love seeing their content featured on your account, and it requires little to no effort on your part.<\/p>\n
![\"Beloved](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image18-350x620.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
16. Build excitement with an event countdown<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Creates a sense of urgency<\/li>\n
- It gives followers something to look forward to and reminds them of the details<\/li>\n
- Boost sign-ups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Have something special coming up? Take to Stories to remind followers with a countdown sticker.<\/p>\n
Select a background photo in Stories and then pop in the countdown sticker with the event name and end date.<\/p>\n
Use this Story idea to build anticipation for new product drops, promote upcoming events, and inform followers of time-sensitive happenings. You can also include direct links to your website or sign-up page to encourage people to register before the event date.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image13-350x619.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
17. Post a link sticker<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Hassle-free gateway to your website or sign-up<\/li>\n
- You can use it in conjunction if sharing a feed post that contains more information<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Did you know as of October 2021, every Instagram user can post links in their Stories?<\/p>\n
You can send followers to your website, to a new product, ask them to sign up for an event or your email list, and share other important resources directly on your Stories.<\/p>\n
You can customize the link sticker to fit your aesthetic or rename it to read however you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n
![\"Thanking](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image9-350x623.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Read more about using Instagram Stories Link Stickers<\/a>.<\/p>\n18. Share new Instagram feed posts<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Drive traffic to your posts<\/li>\n
- Reshare old posts that become relevant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To ensure your followers see your shiny new posts, publish them to Stories.<\/p>\n
You should also include some kind of call to action that invites them to click on the post, such as \u201cCheck out our new post!\u201d or \u201cHave you seen our new post about ____?\u201d<\/p>\n
You can also use one of the many \u201cNew Post\u201d stickers in various colors and designs to grab viewers\u2019 attention.<\/p>\n
![\"When](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image6-350x552.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
19. Offer screenshot-worthy wallpapers<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Have fun creating designs<\/li>\n
- Customers love freebies<\/li>\n
- Followers will take your brand with them wherever they go<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Stories are the perfect place to share screenshot-worthy images that followers can use as their phone wallpapers.<\/p>\n
Wallpaper Stories should be high-quality and can feature professional camera shots, fun cartoon drawings, or anything that represents the essence of your brand.<\/p>\n
Take Discovery<\/a>, for example. They have a whole highlights page dedicated to wallpapers featuring amazing nature shots.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image20-350x619.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
20. Tap back and forward with stickers and emojis<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Make moving between Story frames a bit more fun<\/li>\n
- Choose from several fun sticker options<\/li>\n
- Get followers to pay extra attention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can use stickers and emojis to signal to followers that something worth sticking around for is just around the corner or that they should go back and check out something important on the previous frame.<\/p>\n
Add arrows to point between slides or head to stickers and search for \u201cNext Story\u201d or \u201cGo back!\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Instagram](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image8-350x758.png\")
<\/p>\n
\n P.S. \n<\/strong>How often followers tap backward on your Stories reflects how effectively your content gets them to slow down and re-engage. This is a big engagement win.<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n21. Give followers a sneak peek<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Pique their interest<\/li>\n
- Spread awareness about something special coming up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you want to build hype and maybe some FOMO, give followers a taste of what\u2019s to come with a sneak peek. Your followers want to know whether it\u2019s a brand-new service or an exciting announcement.<\/p>\n
Plus, you can use these Stories to build your email list for those who want to know more.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image12-350x758.png\")
<\/p>\n
Remember to keep things simple and not reveal too much, as excited as you may be. The fun is in the build-up.<\/p>\n
22. Create a questionnaire template<\/h3>\n
Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n\n- Fun for followers to share their answers<\/li>\n
- Learn more about your audience<\/li>\n
- Followers are likely to share with their friends<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With questionnaire templates, you can prompt followers with basic \u201cget to know me\u201d questions, ask them to share their unpopular opinions, offer them \u201cwould you rather\u201d scenarios, or ask them to answer using only emojis.<\/p>\n
![\"Make](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image14-350x619.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
It can be as serious or silly as you\u2019d like. All followers have to do is screenshot the Story, share it to theirs, and fill in the blanks.<\/p>\n
Wrapping it up<\/h2>\n
While Stories aren\u2019t where you\u2019ll likely garner massive numbers of new followers, they are where you can get up close and personal with your audience and engage them with your brand. With interactive Instagram Stories, you make your audience feel part of your brand\u2019s community and help you learn more about each other.<\/p>\n\n
\n 
\n \n Start analyzing your Instagram Stories with Rival IQ. <\/p>Get my free trial <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Here are 22 ways to create an interactive Instagram Story and get your followers more engaged.<\/p>\n Remember to make these ideas your own, and don\u2019t hesitate to step outside the box. Story ideas can be repeated, but your brand\u2019s footprint is one of a kind.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n The possibilities are endless with Q&As. Pop a question sticker in a story to see followers’ thoughts about new launches, industry topics, working at your company, and more.<\/p>\n You can then follow up by answering their questions in a video response or a text screen.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to save your questions and answers in Story highlights<\/a> so followers can easily go back and reference them.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Also known as \u201cAMA,\u201d an \u201cask me anything\u201d session goes along the same lines as a Q&A, but instead of focusing on a specific topic, followers can, as the name suggests, ask about anything they want.<\/p>\n AMAs are audience-led, meaning they can provide a fresh perspective and shed insight into things you may not have thought about before.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n As you interact with your audience on Stories, consider how you can make them more accessible to more people.<\/p>\n Take videos, for example, where you can add closed captions so viewers can read along as you speak. For some Instagram users, there is an audio transcriber in Stories. If this function is not available, you can always use a separate app to add captions and then upload the video to Stories.<\/p>\n Other ways to make your Stories more inclusive and user-friendly include using large fonts, highlighting texts with bright colors, adding a trigger warning when flashing lights are coming, and writing out image descriptions.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Have you tried using Instagram\u2019s Guide<\/a> feature? You can create a mini blog post on Instagram about any topic you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n Curate a buying guide or an instructional how-to manual, share helpful tips and tricks, tell your brand\u2019s story, answer FAQs, and more.<\/p>\n Guides don\u2019t appear on Instagram feeds like Reels, carousels, and image posts, so make sure to share to Stories and encourage followers to save the guide and share it with their friends.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Polls are a great way to increase engagement because they require minimal effort from followers.<\/p>\n Unlike question stickers, polls provide followers with prewritten options, so all they have to do is click. You can get feedback on various topics, ask about their preferences, and more.<\/p>\n We loved the travel brand B\u00c9IS<\/a> \u201cPack with B\u00c9IS\u201d series, in which a team member showed themselves packing for a trip. The Stories featured several of the brand\u2019s products and used polls to ask followers to choose their favorite B\u00c9IS bag.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Another easy way to engage your followers is with \u201cthis or that\u201d Stories.<\/p>\n Start by choosing two photos to upload in a single Story and align them horizontally or vertically. Then, select the poll sticker and write out \u201ctop\u201d and \u201cbottom,\u201d \u201cleft\u201d and \u201cright,\u201d or use finger emojis to signal the option followers are voting for.<\/p>\n WeWork<\/a>\u2019s \u201cthis or that\u201d coworking space series is a great example. We imagine that as followers voted for their favorite spaces, they visualized themselves working there.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Video content does especially well on Stories. It shows followers there is an actual human behind the account and helps them feel more connected to your brand.<\/p>\n With vlogs, you can give followers a peek under the hood, which Gen-Z tends to gravitate towards. Think unpolished, off-the-cuff, and authentic content.<\/p>\n Pull back that curtain and show your community what a typical day working at your company is like, show how you are preparing for an upcoming launch or anything that gives a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Pop a sticker slider on your Story and let followers express their feelings by sliding the emoji of your choice.<\/p>\n You can ask them how they like your newest product, how excited they are to attend an upcoming event, or, like Kodiak Cakes<\/a>, have them rate a series of flapjack flips.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n With the quiz sticker function, you can set a prompt about any topic, for example, \u201cGuess when our next product line launches\u2026\u201d or \u201cHow long have we been in business?\u201d You can also test them on topics related to your industry.<\/p>\n Quizzes can have up to four multiple-choice answers, and after tapping their selection, followers can see if they guessed right in real-time.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Tutorials are an excellent marketing tool for many reasons: they help followers learn more about your products or services and position your brand as a trusted industry leader.<\/p>\n You can use a mix of videos and still posts to give your audience step-by-step instructions<\/a> to use a product or, like superfood brand Golde<\/a>, teach followers how to make yummy Matcha Rice Krispies.<\/p>\n As always, be sure to save your tutorials in Story highlights.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n An Instagram takeover is when someone temporarily \u201ctakes over\u201d your account to share content on behalf of your brand, talk about your products, and interact with followers. Takeovers can involve company team members, content creators, influencers, students, or anyone in your community.<\/p>\n Not only will this help you tap into new pockets of followers, but adding new voices to the mix will help make your brand more dynamic.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n The \u201cadd yours\u201d stickers are one of Instagram\u2019s relatively newer features<\/a> allowing users to post about specific topics to a collective chain. Prompts can range from \u201cFavorite running shoes\u201d to \u201cShow us your dog\u201d (Thank you, Instagram, for that.)<\/p>\n For brand marketers, the \u201cAdd yours\u201d feature can help you engage with your audience in ways that are both useful and playful.<\/p>\n You can create a challenge and go viral, ask for feedback on a new product, or keep things light by asking them to show you the best sunset they\u2019ve ever seen or their go-to coffee order. Just tap on the sticker to see what participants have posted to the thread.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Social proof is a powerful mechanism to convert leads into customers. By showing how your brand has made a positive difference in your clients’ lives, followers can feel you could do the same for them.<\/p>\n You can share a screenshot of a Google review, an email singing your praises, or even a video testimonial.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Put a face to your brand by introducing your team to followers on Stories.<\/p>\n You can show them who team members are in and out of the office, feature their milestones and notable achievements, welcome new hires, and show how everyone fits into the well-oiled machine that is your fabulous brand.<\/p>\n Encourage followers to ask questions and pass the mic to your team to follow up with answers.<\/p>\n Not only will this help your audience get to know your brand better, but you can shine a deserving light on the people who make your company what it is.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Short on time or creative juices? One easy content idea coming right up.<\/p>\n Head to your tagged posts, Stories, and comments to see how your audience is interacting with your brand and repost them to your Stories. Followers will love seeing their content featured on your account, and it requires little to no effort on your part.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Have something special coming up? Take to Stories to remind followers with a countdown sticker.<\/p>\n Select a background photo in Stories and then pop in the countdown sticker with the event name and end date.<\/p>\n Use this Story idea to build anticipation for new product drops, promote upcoming events, and inform followers of time-sensitive happenings. You can also include direct links to your website or sign-up page to encourage people to register before the event date.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Did you know as of October 2021, every Instagram user can post links in their Stories?<\/p>\n You can send followers to your website, to a new product, ask them to sign up for an event or your email list, and share other important resources directly on your Stories.<\/p>\n You can customize the link sticker to fit your aesthetic or rename it to read however you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n Read more about using Instagram Stories Link Stickers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n To ensure your followers see your shiny new posts, publish them to Stories.<\/p>\n You should also include some kind of call to action that invites them to click on the post, such as \u201cCheck out our new post!\u201d or \u201cHave you seen our new post about ____?\u201d<\/p>\n You can also use one of the many \u201cNew Post\u201d stickers in various colors and designs to grab viewers\u2019 attention.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n Stories are the perfect place to share screenshot-worthy images that followers can use as their phone wallpapers.<\/p>\n Wallpaper Stories should be high-quality and can feature professional camera shots, fun cartoon drawings, or anything that represents the essence of your brand.<\/p>\n Take Discovery<\/a>, for example. They have a whole highlights page dedicated to wallpapers featuring amazing nature shots.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n You can use stickers and emojis to signal to followers that something worth sticking around for is just around the corner or that they should go back and check out something important on the previous frame.<\/p>\n Add arrows to point between slides or head to stickers and search for \u201cNext Story\u201d or \u201cGo back!\u201d<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n If you want to build hype and maybe some FOMO, give followers a taste of what\u2019s to come with a sneak peek. Your followers want to know whether it\u2019s a brand-new service or an exciting announcement.<\/p>\n Plus, you can use these Stories to build your email list for those who want to know more.<\/p>\n Remember to keep things simple and not reveal too much, as excited as you may be. The fun is in the build-up.<\/p>\n Benefits:<\/b><\/p>\n With questionnaire templates, you can prompt followers with basic \u201cget to know me\u201d questions, ask them to share their unpopular opinions, offer them \u201cwould you rather\u201d scenarios, or ask them to answer using only emojis.<\/p>\n It can be as serious or silly as you\u2019d like. All followers have to do is screenshot the Story, share it to theirs, and fill in the blanks.<\/p>\n While Stories aren\u2019t where you\u2019ll likely garner massive numbers of new followers, they are where you can get up close and personal with your audience and engage them with your brand. With interactive Instagram Stories, you make your audience feel part of your brand\u2019s community and help you learn more about each other.<\/p>\n\n \n Start analyzing your Instagram Stories with Rival IQ. <\/p>Get my free trial <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n22 ways to create an interactive Instagram Story<\/h2>\n
1. Use Q+A boxes to give your followers a voice<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n2. Host an \u201cask me anything\u201d hour<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Make your Stories more inclusive<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n4. Show off your new Instagram guide<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n5. Get feedback with polls<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n6. Let your audience choose \u201cthis or that\u201d<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n7. Create a behind-the-scenes vlog<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n8. Use an emoji sticker slider<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n9. Get creative with quizzes<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n10. Post a helpful tutorial<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n11. Host an Instagram Story takeover<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n12. Participate in a \u201cAdd yours\u201d trend<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n13. Share customer wins<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n14. Shine a spotlight on your team<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n15. Re-post tagged posts and Stories<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n16. Build excitement with an event countdown<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n17. Post a link sticker<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n18. Share new Instagram feed posts<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n19. Offer screenshot-worthy wallpapers<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n20. Tap back and forward with stickers and emojis<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n21. Give followers a sneak peek<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n22. Create a questionnaire template<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWrapping it up<\/h2>\n
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