A Writer’s Guide to Instagram Stories

Nurture Your Readers and Build Community on Social Media

Some people might throw their hands up and say Instagram is too hard or that it isn’t worth their time. But just like anything else, once you understand what it is and how to use it, then your goals for the platform take shape. Once you know your goals for using Instagram, creating a doable plan for posting begins to come naturally to you. It can even be fun!

Maybe you are here because you are in the camp that is not sure about adding Instagram into your social media strategy or maybe you’re already in CAMP INSTA but you’d like some new ideas. I got you covered!

Recently a writer friend asked me for help. They said, ‘I'd like to use Instagram consistently without being overwhelmed, and I'd love to connect to both readers and bookstagrammers in my niche.’

My answer to this - Use Instagram Stories.

If you’re here, then you likely already realize the importance of social media. But in case you are not sold on using social media, and in particular Instagram, let me share some facts.

Without a doubt, Instagram is a leading social media platform and it is the place to be for writers. Instagram is the very best place for reaching readers AND nurturing those relationships - all in one platform. Instagram is the easiest of all the social media platforms to learn. And no other platform has the tools like stories and direct messages, where you can connect personally with a reader and even make book sales. Essentially, Instagram is the only platform where a follower can become a fan and a customer.

Plus, everyone is already on Instagram, just waiting for you. According to recent stats from Instagram, they have over one billion monthly users. But that number doesn’t have to be big and scary! You just need to find your place. You need a community. You can build this community in Instagram Stories.

Did you know that half of Instagram users prefer to swipe Stories over scrolling the main feed or the explorer page! Half!! When you think about it, there are a lot of paid ads shown to us on Stories. Instagram wouldn’t place those ads there if ALL those people were not there to see those ads.

According to a recent article from Hootsuite: “More than 500 million people use Instagram Stories every day...So perhaps it’s no surprise that 4 million businesses advertise on Stories every month.”

Answer these Questions

Have your feed posts been plagued with low engagement (likes, comments, saves, shares) recently?
Does it seem like you see more ads in feed than your followers?
All those faces you see in the circles across the top of your page, do they ever engage with your posts?
Has Instagram stopped showing your feed content to them? Why?
Maybe they don’t see your content in their feeds because they are not hanging out on the main page or the explorer page. Looks like you have a bunch of followers hanging out over on IG Stories and they never see your new feed posts!!

The Quill Cottage

Adult, Youth, Sweat, Tote (Portrait) Listing Template.jpg

It is time for you to start showing up on Stories! Your followers (maybe even half of them) prefer to swipe, so give them a great story to swipe through!

Though selling books is on the minds of a lot of authors, being a sales person is not. However, making your writing know out in the world organically is something we can and want to do. We want to create and invite conversations about our stories. Instagram Stories is the perfect place to do this.

Out of ideas for sharing on Instagram Stories? I got you covered!! Coming up are 50 free original Instagram Stories Prompts for you to start using Today!

The two biggest metrics you hear about as it relates to Instagram are Growth and Engagement. Growth is increasing your followers and happens on the main feed where you share single posts, carousel posts, or reels. It happens when you post consistently. It happens when your posts get on the Explorer page. (This article isn’t getting into how to best achieve getting on the Explorer page, but if you would like to learn more about this leave a comment below and I can make more content to share what I know about this area. I certainly have a lot to share.)

When we talk about Instagram Stories, we are talking about the Engagement Metrics. On Instagram Stories we are reaching mostly accounts that are already our followers. So the question you should be asking yourself when posting to Stories is - how can I make this engaging? Just like the regular post feed and Reels, Stories have an algorithm, too. If Instagram sees that people are engaging with your Story it will show it to more accounts. Just like you would like your posts to appear at the top of everyone’s main feed, you want your Story posts to appear at the beginning of everyone’s Stories.

Here is a simple plan for the type of content you want to share to your Stories:

-Share content that tells a story (shocker, I know).

-Share content that is interactive (this shows IG that your post is engaging and they will show your posts to more people).

-Share content that follows the latest IG updates!

Instagram has several different algorithms that decide who sees your content. IG has a goal of keeping people on their platform. If your content doesn’t help them achieve their goal, then they won’t share your content, meaning less people (or zero people) will see it. If the algorithms determine that your content is keeping people on the app longer, essentially people are taking longer to read and engage (likes, shares, comments, saves) with your content, the more Instagram will share it. And if your posts are really good, IG will share your content with new accounts and even feature your content on the Explorer Page.

Show Now - The Quill Cottage - A Bookish Boutique on Etsy

If your content isn’t playing nicely with the algoritm, IG can essentially bury it and no one will see it. In the most recent algorithm update, we were told that Re-posted and Re-shared content was going to be pushed way down in priority. This means that Re-shared content, either your own or from another Instagram account, or content with watermarks from other social media platforms (Tiktok) will not be shared with many people. That content will get buried. (If you like resharing, I suggested checking out Twitter. Resharing is one of their main features on every single tweet.)

What does Instagram want us to post? What content does the algorithm give the most value to?

If you want to grow on Instagram by helping your posts get lots of engagement and therefore reach more followers and new accounts…

❌ Stop sharing content that is reposted and reshared - even in Instagram Stories.

✅ Do share more creative and original content - even in Instagram Stories.

Why is this great news for writers?

When Instagram recently announced that it will now favor original content in the feed over unoriginality, I knew that this would be a place for writers to thrive. Creativity and originality are core values of the writing community. Writers are always sharpening these skills. Now is the time for writers to shine on Instagram.

Warning About Content Types

Being original means that Stories is not the place to simply share a post from the main feed and then ghost. This goes for whether the feed post is yours or your friends. You need to think about how you should share a post that follows what the algorithm wants. Think about how you can make it original and creative. Instagram Stories have many features to explore that can be added to help enhance a shared feed post. Here is a question you should ask yourself before sharing any feed post to your Stories - How can I turn this into a story? What can I share that will boost engagement on this post?

Strategies to Boost Your Instagram Story Engagement

Posting consistency: The number one action that has helped to grow my account is being consistent. For most accounts this means having a weekly posting schedule for Instagram Stories.

Posting frequency: Post every other day is a good schedule to follow. Stories expire after 24 hours. Let your posts completely expire before adding more to Stories. By following a schedule that skips every other day, you allow older posts to expire before you start a new conversation or story thread.

Posting quantity: Five to ten story posts at any given time is a good number to keep people engaging with your content. Several surveys have shown that if you have too many stories, people will get bored and skip you altogether.

Posting variety: Think about your content as you would a short story. You want to mix action posts with posts that give context. You want some posts that ask questions, some that spark mystery, and others that allow breathing room. Stories is a great place to include video and audio.

Posting Tip: Start with a post that is the most engaging. Use the features native to Stories. Here are a list of the most engaging stickers to try: Questions, Slider, Poll, and Quiz.

Below you will find 50 Free Instagram Story Ideas for you to use when creating content.

Remember - Instagram Stories is where we nurture our community. It is where we can talk to our followers and form deeper connections.

But how do you grow your community and get more followers?

Getting people to check out your profile (Instagram Bio) is the key. Once they are on your profile, then your profile must entice them to turn the key and tap ‘Follow’. But how? What should be included in your profile to get them to turn that key?

Important: With billions of people using Instagram, plus its particular and challenging algorithm, you have only one chance at grabbing someone's attention and getting them to follow you! So your Instagram Bio needs to be in top shape!

This is why I created the Instagram Bio Checklist For Growth. And you can download my pdf for free right here.

If you need ideas for content to post on the main feed, check out this article below next where I share all my Top Secret content ideas for growth on Instagram in 2023.

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