While Facebook is losing audiences with every new data breach and privacy scandal, Instagram seems to be as popular as ever. And all this despite the fact that the two networks are practically connected to each other.
Whether you’re a beginner or already managing multiple Instagram accounts, one of the important things to know is what an Instagram story is and how to create one.
What is an Instagram story?
An Instagram story is a temporary photo or video up to 10 seconds long that you can post separately from your feed. There is no limit to the number of posts, and together they form a slideshow that any of your subscribers can view.
Stories are considered one of the most useful Instagram features. Many users choose this format instead of posting selected carefully selected photos on their Instagram profile. Unlike your regular messages, the story will disappear after 24 hours.
If this sounds familiar to you, it’s because Instagram Stories is pretty much a copy of a similar Snapchat feature called My Story. Except for Snapchat’s privacy settings, you have more control over your stories.
How to Create an Instagram Story
There are two ways to create an Instagram story. First, on your smartphone, go to the main page of the application. Then follow these steps:
- In the upper left corner, look for a circle with your profile picture and a plus sign on it. Click on the circle once.
- You can now use your Instagram camera to take a photo or video to add to your story. To add media from the gallery, swipe up or tap the square icon in the lower-left corner of the screen.
- Edit your story using stickers, filters or text.
- When you are happy with the final result, click the “Your Story” button in the lower left corner of the screen to share your story. You can also save the story to your gallery or send it to any Instagram user via private messages.
Alternatively, you can swipe right from the main page of the app and you will be taken to the history screen. Then repeat the steps above.
How to Navigate Instagram Stories
You can find the stories of people you follow on the Instagram homepage at the top of the screen. Navigating through them is easy, but it can depend on whether you are using Instagram on your computer or smartphone.
On your smartphone, swipe left to go to the next user and right to go to the previous one. If you want to pause the story, you can do so by holding your finger on the photo or video.
On your computer, you can use the left and right arrows to navigate through your friends’ stories.
Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories can be used to promote your account or brand. Although most people create stories to share valuable moments with their followers or just for fun. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of this feature.
Use filters and stickers to bring your stories to life
Instagram has various tools with which you can highlight your stories. They include drawing tools, text and styling tools, filters similar to the ones you use when editing regular posts, and a number of stickers that Instagram is constantly updating.
Hide your stories from other users
If your Instagram profile is public, then anyone else can see your stories, even if you don’t follow them.
To hide your stories from specific users, go to Instagram settings. On your profile page, click on the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner of your screen, then select Settings.
Follow the path Privacy> History, then click Hide history from and select the people you don’t want to share your stories with.
You can also use your close friends list to share some (or all) of your stories with specific users only. To do this, make a list of your close friends in your Instagram privacy settings. After that, by posting the story, you can share it publicly or only with your close friends.
Manage Your Historical Responses
By default, anyone who sees your stories can also reply to them with a private message. However, you can change the settings to prevent certain users from sending you replies to messages.
To do this, follow the same path: Instagram Settings> Privacy> History. Scroll down until you see Allow replies to messages. Then select one of three options, Everyone, People You Follow, and Disabled to remove the feature entirely.
Repost another user’s Instagram story
Instagram allows you to post other people’s stories and share them with your followers. However, before doing this, make sure that the following requirements are met:
- The account from which you are reposting history is set to Public.
- The user whose Story you are reposting is included on Instagram.
- You are tagged in history.
When another user tags you in their story, you will receive a live notification. If the above requirements are met, you will also receive a link in the “Add this to your story” message. Click on the link to share the story in your Instagram Stories
Mastering Instagram Stories
These are just the basics you need to know about Instagram Stories Instagram is constantly evolving and adding new features. Stay tuned for the updates that the network offers, and stay up to date with the latest news.
Do you use Instagram Stories or do you prefer to share your content using traditional posts? Share your Instagram knowledge with us in the comments below.
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