Instagram Stories are where your existing followers see you most often. Feed posts and Reels help new people discover you; Stories keep you top of mind with people who already follow you, and nudge them to act. Each Story feature does a specific job. Here's how businesses can use them.
Engagement stickers
Poll
Ask a simple question with two or more options. Use it to get opinions on new products, choose between designs, or make followers feel involved. Polls are quick to answer, which makes them great for lifting engagement.
Quiz
Test your audience's knowledge with a question and multiple answers. Good for educating people about your product or industry in a fun way, for example "Which of these is a myth about SEO?".
Questions
Invite followers to ask you anything, then answer in follow-up Stories. It's an easy way to run an "Ask me anything", collect FAQs and learn what your audience really wants to know.
Emoji slider
Let people rate something on a sliding scale. Great for gauging excitement about a launch.
Add Yours
Start a prompt that others respond to with their own Stories, such as "Show us your workspace". It can spread your brand beyond your followers.
Action stickers
Link sticker
Send viewers to a product page, booking page, blog post or WhatsApp chat. Tell people why they should tap, and use a clear call to action next to the sticker.
Product sticker
If you have Instagram Shopping set up, tag products so viewers can see details and prices.
Countdown
Build anticipation for a launch, sale or event. Followers can set a reminder and get notified when it ends.
Location and mention stickers
Tag your location for local discovery, and mention partners, customers or collaborators so they can reshare. See our tips on promoting a local business on Instagram.
Other useful features
- Close Friends: share exclusive offers or early access with a selected group, such as VIP customers.
- Highlights: save Stories permanently on your profile in categories like Services, Reviews, FAQs and Offers. Highlights act as a mini-website for visitors.
- Captions sticker: auto-adds subtitles to talking videos, since many people watch with sound off.
- Music: adds mood, though business accounts may have a limited library.
- Collab and reshares: reshare customer Stories that tag you; it's social proof and free content.
Story ideas for businesses
- Behind the scenes of making a product or delivering a service.
- Day-in-the-life with your team.
- Customer reviews and before-and-after results.
- Quick tips related to your industry.
- Flash offers available only to Story viewers.
- New blog posts or Reels, shared with a link sticker.
B2B brands can use the same tools; see our B2B Instagram marketing guide.
Best practices
- Post consistently: a few Stories a day keeps you visible.
- Front-load the hook: the first frame decides whether people tap through.
- Use one sticker per frame: too many distract.
- Mix formats: photos, short videos, text and reshares.
- Check Insights: look at reach, taps forward, exits and replies to see what works.
Stories, Reels and feed: how they fit together
Reels reach new audiences, feed posts show your best work, and Stories build relationships with followers. Use all three together. Our guide to Instagram Reels covers the discovery side.
FAQs
How many Stories should a business post each day?
Three to seven is a good range for most businesses. Quality and relevance matter more than volume.
Do Stories help reach new people?
Mostly they reach existing followers. Add Yours prompts, mentions and reshares can extend reach.
Can we run ads in Stories?
Yes. Story ads are full-screen and work well with vertical video and a clear call to action.
Want Stories, Reels and posts that grow your business? Our social media agency team plans, creates and manages Instagram content, and our influencer marketing team brings in creators. Talk to us.