Skip to Content

15 Ideas for Instagram Stories to Increase Your Engagement

Instagram stories gets over 500 million DAILY users. If you are not using Instagram stories, you are getting left behind! Unsure of what to post? Keep reading to get 15 ideas for Instagram stories.

ideas for instagram stories

Let me tell you a story.

When Instagram Stories first started,I had NO IDEA what to post. What on earth did people want to see? So I started to post my coffee. After all, my coffee posts did ok on my regular feed. But one morning, I posted making and pouring my coffee and put it to music.

And I noticed that when I used a few hashtags and did it for a week, my views increased.

And my #Coffeestories series was born. No one ever said anything, but I knew people were watching and not falling off halfway through because I had analytics. So I just kept going. Because it’s something I do every morning anyway. And I truly, genuinely, think coffee is life.

Friends, Instagram Stories is not rocket science. I took something I do every single morning and made it part of my brand. I don’t have to buy anything special. I use music in my music library. I show my planner that I already own, and other props and flowers that I already own.

This is actually my life.

Instagram Stories don’t have to be planned activities, your everyday life is enough.

Stories don’t have to be perfect, just consistent. If you don’t have time that day, just let people know.

If you don’t know what to post on Instagram stories, post what you love. Because if you love it someone else will too.

Instagram is a community, and your stories should help foster that community. If you are unsure of where to start, here are a few ideas for Instagram stories.

15 Ideas for Instagram Stories

ideas for instagram stories

1. Share your morning walk, or a tour of your neighborhood, make it a series.

2. Do a live Q&A about a topic you are an expert about

3. Quick tips on things you do every day: organization, cooking, homeschooling, cleaning

4. What you are reading, or watching

5. Photos that you don’t think fit your main feed.

6. A day in the life. Over a series of stories, show us your day. From waking up to work, to picking up your kids to bedtime routines.

7. Tell a joke. Put the joke in one clip, the punchline in the next.

8. Bring your community on vacation with you.

9. Go on a rant

10.Show the reality behind that perfect Instagram post.

11. Show outtakes from videos, photos or stories gone bad.

12. If you own a business or a shop, show yourself packing up items to be shipped

13. If you shop, tell folks about that great sale you caught.

14. Bring on your partner, your spouse, your child.

15. NICHE DOWN. If you are a food blogger, only post things related to food: prep, shopping for the food, making the recipes, Travel Blogger: post old travel photos or videos, packing for a trip. Parent: show your day and struggles with motherhood, homeschooling, homework time, getting your kid to eat veggies, potty training.

The possibilities are endless. Just do you. Your life is unique, only you have it. YOU ARE THE NICHE. Share it and your people will find you.

If you feel like you want more help with Instagram Stories, learn more about my Rock Instagram Stories Course here.

Want to take your Instagram stories to the next level? Check out Rock Instagram Stories.

Questions? Comment here or on social!

Ellen

Wednesday 29th of April 2020

I love these ideas. Feel like most people can do them all too!

Ellen EllieBearEscapades.blogspot.com

Alexis Paul

Wednesday 14th of August 2019

I really amazed that you have written such an amazing post. I am a blogger and I keep reading several awesome tutorials.

15 Seconds: How to Make Videos for Instagram Stories - Everyday Eyecandy

Friday 12th of July 2019

[…] videos. So today, I’m giving you a peak inside of my process and  how to make videos for Instagram stories.  Because it’s so fun and a great way to document your […]

Amelia Warner

Friday 19th of April 2019

Personal story can be a great post I know through this post. This 15 tips are really so good. Thank you for sharing this amazing post. It very help full for every blogger.

Samir Prajapati

Monday 25th of March 2019

Thank you for sharing. This article is very informative and knowledgeable. I don't use any kind of tools since i use Instagram. Keep Sharing knowledge. I am happy to get knowledge from this blog