If you’re an avid Instagram user, chances are you’ve seen Instagram Stories featured on the platform. Instagram Stories are a great way to share moments with followers and to build a conversation around your brand. But, how long is the content you post in your Instagram Story available to followers before it disappears? In this article, we’ll explore the length of time that Instagram Stories last.
1. Introduction to Instagram Stories
What is Instagram Stories? Building on its popular platform, Instagram introduced Stories, a way for users to share photos and videos with their followers that disappear after 24 hours. Instagram Stories lets you record and share moments, show behind-the-scenes content and most importantly, connect meaningfully with your followers.
Why use Instagram Stories? It’s the fastest growing feature on Instagram that lets users engage with their followers in an authentic, organic way. You can reach new audiences, express yourself through visuals and give a peek behind the scenes.
Instagram Stories can help you:
- Showcase products or services
- Reveal unexpected use cases
- Connect with customers
- Drive engagement
- Reinforce brand identity
2. Duration of Instagram Stories
Instagram stories have a maximum time limit of 15 seconds per photo and 15 seconds per video clips. The individual clips of an Instagram story can be combined in any order and can exceed the 15-second limit. So, the overall duration of an Instagram Story can range from 15 seconds to 15 minutes.
Users are encouraged to keep their stories brief and concise, so as to not turn off their followers. It is also important to note that viewers will be presented with the option to skip to the next story after watching a story for 5 seconds.
Here are some tips for best creating a duration for Instagram stories:
- Name the story: Providing a title to the story will help align the content with the purpose of the story
- Keep an eye on the clock: It is easy to submit a story longer than 15 minutes, but viewers will likely lose interest if the story is too long
- Plan wisely: You should plan out your story components before parting with the actual storytelling process.
3. Increasing Lifespan of Instagram Stories
Create Dedicated Content
Creating content specifically meant for stories can help to increase their lifespan. For example, designing a storyboard with stickers, GIFs, and other creative elements can grab the attention of viewers and lead to higher engagement. Additionally, creating polls and adding quizzes and surveys to stories can add to viewer engagement and give users reasons to keep watching.
Continue Conversation
When people share their thoughts, stories, and photos with each other in the form of stories, conversation naturally arises. This conversation can be continued to keep the stories going and extend their lifespan. Companies or businesses can also actively involve their audience by responding to viewer responses and carrying on a healthy dialogue.
Promote and Repurpose
When content created is meant to last longer, it should be given proper promotion. Instagram allows cross-promotion with other social media sites by using the appropriate hashtags, tags, and links, which can help with creating awareness and increasing viewership for stories. Additionally, content can be repurposed for future stories and also be made into longer videos or other digital content.
4. Understanding Instagram Story Archive
Instagram Story Archive is a feature designed to help users replay the stories that have disappeared from their main feed. It stores all of the stories for as long as the user keeps them on the platform. It’s possible to access this archive at any time.
When a user publishes a story, it will appear in their main feed and in the Story Archive. It can be found from the main grid or clicking the profile icon at the top of the home page. The archive stores the story with the original content and timestamps, creating a virtual timeline.
- Users can view and access their archived stories in the same chronological order.
- The archive stores up to 8 weeks worth of stories.
- It’s possible to delete any story from the archive manually or let it expire after 24 hours.
The Instagram Story Archive has become incredibly useful for personal and professional accounts, allowing users to eventually use stories as memories. It’s also possible to share archived stories again, so users can post a story on the same day, or any other day in the future.
5. Knowing When Stories Expire
When stories with a limited life span reach their expiration date, there are some signals to be aware of. It’s important to catch these indicators so you don’t miss out on a great opportunity.
Research Expiration Dates – If an article or news story has a limited shelf life, like a certain promotion that’s only available for a certain period of time, make sure you know when the expiration date is.
Choose Your Platforms Carefully – If a story is only being shared on certain social media platforms, it’s important to follow the account on the right ones. For example, if a story is only being shared on Twitter, make sure you’re actively monitoring the account.
- Checking newsfeeds and Google news can be a great way to stay informed about stories that may be about to expire.
- Be proactive with news alerts and email notifications. This can be a great way to instantly be informed about stories that may be about to expire.
Go Beyond the Regular News Sources – Look for stories that are not just from the main news outlets. You may find stories in small blogs or newsletters that have not been widely distributed yet. If you receive them early enough, you can still take advantage.
It is important to note that, while Instagram stories are a great way to connect with your followers and to be creative, they are also temporary and will only be active for 24 hours. After this time, they will be gone forever. For this reason, remember to always back up your stories to make sure they last as long as possible.