Instagram stories have become an increasingly popular way to share events, thoughts, and experiences with one’s followers in recent years. For those unfamiliar with the feature, Instagram stories are 15 second to 1 minute mini-videos or pictures that are shared with your followers and expire after 24 hours. With this widespread use of Instagram stories around the world, an important question arises: how many Instagram stories is too many? In this article, we will review the impact of posting too many stories, discuss guidelines for story-posting etiquette, and explore tips for managing your story count.
I. What Are Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories are short videos and photos that you can share to your followers on Instagram for up to 24 hours before they disappear. Now, with Stories, sharing your everyday moments doesn’t have to mean overloading your main feed. It’s a great way to express yourself and keep followers up to date with your daily life.
Stories appear as circles at the top of your followers’ feeds and they won’t appear in your profile, the main feed, or on hashtag pages. The only place they will be featured is in the Stories bar at the top of the Instagram homepage.
When sharing Story posts, you can use a range of options to give your stories a personal touch and stand out:
- Stickers or GIFs – set the mood with fun stickers, shapes, or GIFs, or you can use the “Poll” sticker to ask followers questions.
- Location – mark where the Story was taken with the location sticker.
- Hashtags – use hashtag stickers to help followers find and explore your content.
- Questions – use the question sticker to get to know your followers more.
- Drawing – capture attention with custom captions, artwork and doodles with the drawing tool.
II. The Ideal Frequency Of Posting Instagram Stories
Finding the ideal frequency of posting Instagram Stories can be a challenge. Too much posting can bring on unwanted fatigue from your audience, but too little and you risk losing out on interaction or even exposure to new viewers entirely. The following outlines the ideal frequency for optimal exposure.
- New Accounts: To kickstart your engagement and explore a wide reach, it is recommended that new accounts post once per day, if possible, up to twice daily if the content is timely. This allows the stories to remain in your followers’ feeds while they look through them.
- Growing Accounts: Building on the foundation of a new account, accounts that are growing and have gained a base of followers can safely increase their frequency of post up to several times a day. Though some accounts may aim for daily postings, twice a day is considered optimal.
- Established or Very Popular Accounts: Established or very popular accounts – such as celebrities or well-known brands – may lean on their growing audience to post as often as 4-5 times a day. As long as the content is interesting and engaging, followers are likely to enjoy the influx of Stories.
When experimenting with post frequency, it is important to watch for signs of over-saturation or an absence of engagement from your followers. A few signs of over-exposure are more and more people skipping through the Stories, a decrease in comments and story replies, and a decrease in views on stories. Pay attention to the response of your viewers and adjust the post frequency based on their reaction.
III. Reasons To Post Too Many Instagram Story Updates
Update Regularly
Posting regularly to your Instagram stories encourages consistency and regularly updated content, helping to keep your followers engaged. Studies have found that followers are more likely to tune in when they know a regular schedule for content. This means that if you post regularly, your followers will always be expecting something new and exciting from you.
Be Engaging
Posting too many Instagram stories updates can help you be more engaging and creative with your content. This way, you can find new and interesting ways to present information and share your experiences without becoming stale. By interacting with your followers in creative ways, you can create a stronger bond with them.
Demonstrate Authority
Posting too many Instagram stories updates can demonstrate your authority in chosen subject. Showing your audience in-depth knowledge of your topic is not only persuasive, but it is also a great way to draw attention to your content. Your followers will also appreciate seeing your expertise, making them more likely to follow along with what you have to say.
IV. Negative Consequences Of Posting Too Many Instagram Stories
Negative Effects on Usage Habits
As with any activity that overindulges, posting too many stories on Instagram causes users to become less mindful of their use. When users spend too much time on the platform, it can become a distraction instead of something they are enjoying in moderation. In addition, they can also become too reliant or obsessed with obtaining social media attention, leading to a compulsive need to post updates.
Reduced User Engagement
Too much content on a single platform can lead to user fatigue, which is when users become overwhelmed by information. This can reduce engagement on stories the user posts, which defeats the purpose of posting them in the first place. On the other hand, if users post stories too infrequently, they may not get the feedback from friends or followers they typically enjoy.
Increased Burnout Rate
Not only does posting too many stories on Instagram lead to lower engagement rates, but it can also lead to feelings of burnout for users. Taking the time and effort to come up with creative stories to post can be draining if users post too frequently, which can reduce the quality of content and make users feel unfulfilled by their time spent on the platform.
V. Tips For Posting The Optimal Number Of Instagram Stories
Posting too few Instagram Stories can make you appear inactive, while posting too many can be overwhelming for your followers. To stay active and engaged with your followers without becoming overbearing, try these tips:
- Maintain a balance: Post no more than one or two Instagram Stories a day to ensure that you don’t overwhelm your followers. Consider breaking up content into multiple stories rather than posting longer stories.
- Stay consistent: Within this limit, try to post regularly and consistently. Let your followers know when they can expect to see new stories.
- Timing matters: Experiment with posting at different times of day and also depending on the content. For example, lighter content may be better in the afternoon while more serious content may be better in the morning.
Your followers may have their own preferences for when and how often they would like to see your stories, so make sure to check in with them for feedback and adjust accordingly. Pay attention to the number of likes and views for each story to gauge your follower’s level of engagement. Always remember: Quality is more important than quantity.
Overall, it is important for Instagram story creators to be mindful of how much and how often their content is published. As with most things in life, moderation is key. Too few stories and you may not be engaging your audience. Too many stories and your quality may suffer, as well as engagement. Therefore, it is important to find and maintain a healthy balance when creating Instagram stories.
