Getting noticed on social media can be a challenge, and knowing how to maximize your content can be key. Instagram Stories has quickly become one of the most popular platforms, so understanding who appears first on Instagram Stories is an important step to increasing visibility. Here, we look at some of the factors that influence who shows up first on a user’s Instagram stories.
1. What are Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories are short video or still image stories with text, stickers and filters that are visible within the Instagram app for 24 hours. It’s a great way to show your followers what you’re up to and how your life looks.
You can post as many stories as you want, and you can even hide your story from certain followers and see how many people have seen it. That’s a great feature for brands and businesses who are looking to get some insight into their audience.
Here are some more features of Instagram Stories:
- Social media sharing to Twitter, Tumblr, and other apps
- Location tagging
- The ability to draw and add text
- Live video broadcasts
- The option to add a web link
Instagram Stories have become hugely popular and they can help you engage with your audience in a fun and interactive way. Give it a try and see what works best for you!
2. How Do Instagram Stories Work?
Instagram stories are a great way to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. The content you share in stories won’t appear in the main timeline unless you specifically choose to post it there, too. Here’s how you can use Instagram Stories:
- Capture content: It’s easy to take photos or record videos directly or upload something stored on your phone. You also have the option to add creative tools like drawings, text and stickers
- Edit and customize your story: Once you’ve created content, you can decorate it with filters, text, drawings and music
- Share your story: After you’ve added all of your story content, you can share it with your followers or even send it to a specific group
And that’s it! It’s easy to use Instagram stories to share visual content on your social media without having to post permanent content to your timeline. They give you the ability to share whatever you want, without worrying about it having to last forever.
3. Who Is Visible at The Top of the Instagram Story Feed?
When you open your Instagram app, the top of the story feed is where you see the stories from people you follow. This is determined by the algorithm, which selects which stories to feature higher up in the feed.
The algorithm initially shows stories from people who you recently engaged with and those who post regularly. However, who is visible also depends on how often you open the app and who shares new content.
The more you use Instagram and engage with content, the more the algorithm will rank stories from people with similar patterns of behavior to you. It is also important to note that those you follow get a boost in feed ranking. Here are some key aspects the algorithm considers when ranking the top of the story feed:
- Frequency Aspect: How often you post, view stories and engage with others.
- Recency Aspect: How recently you posted and engaged with stories.
- Following Aspect: Who you follow and the activity of their stories.
- Performance Aspect: How many views and interactions your stories receive.
4. How Does Instagram Decide Who Appears First On Stories?
Instagram takes many factors into account to decide who appears first in Stories, but the most important factor is the degree of interaction you have with the users. Instagram also considers the amount of time users spend viewing your content, as well as any type of feedback you receive from users. Here are some other factors that could influence the order:
- Story Creation Frequency: Creating Stories more often can increase your visibility.
- Engagement Rate: Users who create content that resonates with the audience tend to appear first.
- Competitor Influence: Competitors can lower your visibility if they are creating content at a faster pace.
- Freshness of Content: Stories that are more “fresh” may appear first. Stale Stories may be less visible.
It’s important to keep in mind that Instagram uses an algorithm to determine which users appear first on Stories. This means that the order is constantly changing, so the order you appear first in today may not be the order you appear first in tomorrow. To ensure that you always appear first, be sure to engage frequently with users and create fresh content that resonates with your audience.
5. What Can You Do to Show Up First on Instagram Stories?
Being one of the most popular social media platforms, Instagram is a great way to get noticed by potential customers or followers. Fortunately, it offers tons of features to help you showcase your brand or products to the world. One of the most powerful and widely used features is Instagram Stories.
Showing up first in people’s Instagram Story Feeds is a great way to get noticed. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of Instagram Stories:
- Interact with Your Followers: The people that follow you are the ones that are going to see your stories first, so it’s important to engage with them. Reply to their comments and interact with their stories too.
- Use Instagram Picks: Instagram Picks is an official hashtag section that can be used to showcase your story. It is visible at the top of everyone’s feed and could be used to promote your stories.
- Promote Your Stories: If you have an active audience, let them know that you have a story you’d like to share. You can let them know by adding stories to your post or sending them a direct message about it.
- Post Early in the Day: The best time to post on Instagram is between 2 and 4 p.m. EST. This is when you’ll have the most people active on the platform and your stories will be seen first.
- Include Hashtags: Using relevant hashtags gives you the opportunity to reach a wider audience and get your story seen by more people. This may be the small boost you need to get more views.
By following these tips, you can show up first in the Instagram Stories Feed section. Make sure to use them wisely and reap the benefits.
Overall, it’s important to remember that the order in which you view stories on Instagram is not personal and cannot be considered a voting system. It’s simply based on the order in which accounts post, as well as how frequently they post. Although this may feel frustrating, by understanding how it works, you can ensure you get the most out of Instagram and take control of your story experience.
