10 Great Instagram Story Ideas for Marketers

Sometimes it can be a challenge to come up with good, new ideas for your Instagram Story. Marketers constantly need to adapt to get their brands in front of interested people. In this post, we’re taking a look at ten interesting ideas for Instagram Stories and Moments. Used by global brands and micro-influencers alike, these story ideas can help reinvigorate your Instagram (and/or Snapchat). Cover photo background image by: Georgia de Lotz

Related: 10 Tips for Better Instagram Stories

1. ‘This or That’ and ‘Your Turn’ Stories

One of the most interesting new ideas for sharing on stories are templates that your followers and fans can fill out. These story ideas, often referred to as #thisorthat and #yourturn stories are almost like games. You share them on your IG Story filled in with your own answers, then share another post on your story with the template blank. Afterwards your followers can screenshot and repost the blank template from your story to fill in their own answers!

This can help spread awareness for your account and brand. It is also a fun way to engage your followers and get them involved in the posts making it more likely for them to engage in the future.

Sites like StoryTemps aggregate thousands of cool story ideas you can quickly save and post! Or make your own and add your logo/branding to make them your own.

storytemps instagram story templates ideas and games

Photo: StoryTemps

2. Invite a Guest

Bring a famous guest or influencer on your story to share a fun series of photos or videos around a new product launch, season, or special event! Or bring an expert on your story to share information with your followers that could benefit them. A great example comes from pet ecommerce giant Chewy.

Chewy uses their story/moments to bring guest Dr. Katy Nelson on for a Q+A session. Being the senior veterinarian at Chewy, Dr. Nelson has an extensive knowledge on pets and their health, so she can answer all the questions Chewy’s followers might have!

This is a great way to work with an expert to help inform your followers and also make your account more valuable to them so they stay engaged long term.

chewy instagram story dr. katy

Relevant and timely info for people concerned during the Coronavirus pandemic.

chewy instagram story q+a

Answers to common questions and issues that come up A LOT for new pet owners.

IE: how to stop dogs from biting, how to stop cats from scratching

3. Take Your Followers on a Trip or Tour

Show off your new facilities, the office, a location, or your pop up shop. Take your followers on a fun trip/tour of your space.

If you go the trip route, document your entire journey. The traveling, the destination, and what you are there to do!

The Pura Vida Bracelets team are masters at social media and their Instagram Stories and Moments are always impressive. For a lifestyle DTC brand, showing your products in a realistic setting is important to give customers a sense of how the product looks, feels, works, and more.

Pura Vida uses their stories to showcase the travel lifestyle through enticing trips and adventures. Check it out. This is Pura Vida’s Travel Story.

Cool animated intro to entice people to watch the full story. It’s over 40+ slides.

Taking followers on the adventure too! Pura Vida uses this as a chance to introduce a hashtag for their campaign: #puravidagoesglobal

Working with models and influencers @chelseybishoff and @stacieelmer, Pura Vida is able to show their side of the photo shoot and adventure around the globe. This gives followers a chance to see the work, travel, and creativity that goes into an ad campaign for the jewelry.

Showing off the amazing products along the way; with both edited and behind the scenes captures.

Animated checklists and itineraries for the Pura Vida trip! Which brings us to the story idea. Working with animated templates and graphics.

4. Use Animation and Motion Graphics

Animated Instagram Stories are a huge new trend and can be captivating for followers. If you’re tired of still images and clips, try out some animated visuals made for viewing on mobile phones. Eye-catching promotions can get more swipe ups, clicks, and attention.

Check out a few cool examples of animated Instagram Stories templates and assets.

ANIMATED Instagram Stories Bundle 2

ig stories promo pack

Glitch Stories Typography Pack AE Template

glitch stories ig template

Instagram Stories: Happy Valentines Day (Motion Template)

valentine's instagram stories motion template

Instagram Stories (Premiere Pro)

instagram stories premiere pro templates

Black White Stories Pack Instagram

black white stories pack ig

 

5. Go Behind the Scenes

Depending on your product or service, you have a lot of flexibility with showing your followers a behind the scenes look at the process. Take your customers behind the scenes, they want to see the process and learn more about your products. Build familiarity and show how valuable your products really are.

Warby Parker does a fantastic job of this in their “Making Glasses” story. They show the customers over 30 individual stories of the process using captions to explain how the lenses and frames are made, what materials are used, and other important details. From @warbyparker on Instagram.

 

6. Share Customer Reviews

This idea is a bit simpler, but it really has an impact. Share honest and detailed reviews on your story. Share what customers are leaving in reviews for popular products and offerings.

Glossier uses their story to share reviews and other funny comments from customers. One other major benefit with reviews is that you let the products speak for themselves through your customer’s words. No need to push sales copy or any sort of aggressive tactics. People can just read what others gained from the products. 

customer review glossier instagram story

7. Teach Your Followers Something New

Educational content can be a great way to share your products in a different way. Rather than a lifestyle or promotional approach, show the use cases and teach people something new.

Beardbrand uses their Care Story to talk about beard oils and share some videos on when to use them, how, and why. Pretty useful for someone trying to learn more. They might just buy some beard oil afterwards!

beardbrand instagram story tutorial

Beardbrand also uses interactive stories that followers can screenshot, draw/type on, and re-share! This helps spread the word about the brand and gain new followers from a wider network. Rather than teaching, this example allows Beardbrand to learn what their followers do on a daily basis.

beardbrand interactive ig story

8. Design Custom Stories

Design and create custom stories for different occasions. This way you keep your Instagram Story fresh and original. It keeps it interesting for people swiping through and you may find certain themes that really resonate well with your audience. Here are some ideas for designing stories.

Pastel Marble digital paper textures photoshop

pastel marble textures

Social Mood Boards Collection

social mood boards psd template

Mockup Scene Creator | Earth Mini Collection | PNGs + PSD

earth collection mockup scene creator

Music Video Template Pack

music video story temp

9. Share Something Exclusive

Do you have something of value that your followers would love? Think of ideas for how you can share something exclusive! 

Some examples include:

  • Photographers sharing free wallpapers with their fans.
  • Social media marketers/bloggers sharing exclusive ‘This or That’ templates for their followers to fill out.
  • Useful tutorial content, videos, infographic slideshows, and other educational resources.
  • Exclusive previews and trailers for new videos, series, shows, movies, ads, or other releases.
  • Exclusive coupons and/or discount codes for certain themes, seasons, etc.

Netflix shares custom wallpapers from popular series that you can screenshot and use on your phone!

netflix wallpapers instagram story 

lost in space netflix wallpapers instagram story

10. Use Stickers!

Stickers can be a fun way to add just a little more to your stories. Use interesting stickers to frame your photos, add some design elements, post a message, support a cause, and more!

See some cool examples of Instagram Stickers for stories below.

800+ Instagram Sticker Bundle / Instagram Story Stickers

instagram sticker bundle

Fresh icons and splashes, leaves and vines, words, and more!

120+ Rainbow Stickers Pack / Instagram Story Stickers for Bloggers and Influencers

rainbow sticker pack for Instagram

Fun rainbow shapes, lines, masks, and more! 

70+ Text Stickers / Instagram Stickers / Instagram Story Stickers

text sticker pack for Instagram

Over 70+ text stickers for Instagram and Snapchat stories.

11. Bonus Idea! Share a Quiz or Survey

Netflix uses their stories to share a fun Pop Quiz with followers. Followers can take the quiz about the popular series Stranger Things to see how well they know the show!

How can you quiz your followers? Give them something to do when they are swiping through the stories!

pop quiz netflix ig story

Leggo my eggo! :)

Read next: How to Use Overlays and Stickers on Instagram Stories

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