Keeping your audience interested is critical as an influencer or brand looking to engage your Instagram followers. Posting creative and unique Instagram Stories is a great way to achieve this and avoid boredom. With some planning and inspiration, you can develop a steady stream of cool Instagram Story ideas to highlight your brand personality, start conversations, and keep people returning to your profile repeatedly. In this article, we’ll explore over 20 innovative Instagram Story ideas you can use to captivate your audience, build buzz, and boost engagement on the platform. From interactive polls and quizzes to behind-the-scenes footage and collaborations with other influencers, these Instagram Story ideas will surely spark inspiration and set you up for social media success.

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Sneak Peek of a New Product or Service

Providing followers with an exclusive sneak peek of an upcoming product or service is an exciting story idea. It builds anticipation and excitement, giving your audience a reason to stay tuned in.

To execute this idea successfully:

1. Choose a new offering that aligns with your brand and will resonate with your target audience. For example, preview an innovative skincare tool or cosmetic if you sell beauty products. For a restaurant, highlight a delicious new menu item.
2. Capture eye-catching photos or short video clips featuring the product or service. Get close-up shots of details and include captions explaining what makes this new addition unique.
3. Build mystery by only revealing a portion of the details. Leave followers wanting to know more, e.g., the product name, availability date, or price. This strategy creates a reason for them to check back for updates.
4. Post a series of stories over a week to sustain interest and continue feeding followers bits of information about the upcoming launch. For example, do a countdown to the full reveal.
5. On the final day of your sneak peek stories, do a big reveal by announcing all the details about the new product or service. Be sure to include an incentive for followers to take action, e.g., a discount code or contest to win the item.
6. Continue promoting the new offering in your feed and future stories. This helps to convert interest into engagement and sales.

Using this story idea, you can build buzz around your business and give followers a rewarding experience with your brand. Execute it well, and an audience will eagerly await your following product or service launch.

Customer Testimonials

Customer testimonials are a powerful way to build trust and credibility with your audience on Instagram Stories. You demonstrate your product or service’s value by sharing authentic reviews and feedback from real customers.

To feature customer testimonials on Instagram Stories:

1. Contact loyal customers and ask if they would be willing to provide a short video review or quote about their experience with your business. Offer an incentive like a discount on their next purchase as a thank you for their time.
2. Once you have collected videos and written customer reviews, review and select the best, most impactful ones to share. Look for reviews that speak to the specific benefits and results of your offering. Keep each check to 1 to 2 short sentences for the best effect.
3. Add the customer testimonials to your Instagram Stories, including the customer’s first name and last initial, along with their photo if you can share it. This helps to put a face behind the review and builds authenticity.
4. Consider running a contest or giveaway in exchange for video reviews to increase engagement and collect more customer content. For example, offer entry into a drawing for a free product or service in exchange for posting a video review on their Instagram Story and tagging your business.
5. Collect and share new customer reviews and testimonials regularly to keep your audience engaged and build ongoing trust in your brand. Fresh content will make viewers want to check back for your latest Stories.
6. To maximize their impact, you can also repurpose customer reviews on your Instagram feed, website, and other social media channels. Customer testimonials are a form of social proof that should be leveraged in as many places as possible.

Share a Quiz, Poll, or Story Sticker for Engagement

Engaging your audience in an interactive experience on Instagram Stories is an excellent way to boost interest and participation. Consider creating a quiz or poll or using one of the Story stickers, like the question sticker, to start a conversation.

A quiz with multiple choice or actual/false questions about your brand or industry is an easy option. For example, if you sell clothing, ask followers to guess the most popular color or style. Offer a discount code as a prize for participants. Polls are also simple, allowing followers to vote on two options. Ask whether they prefer one product or what content they want to see more of.

Using interactive elements in your Instagram Stories helps to:

• Build a sense of community and connection with your followers.
• Gain valuable insights into your audience’s interests, opinions, and needs.
• Increase visibility and engagement as followers share the quiz, poll, or response with friends.
• Provide followers with an easy, low-pressure way to interact with your brand.

Please keep your questions and options lighthearted, share the results once complete, and thank everyone for participating. Interactive content is a simple strategy to make your Instagram Stories more compelling while strengthening your relationship with followers.

Share a Motivational Quote

Find an Inspiring Quote

Sharing motivational quotes on your Instagram Stories is an easy way to provide value to your audience and keep them engaged. Look for quotes from influential leaders, authors, or public figures that inspire or motivate you.

Explain Why It Resonates With You

After sharing the quote, explain in a few sentences why this particular quote resonates with you or what meaning it holds for you. Your followers will appreciate the insight into what motivates or inspires you. For example, for the quote, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” you could say:

This quote reminds me that significant accomplishments are achieved through consistent action and perseverance. No matter how ambitious your goals or dreams may be, it would help if you started somewhere. Taking that first step, however small, is what sets you on the path to success.

Issue a Call to Action

End your motivational quote Story with a call to action to your followers. For example, please encourage them to share what motivates them, start working towards their goals, spread more positivity, or take action on their dreams. A call to action helps make your Story interactive and actionable for your audience.

Using motivational quotes in your Instagram Stories is a simple yet effective way to provide value to your followers while spreading positivity and inspiration. Share quotes that resonate with you, explain why they motivate you, and end with a call to action for your audience. Your followers will appreciate your authenticity and motivation.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many creative ways to keep your Instagram audience engaged through interesting story content. By utilizing interactive elements, behind-the-scenes footage, polls, quizzes, and sharing user-generated content, you’ll give your followers a reason to keep checking in to see what you’ll post next. Keep experimenting with new ideas, be bold, and step outside the box. Your followers will appreciate your creative and entertaining content. Stay authentic, highlight what makes your brand unique, and, most of all, have fun with the creative process! With consistency and keeping things fresh, your Instagram stories will become a destination people flock to.

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