If you want to grow on Instagram, you need to have a comprehensive presence. Unfortunately, many creators and brands focus a lot on static posts and reels to the point where they forget other content formats. One of the content formats that is often forgotten is Instagram Stories, perhaps because it only lasts for 24 hours.

Despite their short lifespan, your Instagram Stories can be key to your growth. In fact, it's one of the key Instagram tools that can help you increase your conversions. That’s why one of the tools you need to use is Instagram Stories. In this article, we guide you on how to use Instagram Stories as part of your Instagram content strategies that work in 2026.

What are Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories are vertical content that is posted on the Stories feature and only lasts for 24 hours, unless added to the Highlight reel. The posts that fill the full screen usually consist of photos, images, and 15-second videos, and can be seen on the Instagram home page in a small section above the feed. When an Instagram account has a new story, it can be seen in the form of an orange circle or fuchsia around the profile picture.

There is no limit to the content format you can use for an Instagram Story, and this can be in the form of memes, polls, quizzes, videos, photos, links, or basically anything. Despite their availability for only 24 hours, Stories can have a great impact for brands. In fact, the 24-hour limit of stories is what makes them effective tools for marketing. Since your target audience already knows the story will disappear within 24 hours, it creates a fear of missing out on those amazing features, discounts, and other great offers.

Additionally, stories are given prominence on the Instagram feed. If your audience doesn't see them in the section at the top, they will still see them when scrolling.

Benefits of Instagram Stories

If you are wondering whether Instagram Stories are worth using, here are some great reasons to consider them:

An Opportunity to Appear on the User’s Feed

The Instagram algorithm is very effective in providing users with the kind of content they want to see. However, it's common for users to miss some posts. Though Stories reside above your Instagram grid, they are automatically shown in the user’s feed, providing the user with a better chance of viewing them.

The fact that they appear at the top of your target audience’s feed makes them perfect for gaining visibility. That means when you post on Stories, you can increase your brand visibility. This is especially true when you combine Instagram Stories with GIFs, stickers, and polls, blending value with entertainment.

Grow Your Following

Instagram Stories offer an untapped opportunity for growing your following for several reasons:

• Adding FOMO. We mentioned earlier that Stories last for 24 hours. That means users can feel compelled to check out the Stories in the feed. It also means Stories can have a higher click-through rate than feed posts.
• Instagram Stories stickers are made to put your content in front of the right audience who might want to see more of it.

Instagram Stories Ad

Instagram Stories ads are full-screen, vertical content that blends naturally with other organic content, enabling your audience to connect with your content organically without feeling like an ad.  

The ads will be shown to the audience already swiping through their circle’s updates, meaning that the friends will have no option but to watch them. This makes them perfect for capturing your audience’s attention, especially when they are influenced by key elements of Instagram storytelling or humor. A CTA should also be added, encouraging users to take a desired action.

Drive Audience Engagement

One of the content formats that is quite effective in driving engagement on Instagram is Stories. This is because they offer you an opportunity to start a conversation, get your audience’s feedback, and ensure a two-way connection with your audience. 

From creating a poll comparing your brand against a competitor to adding AMA questions, Stories offer you an opportunity to engage with your audience in a valuable and fun way. It can, therefore, help you to better understand your customers’ preferences and drive engagement. This can be important as the Instagram platform now prioritizes comments that drive engagement.

Drive Website Traffic

There was a time when only Business Accounts could use swipe-up links, but today any creator on Instagram can. You can use these links to promote your products, add a teaser for a 24-hour sale featuring a countdown sticker, and even share some blog posts. You can use the Link sticker to drive action from a passive viewer and also use tappable links to add some extra touchpoints to the customer’s buying journey and lead the customer to the right landing page. You can even tag others on Instagram Stories without them knowing.

How to Use Instagram Stories Stickers to Grow 

There are three stickers you can add to Stories to increase their impact. These are location, Hashtags, and mentions stickers. 

Let us look at them in detail:

• Location stickers for reach. Instagram location stickers can show your current location, helping you reach users there with your content. Instead of appearing in the main body, they appear in the Stories section, which can be seen by a bright orange circle.
• Hashtag. These work in the same way as location tagging. You need to ensure you target the hashtag based on the traffic it gets and the number of posts attached to it. Remember, you can use only one hashtag in the sticker option. However, you can add mentions and hashtags in the text.
• Mention. You can use mentions to catch the attention of other Instagram accounts that are reposting content. This can be a key strategy for ensuring that your content gets in front of your target audience. These audiences can then be tempted to check the profile to understand more about you.

How to Use Instagram Stories to Drive Engagement

On top of helping you grow your following and increase your product sales, Instagram Stories can help you increase engagement. Driving engagement is important for making your posts more relevant in the user’s Stories and feed. When the Instagram algorithm notices that your content is driving more engagement, it will interpret that as a sign you are creating quality content, making the platform push it further to more users.

You can use Instagram Stories stickers to encourage followers to interact more with content rather than just commenting and liking the story in the same way the user would with a feed post. They get a new way of interacting with your brand at a personal level. As mentioned earlier, quizzes, poll countdown timers, and rating bars can help you drive engagement. In addition, you can use story questions. This offers your audience an opportunity to ask any question in their minds. You can, therefore, label your sticker as AMA.

How to Grow Sales Using Instagram Stories

If you are posting your products on Instagram and asking users to buy, you definitely know that this doesn't work. Instagram Stories can offer a better glimpse of your product, brand, and personality. Remember that you have 24 hours and a few frames to introduce your brand and drive your target audience down the sales funnel. 

Here are several ways of driving sales.

Determine Your Strategy

Before you launch your pitch, determine how you plan to appeal to your audience. You can do that in a number of ways, such as:

• Sharing a relatable scenario, personal story, or an introduction that connects emotionally.
• Dropping education, knowledge, and facts that show your thought leadership.
• Work in results, client reviews, proof of success, and before-and-after.

Preparing Audiences for Products

Rather than just informing your audience of an upcoming product, you can create several stories to help the audience connect with why the product can work for them. In fact, you can use several Instagram Story Stickers to accomplish that.

• Polls. These can be a good choice for helping viewers determine if there is any need to fill. For instance, you can use queries like, “What are you struggling with the most?” or “Between these two packages, which one is better?”
• Ask leading questions from the Quiz stickers that help your audience to see your product as their natural solution.
• Leverage countdown stickers to enable your audience to understand that the product has a limited offer. This can encourage them to act fast to get the product.
• Use a rating bar to make your audience understand how much they value your product.

These elements can be a good choice for leading your audience to the next frame, which should be the product reveal.

Showcase the Product

Now you can add a frame that reveals your product using an interesting and visually appealing image. Don't use too many effects or text to overwhelm this frame. Instead, make sure you highlight a number of benefits of the event, product, or service. This will ensure that your audience sees the benefits of the product and adds to their idea that the product can help them.

Add a Strong CTA

After featuring the product, you should now tell your audience what you need them to do, whether it's to buy it, visit your site, or ask questions. At this point, you can use the questionnaire sticker to encourage your followers to interact with you more in the DM and close the deal. Alternatively, you can use the countdown time to create FOMO.

In Conclusion

Instagram Stories offer brands and creators an opportunity to increase engagement, drive sales, and grow their social media following. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create Instagram Stories that help to grow your Instagram account.