How to Make Instagram Stories
Stories are short photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. They sit at the top of the feed and let you communicate with your followers informally, quickly, and without much preparation. Unlike feed posts, stories don't require perfect editing or polished aesthetics. Here, authenticity, consistency, and interactivity matter more.
In this article — everything you need to know about creating Instagram stories. From the first steps to advanced features.
What are stories and why should you publish them
Stories occupy the top row in the app. Followers see them first, even if they haven't opened Instagram in a while. This is the fastest way to remind people you exist, get feedback, and retain your audience.
In stories, you can publish what doesn't belong in your feed. Behind-the-scenes moments, quick polls, Q&As, announcements, personal stories. People are more willing to engage with stories because the format suggests lightness and immediacy.
If you want followers to remember you, stories should go out every day. At least 3–5 of them. Ideally — 7–12.
How to film and publish your first story
Making a story is very simple. Open the Instagram app. On the home screen, tap your avatar with the plus sign in the top left corner. Or simply swipe right anywhere on the feed. The story camera will open.
At the bottom is a round button. Tap once — you'll take a photo. Press and hold — you'll record a video. Release — recording stops.
Swipe up on the round button and hold to record a long video without holding your finger down. Swipe left on the button to turn on "Hands-free" mode — the camera will record until you tap stop.
In the corner of the screen, an icon with two arrows toggles between front and rear camera. Next to it, lightning bolt — flash. Microphone — turn sound on/off.
After shooting, you'll enter the editor. At the bottom, you can add text, stickers, music, drawings. When everything is ready, tap "Your story" at the bottom of the screen. The story is published and will be available for 24 hours.
How to design a story: tools and settings
Once you've taken a photo or video, the fun part begins — design.
Text
Tap the "Aa" letter icon at the top of the screen. Enter your text. Swipe over the text to choose a color. Tap the font name at the top to change the style. Classic, neon, typewriter, italic, and other fonts are available. Don't write too much. Two or three large words work better than a long sentence in tiny font.
Drawing
Tap the wavy line or brush icon. Choose a color from the palette. Choose a brush type: marker, neon, paintbrush, chalk. Draw with your finger directly on the screen. If you want to draw a straight line, drag your finger and hold it for a second at the end — Instagram will straighten the line for you.
Stickers
Tap the square icon with a folded corner (or the smiley face on the toolbar). A sticker menu will open. Here you can add: current date, time, temperature, location, hashtag, mention of another account, music, poll, question, quiz, rating slider, countdown to an event, reminder, link (available under certain conditions).
Stickers make stories interactive. Followers can tap them, respond, choose options. This increases engagement and shows the algorithm that your content is interesting.
Music
Tap the music note icon or "Music" button. Select a track from Instagram's library. Choose a clip of the song to play in your story. Tap "Done." The music will appear as a sticker.
Filters and masks
Before shooting, swipe left on the bottom panel to choose a color filter. Tap the smiley face icon in the corner to open masks (AR effects). There are standard masks and ones created by other users. Some masks change your appearance, others add animation or change the background.
How to create a story series
Few people publish just one story. Usually it's a series of 3–10. A series allows you to cover a topic in more depth and keep followers' attention longer.
A good story series is structured like this. First story — hook. Announce the topic: "I'll show you how I..." or "Answering your questions about...". Main stories — 2–8 pieces. Reveal the topic gradually. Each story should carry one idea block. Don't overload. Second-to-last story — interactive element. Ask a question, start a poll or quiz. Last story — call to action. "Click the link," "Save this post," "DM me."
Making a series is easy: after publishing the first story, tap your profile icon in the top left corner (on the home screen) and select "Add story." Or simply swipe right again and film the next one.
How to add a link to a story
Links in stories are available to verified accounts, business accounts with a certain number of followers (usually 5,000 to 10,000), or when paying for advertising. If the feature is available, you'll see a "Link" sticker in the sticker panel.
Tap it, enter the URL, customize the text users will see (e.g., "Read more" or "Go"). Publish the story. Followers will see the phrase "View link" or "Read more" at the bottom. Tapping it opens the site in their browser.
How to save a story before publishing
Sometimes you need to save a story to your phone before publishing it. For example, to use it in another app or send it to someone.
In the editor before publishing, tap the save icon. It's usually a floppy disk or down arrow. The story will be saved to your phone's gallery. After that, you can publish it as usual.
How to create a story from an existing photo or video
You don't have to shoot a story at the moment of publishing. You can use a photo or video from your gallery.
Swipe right to open the camera. At the bottom, tap the rectangle icon with a plus sign or simply swipe up on the screen. Select a photo or video from your gallery. It will open in the editor. Then proceed as usual: add text, stickers, music, and publish.
How to respond to stickers in stories
Followers can respond to "Question," "Poll," "Quiz," and "Slider" stickers. You'll see their responses in the "Views" section of your story.
Tap your story, swipe up, or tap "Views" at the bottom. There you'll see everyone who viewed the story and, separately, responses to stickers. You can reply to each response via Direct or film a separate story thanking them and giving a detailed answer.
Show followers' responses in your next stories. This increases loyalty and motivates others to participate in interactive elements.
Common beginner mistakes
Overly long videos. One story — 5–15 seconds. Anything longer should be split into multiple parts.
Tiny, unreadable text. Users watch stories on their phones, often glancing quickly. Text should be large, bold, and high-contrast.
No interactive elements. Repetitive photos with text, no polls or questions, quickly become boring.
Inconsistent style within a series. Jumping colors and fonts look messy. Choose 2–3 colors and stick to them within a series.
One story per day. Too little for growth. Minimum 3–5, ideally 7–12.
Ignoring responses. If you ask a question with a sticker but never reply to answers — followers will stop participating.
Story ideas when you don't know what to post
Show how your workday goes. Ask followers what problem they faced this week. Give one quick tip on your topic. Review a new product or useful tool. Show the product creation process. Share a personal story (a success or a mistake). Run a poll: "Which format do you like better?" Answer 3–5 questions from your question sticker. Announce a future post or live stream. Simply say good morning or wish good night.
How often to publish stories
Minimum to not be forgotten: 3–5 stories per day.
Optimal for retaining audience: 7–12 stories per day.
Maximum without risk of mass unfollows: 15–20 stories per day for regular accounts. Large bloggers sometimes post 30–40, but that's an exception.
Quality matters more than quantity. 5 useful stories are better than 15 empty ones.
Conclusion
Instagram stories are the most lively and fast-paced way to communicate with your audience. They don't require perfect quality or complex editing. The key is consistency, interactivity, and authenticity. Film 5–10 stories a day, use stickers and questions, reply to followers. Start with one story today. Make three tomorrow. In a month, it will become a habit, and you'll notice how much your audience's engagement and loyalty have grown.
Instagram is owned by Meta, which has been recognized as an extremist organization and banned on the territory of the Russian Federation. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a call to use prohibited services on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Our Services for Streamers
Our Services for Content Creators
