Last Updated on July 10, 2021 by Taylor
You might have noticed your Instagram story views have dropped.
Don’t worry, it’s happened to all of us! (And there are ways to build them back up).
If you’ve noticed your Instagram story views are down: you aren’t the only one. And you might be shocked to hear this, but it’s actually a good thing!
Why Instagram Story Views Have Dropped
Not too long ago, people started creating “bot” accounts for the sole purpose of fake-viewing millions of Instagram stories per day.
The intent was to get noticed by showing up in real Instagram users’ story views list, with the goal of getting more clicks and follows on their account.
Essentially, it was a sleazy growth strategy. And the reason your views may have gone down is that Instagram occasionally does a sweep, drops the hammer, and shuts that down.
So yes, your views might be down, but it isn’t a bad thing. Because those weren’t real viewers, so they weren’t doing you any favors.
The best thing to do is try not to let the numbers bother you, and focus on proving value to the authentic, kick-ass viewers you are getting.
Aaand because I love actionable tips, here are a few ways to increase your Instagram story views in a way that will actually move the needle for your business!
How to Increase Instagram Story Views
1. Use hashtags in your stories
One of the best ways to get more Instagram story views is to add a hashtag.
It’s easy to do – just select the hashtag sticker and start typing. This doesn’t guarantee that your story shows up under the hashtag, but if your story is engaging then you’ve got a fighting chance!
You can technically add up to 10 hashtags (using the text function instead of the hashtag sticker). In my experience, sticking with one strong hashtag is best, but feel free to experiment!
>>>>>>> Related post: 7 Clever Ways to Use Instagram Story Highlights for Your Biz
2. Tag your location
If you’re in a unique location, such as a park, shop, restaurant, or landmark – be sure to tag it! Especially if it’s related to the story you’re posting.
That way, users who are searching for that location will see your story, even if they aren’t following you yet.
I’ve seen a big jump in views (and even gained some followers) when I’ve tagged national parks, bookstores, coffee shops, and places like that. Location tagging is especially useful when you’re traveling, but it can be just as effective in your hometown.
Just be sure not to advertise places that are personal or private (like your home address)!
3. Add an engaging element to your stories
The more a user engages with your stories, the more they’ll see your future content. Your profile picture/icon will start to show up closer to the front in their stories lineup, and your brand will become more front-of-mind.
Not only that, but it’s so easy to make personal connections with your followers this way. This builds up your trust factor (and it’s just plain fun!).
The best thing: it’s super easy to add an interactive element like a question or poll. So get sticker-happy!
4. Engage with others’ Instagram stories
It’s pretty well-known that the more you engage with others on the platform (and the more they engage with you), the more likely you are to see that person’s post in the feed or see their Instagram story show up toward the front of your Instagram story queue.
So, it stands to reason that a great way to build up your Instagram story views is to make sure you’re engaging with others. Send an emoji reaction to a funny or celebratory story, answer a poll question, or just hit reply and send a direct message!
(The last one works best if you’re discussing a topic around a common interest. If you’re a business account, try not to be spammy by talking about your product before you’ve even had a conversation with someone).
5. Get personal
Going behind the scenes and sharing something personal about your life – even if it’s just a photo of your dog – can go a long way toward making connections with people. The more they see your personality and uniqueness, the more likely they’ll recognize (and click on) your profile picture to view your story in the future.
A few examples of this: share short video clips of a ‘day in your life’, share that awesome homemade brunch you whipped up, or talk about your favorite books and movies.
6. Create Instagram story templates
Make your Instagram stories more memorable by creating gorgeous story templates!
It’s super easy with Canva’s free graphic design tool, and only takes a few minutes. They even have pre-made templates that you can mix and match with different colors, fonts, and graphics.
The better your Instagram stories look, the more likely they’ll stand out. It’s that simple!
There are even more cool apps you can use to make Instagram story creation easier, like video editing, adding captions, adding animations, etc. Check out this list of the best Instagram story apps for making those stories shine.
Now that you know what to do, it’s time to get creating. Here are 11 engaging Instagram story ideas to get you started!
Good Tips Taylor! And thanks for the ideas and helping people like us grow with their struggles.