5 tips to boost the reach of your Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are a brilliant tool for increasing engagement, building connections with your audience and driving traffic to your business. I love using them to share my thoughts, new content and what’s going on BTS in Stripe Social. But… with so much content being posted daily, it can be challenging to ensure your Stories are reaching as many people as possible. 

The good news? A few strategic tweaks can significantly boost your visibility. Here are five tips to help your Instagram Stories reach more viewers – plus practical examples to put them into action!

1. Use engagement stickers

Instagram rewards engagement. The more people interact with your Stories, the more likely they are to be shown to a larger audience. Engagement stickers—such as polls, quizzes, question boxes and emoji sliders—are an easy way to encourage viewers to take action.

Example: If you’re a personal stylist, you could use a poll sticker asking, “Which outfit do you prefer?” with two options. A business coach might use a question sticker to ask, “What’s your biggest struggle with marketing right now?” These simple interactions boost engagement and signal to Instagram that your content is valuable.

2. Post consistently

The “C” word again! But honestly showing up regularly keeps your brand at the top of your followers’ feeds. Aim to post at least once a day if possible. When you post consistently, Instagram recognises you as an active account and is more likely to prioritise your content.

Example: If you're an interior designer, you could share a behind the scenes look at your latest project every morning. A product based business might post a “daily deal” Story showcasing a featured item. Or you could share someone else’s content that’s struck a chord with you. Even simple updates help keep you top of mind with your audience.

3. Use hashtags and location tags

Many people don’t realise that hashtags and location tags in Stories can help you reach a broader audience. When you add a relevant hashtag or a location tag, your Story has a chance to appear in the public Stories for that tag or place, making it discoverable to new viewers. Just make sure your tags don’t obscure anything important on your Story.

Example: A fitness coach sharing a workout tip could add “#HomeWorkout” or “#FitnessMotivation” to their Story. A café owner might use a location tag for their city or neighbourhood to attract local customers. If you don’t want the tags to be visually obvious, shrink them down or hide them behind a sticker or GIF.

4. Mix up your content formats

Keeping your Stories visually engaging is key to holding your audience’s attention. A mix of videos, photos, GIFs and text based slides ensures your content doesn’t feel repetitive or stale.

Example: A wedding planner might share a mix of video clips from a recent event, a static image with a testimonial and a text based Story offering wedding tips. A skincare brand could alternate between product demos, customer reviews and educational slides about ingredients. The key is to keep things fresh and dynamic.

5. Encourage direct messages

Instagram prioritises content from accounts users interact with regularly—especially through DMs. Encouraging your audience to reply to your Stories creates a direct connection, increasing the likelihood that they’ll see more of your content in the future. You can now also comment on Stories so try to encourage users to do that too.

Example: A life coach could share a motivational quote and add a “DM me if this resonates with you” call to action. A bakery might post a “Guess our next flavour” challenge, inviting followers to message their guesses. Use GIFs (eg. an arrow) to highlight and point to the comments section to make it even more obvious where users can interact.

Bonus tip! Create Stories highlights

Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours, but highlights allow you to save and showcase your best Stories permanently on your profile. This extends the lifespan of your content and ensures new visitors can see valuable information about your brand.

Example: A fitness trainer could create Highlights for “Client Transformations,” “Workout Tips,” and “Healthy Recipes.” A small business owner might have Highlights like “About Us,” “Best Sellers,” and “Customer Reviews.” This keeps key content accessible and helps maintain engagement beyond the initial 24 hours.

Boosting your Instagram Stories reach isn’t complicated. It’s about trying new things and seeing what works. Try one or two of these tips today and keep an eye on the impact on your reach and engagement. 

If you need a hand then get in touch for a chat and don’t forget to subscribe to my weekly newsletter for all your Insta and Pinterest news and updates.