Chances are, if you’ve scrolled through Instagram within the past 30 minutes, you also would have tapped through most businesses’ untapped superpower. That’s right – Instagram stories. The bite-sized pieces of everyone’s days that you’re able to engage with, view, and respond to, all without scrolling through the actual feed. And yet, most businesses aren’t unlocking the full potential of what Instagram stories could be.
As for why that is, we’re going to unpack it, and also break down exactly WHY your Instagram stories are where you should be showing up as a business, and provide practical examples of exactly the kind of content you can post, to make it as simple as possible to get started.
Simply put, it’s harder (or at least feels like it) to post on your business page compared to something like your personal Instagram account. There’s more perceived pressure; you make money off of your business, so any wrong step can impact you financially, and the overwhelming voices in your head might tell you that any piece of content you post has to be practically perfect before posting. There’s also the brand guidelines you have to follow, which can oftentimes feel rigid and far too structured to actually be able to post anything of value.
We live in a day and age where creating content online can feel incredibly stressful and far too difficult to even think about starting. But the great news? Your Instagram stories are actually the most low-pressure, stress-free way to start showing up as a business, and people will reward you for it.
Now that we’ve unpacked WHY businesses don’t tend to post on their Instagram stories, it’s time to get into the why you SHOULD be posting on your Instagram stories.
As a business, do I even need to be posting on my Instagram stories?
The short (and obvious) answer here is – yes, as a business, you absolutely need to be posting on your Instagram stories. This is a place for you to engage with your warmest followers, give deeper insights into who you are as a business, and build connections in a way that posts and Reels simply can’t.
Stories might be short and sharp, but when you start showing up there authentically and honestly, people will resonate, and it’ll further build loyalty and trust with your business. And isn’t that what we’re looking for on our organic social platforms?
As for some of the specific reasons why you should be posting on your Instagram stories, I’m so glad you asked! Let’s jump right into it, shall we?
Engage with your warmest followers
Now, we’re not talking about temperature here – we’re talking about your audience base, who is the most engaged with who you are as a brand. Let’s say a brand has 1000 followers – but their Instagram stories only receive 300 views. That might sound like a low engagement rate, but what that actually means is that as a brand, you have 300 people who are looking at your stories for more content, to engage with you as a brand in a more personal way, who are ready and willing to connect with you as a business – and that’s a huge opportunity.
Your Instagram stories will be viewed by your most engaged audience, and this is an element that so many businesses either don’t recognise or don’t capitalise on. There’s an audience waiting for connection and authenticity, and it’s one of the most low-pressure ways you can appear in front of them and build that brand trust.
Build brand connection and loyalty
It’s already been touched on, but your Instagram stories are one of the BEST places on organic socials (dare I say, the best) to build that crucial brand connection and trust with your audience. It’s a low-pressure, low-curated environment that feels more genuine and increases the chance of someone reaching out via DM. Comment sections on Reels and Posts can feel overly exposed and naturally off-putting to someone, but reacting to a story, or responding to it, is a far lower barrier to entry for most people.
Instagram stories are also a fantastic way to show people that there’s a real person behind the business. As we move towards an increasingly anti-trust environment online, showing the BTS of your day, of you getting coffee, of you packing orders and so on, is an incredibly valuable way to build trust and loyalty with your audience, simply by showing the person working behind the scenes.
Provide an inner-circle experience
One of my favourite small businesses posts on her stories daily – and the type of content she posts (which we’ll unpack in a little bit) makes me feel like I’m part of her inner circle. She asks for opinions on new designs, shows her daily coffee order, and gives sneak peeks at what she’s working on next. All of this content isn’t posted in the feed; it’s only accessible through her stories, and it works so incredibly well.
Every time I purchase from her, I feel like I know exactly who I’m supporting, and almost like I had a small part to play, purely because I voted for this design in an Instagram story from months ago. For every business, Instagram stories are a tool to provide an inner circle experience to your most engaged followers – it doesn’t mean you have to show them every single piece of your day, but it does mean you can provide a peek behind the curtain at what makes your business tick.
If you’re not convinced after all of that (my goodness, tough crowd), let me break down exactly how simple it is to start posting on your Instagram stories as a business, so that you can approach this with the confidence that you deserve.
What types of Instagram stories should I post as a business owner?
As a business owner, the answer is limitless, and will purely depend on your exact brand. From behind-the-scenes content, early design sneak peeks, morning meetings, the possibilities are endless. But to start, here are some good content pillars to consider when thinking about what to post on your Instagram stories.
Day-in-the-life content
Anything that you might think is mundane (that weekly morning meeting, your daily coffee walk, your GYG lunch order) can actually all be ways to connect with your audience. Maybe someone has the exact same lunch order that you do, or orders their coffee with the same milk you do – all of it is an opportunity to connect with your audience.
Examples:
- Film your morning coffee run and ask followers if they're also a "coffee first, everything else second" person
- A quick snap of your GYG or lunch order with a poll asking "same lunch every day or mix it up?"
- Show your commute to work, whether it’s a 10-minute drive or a 45-minute train ride
- A time-lapse or series of pics from your morning setup routine, from opening the shop, turning the lights on, to getting the register ready
Polls, Q&As, Voting Slides
True story – as an office, we recently had a live debate about how to pronounce the word ‘aviary’. The result? A 50-50 split in the team. The opportunity? Jump on Instagram stories and ask your audience how they pronounce it. Silly debates like this that pop up in your business are great places to then take online to your stories, as it provides people with a chance to connect, or sparks a conversation, and keeps you as a business, front and centre in their minds for the rest of the day.
Any story that encourages people to engage, whether that’s polls, a Q&A box, or a voting slide, is a short, simple way to utilise your Instagram stories to be more sticky, rather than people just tapping through quickly.
Examples:
- "Fork or hands when eating pizza?" voting slide after a team debate
- A Q&A box asking followers what they actually want to see more of from your business
- "How do you take your coffee?" poll (flat white vs. latte, oat milk vs. almond milk etc)
- A "this or that" slide comparing two of your products or services
Behind-the-scenes
It’s a universal truth – people love taking a sticky beak behind the scenes. And again, it’s a great, low-pressure way to start posting on your Instagram stories. If you’re working on a new product, you can post a quick glimpse to your stories, or if you’ve recently designed a gorgeous new website, taking a quick pic and popping it up on your stories is a great way to build that inner circle experience.
Examples:
- A sneak peek photo of a new product before it launches, with a "coming soon" sticker on the slide
- Film the process of packing orders or prepping for a big event
- A quick walkthrough of your workspace or studio
- Show a mood board or early design concepts for a rebrand or new collection
- A picture of a brainstorming session or whiteboard planning moment
Team member takeovers
Day in the life content has already been chatted about, but you could niche down further and ask a team member to take over the Instagram stories for the day. This is a great way to a) get some fresh, new content, and b) introduce your warmest followers to the other people behind the business. Your team member could show their morning routine, what they get up to for lunch, and the meetings that they’re in (within reason, of course!) and paint a more insightful picture of who you are behind the business.
Examples:
- A team member showing their morning routine before they head into work
- Show their lunch break, what they ordered, and where they went
- Intro themselves with a "3 things about me" story slide
- Share a behind-the-scenes moment from their role (as an example, it could be a tradie showing their job site, or a designer showing their screen setup)
- End the day with a "that's a wrap" recap of what they got up to
Small, quick videos to camera
As a business owner, if you’ve ever had a thought or something that’s crossed your mind, jump on your Instagram stories and share it! This will likely seem like the most terrifying hurdle to cross when it comes to posting on Instagram stories, but it builds your credibility and authenticity with your audience – an opportunity you can’t pass up.
It doesn’t have to be polished or perfect, it can be raw footage from when you just picked up the camera and started filming your thought, but all of it is solid content, and deserves to be seen. It’s also a value-add for your audience, as they get to hear directly from you in a more casual way.
Examples:
- A 15-second thought on something you noticed in your industry that week
- Share a lesson you learned from a recent mistake or win in the business
- A quick "here's what I wish I knew when I started" tip
- Respond to a common question you get asked by customers, on camera
- A raw, unfiltered "this is what today actually looked like" end-of-day recap
How often do I need to post on Instagram stories as a business owner?
Now that you know what to post, naturally, the question of how often to post pops up. And in short, there’s no right or wrong answer here! However, as a starting point, aim to post on your Instagram stories 1-2 times a day. Pick a few options from the above examples, and start posting! You’ll be able to test what people resonate with, what people respond to and engage with, and naturally begin to find the cadence that works for you as a business.
Unlocking the untapped potential of Instagram stories
With all the knowledge and practical examples now in your virtual toolbelt, it’s time to start posting. Instagram stories are frequently shied away from by business owners, as it can feel far too overwhelming to put anything up there. But, in reality, it’s the easiest, low-pressure way to connect with your audience and build that desperately needed brand trust and connection.
So what are you waiting for? Pick up your phone, and start posting – can’t wait to see you there.
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