Instagram Stories are one of the best tools you have to reach out to your followers. They allow audiences to get a glimpse of who you are, what your everyday life is like, and connect with you in a more personal way. Because of their low-key, natural feel, more brands are turning to Instagram Stories for collaborations or adding a Story element to their existing projects. But how do you create a great Instagram Story for a brand that still feels authentic? We reached out to a few or our favorite influencers for advice on how to create engaging Stories while keeping it real. Time to serve up a little Monday Insta-inspiration!

@msmaverickmuse

@cutandchicvintage

@diegodowntown

Plan ahead... but not too much.

I do some light prior research on the brand/company social accounts, take note of hashtags and their branded content look, feel, and vibe. I take my photos and videos in the moment and post them later on to make sure I have a cohesive story to tell to my followers. - @diegodowntown

I think the wonderful thing about stories is capturing something while its happening and sharing it right there and then. Sometimes, however, I prefer letting a bit of time pass so that I can sit down and collect my thoughts on my experience. This works particularly well on sponsored content or special event invitations. Just taking a moment to organize my content helps me to make sure I publish all the important information I want to share with my audience.
-@cutandchicvintage

Give the inside scoop.

Stories are a way to be more raw with your followers. With personal content, it's a way for me to be a little more thoughtful and connect with my followers. With branded content, you can share resources (links and tags), how you interact with an experience or product, and get the opportunity to go a little deeper whenever it's relevant.
-@lissettecalv

My stories are often inside glimpses at the making of, what goes into making images, my diet, my habits for cultivating a healthy lifestyle and mindset, Los Angeles or wanderings, what books I read etc... It's more of a day in the life which I think people connect with more than anything else.
-@msmaverickmuse

Liven them up with stickers and captions!

People these days are highly visual. Even if it's a video of you unboxing, talking, doing a demo, etc., their eyes will go toward the screen so I always make sure to type out quick blurbs of what I'm showing or saying... For stickers, I try to keep it to the same aesthetic as the content. GIFs are usually more for fun and to add a little giggle!
-@lissettecalv

I try to keep it relevant to what I’m feeling or what is going on in the story. It’s also nice to throw some gifs on photos to liven them up, or even a poll to get some interaction with your followers.
-@briannguyen

Once I have captured all of my content, I decide what the feel and vibe of my stores will be in relation to the event or experience. Stickers and captions help to emphasize or elaborate imagery and videos. I want my personality and personal brand to show through my IG stories. -@diegodowntown

Use videos or convert photos into short videos.

Hype Type lets you add animated captions to your photos or, if you prefer using Instagram to write your captions, you can still use Hype Type to place a blank caption over the photo so that the photo turns into a five second video. It’ll play for a bit longer on your Stories and it keeps your @mentions and hashtags active.
-@cutandchicvintage

I never post stuff I’ve edited elsewhere, it’s definitely more raw and organic. I sometimes apply the IG filter from the story, or use the zoom effect. I’d say the zoom is definitely something my followers know me for on my snaps. I also enjoy posting time-lapses from the iPhone as well as boomerangs.
-@briannguyen

... Very short videos.

I tend to keep my daily stories fairly edited and not too long as you really have your followers attention for just a short period of time. You don't want to overplay or drag out your content too much. I call it content exhaustion.
-@diegodowntown

15 Sec app, helps a lot in that regard. You can chop up a long video into mini clips conducive for IG Stories specifically.
-@msmaverickmuse

Just be you!

Don’t over think it! If you’re wondering if someone is gonna like it or not, try it out and see! They expire after 24hrs anyways, or you can always delete. It’s not that serious, but at the same time, don’t over do it, no one wants to tap through 100 stories on a single persons account.
-@briannguyen

IG stories should be an extension of your personal brand and aesthetic. They should clue in your followers to what kind of personality you have and should offer a glimpse into your daily life.
-@diegodowntown

So there you have it! Have fun making your next Instagram Story!

How to Create a Great Instagram Story