How To Create An Instagram Story [Plus Tools And Templates]

Introduced in 2016, Instagram Stories offer an effective way to highlight fun, fresh and fleeting content for followers. Business owners, social media managers and entrepreneurs love this feature because it offers a dynamic platform for showcasing brand personality, products, and services. 

One distinctive characteristic of this feature is that it’s ephemeral – Stories post for just 24 hours. While there are ways to save a Story for later consumption, the click-it-or-you’ll-miss-it nature creates a sense of urgency and drives usage.

The numbers speak for themselves: Instagram is the fourth-most visited website in the world (after Google, YouTube and Facebook), and over a third of Americans report more increased interest in products after seeing them in an Instagram Story. You, too, can leverage this powerful content type for your creative or business venture. Tools are available to make this creation process efficient, impactful and (dare we say it?) fun.  

In this guide, you’ll find out how to build an outstanding Instagram Story, as well as learn how to use more advanced techniques and solid design principles that give your story an even bigger boost. To test-drive creating Instagram stories that pop and drive engagement, try out our free Piktochart AI Instagram Story Generator, and follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Let’s start with the basics of how to post your first Instagram story. I used my iPhone to do this, but the steps for an Android are very similar. 

For this example, I’ll use a scenic shot from my home office window to share my workspace view with followers.

Step 1: Tap the “+” button in the bottom center of your profile screen. (Android users: The “+” appears in the same location.) 

Step 2: Move the post-type selector near the bottom of the screen to Story. (Android users: the post-type selector is in a similar location.) 

Step 3: Swipe up to access the photo library on your phone and select your photo. (Android users: You, too, will swipe up.) 

Step 4: To add a caption, tap the “Aa” button on the row near the top of the photo. (Android users will also tap the “Aa” button.)

Step 5: Include a geographic tag if desired. (Android users just have to tap the “Location” option just below the font-styling options to add a geo tag.) 

Step 6: Once you have your Story the way you want it, publish it by tapping the “Your story” button at the lower left. (Android users: Tap “Done” at the upper right, then look for the “Your stories” button at the lower left.)

The multicolored ring around your profile pic tells viewers you have a live Instagram Story. (This is also true for Android users.) 

Stories stay on an Instagram profile for just 24 hours. To save your story for a longer period:

Step 1: Add it to the Story Highlight section on your profile by tapping the plus button in the upper right on your profile page. (Android users will also look for the plus button at the upper right and tap it.) 

Step 2: Choose “Story Highlight” as an option. (Same instructions for Android users.)

Step 3: Choose which story to place in the Highlight. (Same for Android users.)

Step 4: Give the highlight a name. (Same for Android users.)

You could name it simply “Stories,” but if you are operating in a business context, you could save product photos or “Start Here” information in separate Story Highlights to orient customers new to your profile.

Once you’ve saved a Story Highlight, it is pinned to your profile for as long as you want.

Once you’re comfortable adding stories to your Instagram account, you can start thinking about how to get the most out of them. Piktochart helps you develop attractive stories to make an impact and build connections with your followers.

Let me walk you through how I used the tool to create a Story for my resume-writing business, True North Resumes. My initial goal was to drive traffic to my tutorial video about using keywords effectively in resumes and LinkedIn profiles. I also was able to springboard from that initial goal to using the tool to accomplish several adjacent objectives. 

Here’s the step-by-step, how-to guide to using the Piktochart tool to create a Story for a business:

Step 1: Begin with a simple prompt.

Step 2: Choose a template from the offerings provided by the tool.

Step 3: If the color combinations are not quite what you want, adjust them using Piktochart’s layer adjustment system.

Step 4: It’s easy to change out the main photo and move it farther back in the layers, leaving the light colors in the design nicely viewable.

Step 5: Use the tool’s text adjustment feature to ensure the text boxes are aligned with the story template.

Step 6: Add a link to any buttons.

Step 7: Download the story to use on your Instagram account. 

Now you have an enticing story, created through Piktochart’s AI Instagram Story Generator, with many ways you can use it to boost engagement. For example, you might add hashtags so users searching for content that way find your story.

You can also increase the likelihood followers will visit your content by emphasizing links with stickers. 

As mentioned previously, you can keep a story on your profile indefinitely by creating a Story Highlight. This feature helps you plan ahead to create a series of stories, all using a similar theme and template. 

To create a series of related stories:

Step 1: Duplicate your original story in Piktochart.

Step 2: Update the content to cover related topics.

Step 3: Post the stories on Instagram.

Step 4: Save them together as a Story Highlight.

Step 5: Give it a descriptive name, such as “Resume Tips 101.”

Once you’re comfortable posting Instagram Stories and have spent some time familiarizing yourself with tools such as Piktochart’s AI Instagram Story Generator, you can pull together stories quickly by repurposing and expanding content. The result is better content with less stress. 

Tracking how your Instagram Story performs is critical to understanding how your audience perceives your content. Once you understand what the analytics mean, you can use the data to shape future offerings. 

To access the full analytics suite, you’ll need a Business or Professional account. Good news—switching is completely free and takes just a minute to set up.

To access analytics:

Step 1: Access your analytics by tapping an area in the middle of your profile page.

Step 2: This will take you to a high-level, month-in-review professional dashboard.

Step 3: To learn about content views, click the top item under Insights.

Step 4: To see how your stories performed, explore the detailed information available.

To understand the stats under Navigation:

• Forward refers to how many people clicked past your Story
• Next Story refers to how many people tapped to get to the next account’s story
• Back refers to how many people clicked backwards from your story in their Story timeline

You can also learn about your followers to target future posts by location or by age.

Once you have posted several stories, you can start comparing data to determine which stories are getting interaction, generating new followers, etc. 

The amazing versatility of Instagram Stories allows you to creatively share information or present your narrative. These options are win/win for you and your audience – not only do you have flexibility in how you present content, you create an engaging, entertaining and interactive environment. 

One simple way of adding depth to your content is featuring multiple images in a single story, though it is important to keep in mind how each additional image will be viewed. 

To create a multi-image presentation:

Step 1: Select Story as your format. 

Step 2: Look for the layout option to configure a multi-image presentation.

Step 3: Choose a layout (like a 2×2 for four photos).

Step 4: Add a caption and location tags if desired.

Another fun way to load in multiple images uses the copy / paste option to create a unique layout:

Step 1: Open a new story in Instagram and load a photo for the primary background.

Step 2: Go back to your phone’s photo roll and select “copy” for a photo you want included in the layout.

Step 3: Return to Instagram and click on the text feature (the “Aa” button at the upper right).

Step 4: Paste your photo. You can move it around and resize it after pasting.

Step 5: Add additional photos and a caption to the layout if desired.

Both of these layout techniques can highlight multiple items during a sale, or generate buzz around a new product line.

Another way to jazz up your Instagram Story is to add movement. You can do this without a video by using one of IG’s many animated filters. 

Here’s how to set up an animation for your Story:

Step 1: Upload an image to begin your Instagram Story.

Step 2: Choose an animation from the Effects menu.

Step 3: Add hashtags and questions to create an engaging story layout.

Transitions are another way to add movement and interest to your story. You can use animated transitions by following these steps: 

Step 1: Create a blank Instagram Story Template in Piktochart.

Step 2: Add a photo grid layout.

Step 3: Replace the photos in the layout with your own graphics and photos.

Step 4: Save the layout as a PNG file.

Step 5: Move to a free account at Canva.

Step 6: Pick a blank Instagram Story canvas.

Step 7: Drop the PNG from Piktochart on the canvas.

Step 8: Add transitions (such as “Ink” which makes the image appear to “wash” onto the canvas).

Step 9: Download the story as an .mp4 file.

Step 10: Go to Instagram to finish your content by adding titles and other elements.

You can view this example’s finished animated Story by following the hyperlink.

Three more ways to create engaging Instagram Stories are to use the Reveal option, use a countdown, or place an interactive poll on your story. 

To use the Reveal option:

Step 1. Create an Instagram Story in Piktochart.

Step 2: Upload the PNG file to Instagram.

Step 3: Tap the sticker emoji at the top center-right.

Step 4: Choose the “Reveal” option on the next page.

Step 5: Type the question to appear on the pre-reveal screen.

Step 6: Preview how your story will look.

The Countdown sticker is a great engagement tool, as well. You can create anticipation for your next product or service launch, the release of new content, or any other event.

To use the Countdown sticker:

Step 1: Create a story using an appropriate background image.

Step 2: After uploading your image to Instagram, click the stickers button. Select the Countdown option (near the bottom-left).

Step 3: Set the end date for your countdown. You can add a color to your countdown meter to make it pop visually.

Step 4: Add a link to related content if applicable.

Users can activate a reminder to keep them aware of your Countdown deadline and can share the countdown. Instagram lets you see which users have set the reminder or shared your countdown. These are people you’ll want to reach out to for future communication.

Finally, polls are a great way to cultivate an authentic relationship with potential customers and followers. 

To create polls:

Step 1: Create a color background and add a question as text.

Step 2: Click on the sticker option at the top.

Step 3: Choose either the sliding emoji sticker or the traditional “pick one option” poll.

Step 4: Set your question and options.

Polls are a great way to understand what your followers are thinking and feeling. You can use the results to shape future Story offerings or to gauge feelings about your company’s products or services. 

Instagram is, by its very nature, a visual platform. There is more to content quality than generating eye-popping graphics or photos, but you can make your Instagram Story uploads more attractive and effective by implementing the following four design principles while constructing your story.

Your placement of imagery on the frames of your Instagram Story can be enhanced by remembering the Rule of Thirds, which recommends placing elements in an image along imaginary lines that divide it vertically and horizontally. Instagram Story images are vertically focused, so your grid will look like this: 

Source

The human eye spends more time at intersections of these lines than other parts of the image, so placing text, stickers or photos here makes your Story easier to grasp at a glance. 

Here are two examples of images that use the rule of thirds well. 

Matching the dominant colors of your Instagram Stories to your brand colors helps people remember you. Relying on a small set of primary and secondary colors – a palette – will also help your stories maintain a coherent look. 

There are many types of palettes – everything from monochromatic to candy pastels. You can generate your own using free tools like Coolors or Color Hunt. The key is using the palette consistently, and making changes gradually. 

Let’s look at two examples of color palettes. The first are Instagram Stories posted by content creator/author Taline Gabriel, whose colors are minimalistic and calming. 

Slack, on the other hand, uses a triadic palette of purple, blue and yellow. By selecting tones that are spaced evenly from each other on the color wheel, each element stands out while blending well. 

The fonts you choose for your Instagram Stories, whether you create the text within the Story feature itself or you use a design program such as Canva, Piktochart or Adobe Express, are a primary way of expressing your brand. 

Two of the most important rules in font selection are:

1. Limit fonts to no more than two or three total. 
2. Choose one serif font (a typeface with small extensions at the end of its strokes) and one sans-serif font (one without those small extensions).

By choosing fonts that complement or contrast well, you can create text for your story that’s both attention-grabbing and easy to read. 

Sarah Doody, a career coach for UX designers, combines serif and sans serif fonts nicely in this “Got The Job” frame of a Story Highlight. 

Contently, a content marketing powerhouse, combines clear, powerful sans serif headline and body fonts with an iconic marketing tagline featuring a strong serif flourish. 

Although it sounds like a fancy term, “visual hierarchy” is actually easy to understand. Our eyes are drawn to elements that are larger, bolder, have more color contrast, are repeated in the design, or are isolated by white space. To send a message or tell a story leaving a strong impression, leverage this factor. 

Let’s look at a couple of examples of visual hierarchy at work. 

Debbie Millman, who hosts the popular Design Matters Podcast, lets the images of her Remarkable Life Deck stand dominate in stories about them. The supporting text follows a size hierarchy, too. 

Meanwhile, artist marketing guru Alyson Stanfield delivers messages from her book I’d Rather Be In The Studio with bold font choices and large type to grab your attention. 

Piktochart’s template collection offers dozens of choices for creating eye-catching, engaging Instagram Stories. We’ve selected five templates to speed your content creation at critical moments in your business lifecycle.

Online seminars are a great way to invite potential customers to benefit from your expertise. I chose the Entrepreneur 101 invite template because I like the photo placement, as well as the calm, clean design.

In about 10 minutes, I adapted the template to advertise an upcoming webinar. 

Sometimes you just have to spell out what differentiates your product or service from the competition! I like this template’s fonts, use of icons, and giant headline, which grabs you, pulling you into the story.

However, I wasn’t in love with the color scheme or the sparkles in the photo, so I made some changes. 

If you’re participating in a large in-person event and want to alert your Instagram followers, this template starts the process. I love the deep blue color screen, the fonts, and the text placement. 

I didn’t have to do much to adapt the template to announce my appearance at a state-wide career event. 

Challenges are a wonderful way to interact with followers and other Instagram users. Instagram offers a Challenge sticker, but you can also construct your own challenge using a Piktochart template. 

The kindness challenge encourages prosocial behavior. I love the layout, the text, and the soft, relaxing feel of the colors and fonts.

My adaptation of the template encourages people to give back to their professional network through a “Networking Kindness Challenge.” I really love this idea!

Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool for a business. This template lays out an incentive for referring new clients. I like the sweetly diverse illustrations of people in this design, as well as the simplicity of the message. 

I only had to make a few changes to customize this template for True North Resumes. 

The Instagram Story format retains its popularity year after year because it’s a quick way to share casual updates. Instagram Stories are easy to access, absorb and interact with. The Story Highlights feature allows you to curate your best stories to provide a quick orientation to your profile and your organization. 

Using Piktochart’s graphic creation tools and the tools within the Instagram app itself, you can plan campaigns to build your brand, garner followers, and convert users into customers. What are you waiting for? Get out there and start Story-telling!

To build on your knowledge of Instagram Story creation, review these answers to some frequently asked questions. 

Check your phone settings: From your profile on the Instagram app, click on the hamburger menu and see that the Media Quality setting for “use less cellular data” is turned off, and the “upload at highest quality” option is turned on. 

Also, remember that the ideal dimensions for stories are 1080 x 1920 pixels. 

You can! When you save a post to your Story, Instagram typically fills in the background with a matching color. Click the Draw tool in Instagram Story to bring up the color dropper. Change the color by holding the dropper anywhere in the background. 

Meta, the parent company of Instagram, recommends leaving the top 250 pixels of the image and the bottom 340 pixels of the image free of your key message elements to avoid cropping. 

If you edit your Instagram story image in Piktochart, you can easily change the dimensions.

If you have a business account, or your use of music is clearly commercial, you’ll need to use music from the Instagram Commercial Music Library or another licensed provider.

Using the “poll” or “quiz” sticker when you make an Instagram Story, users will have real-time access to the results while your story is still live. To show the results after the poll is closed, you can do a follow-up post with the final results or save your poll/quiz content as a Story Highlight.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, recommends posting one to two Instagram Stories per day. Review statistics to determine what posting frequency works best for you, and make sure to post a variety of high-quality content consistently.

You should try the following before trying to repost your Story: 

• Check your wifi connection
• Check if the Instagram platform is down 
• Restart/update your Instagram app
• Reduce the number of emojis or stickers in your story
• Update your phone’s operating system

Following this protocol will resolve many of the most common upload failures.