Instagram stories let you create visually captivating, dynamic content to appeal to your audience. But is it even a good story, if it does not look or fit right? To enhance your story game you must know its size and dimensions. This will help you create appeal-worthy content that pleases your followers.
With the dynamic sphere of social media, it is crucial to stay updated on the right Instagram story size. This guide will tell you about the right Instagram story size & dimensions in 2023. So, say goodbye to awkwardly sized stories with us. Let’s begin!
What Are the Instagram Story Dimensions?
Instagram is particular about the story dimensions. Thus, you must get it right. The appropriate dimensions for the Instagram story are 1080×1920 pixels. The aspect ratio is 9:16. This means that the height is almost double the width.
It is important that whatever you post, photo or video, it is according to these dimensions. If it does not match it might be cropped or not appropriately displayed making your stories look unappealing.
Besides, your photo or video should not exceed 4 GB, or else you might face issues in uploading the story. If you are uploading videos, they should only be in supported formats, which are, MP4. and MOV particularly.
How Can I Create an Instagram Story?
Ever wondered how can I create an Instagram story? Well, it is very straightforward to create stories on the platform. We have made a step-by-step guide for you:
- Open Instagram and ensure you are logged in.
- On the homepage, you will see “Your Story” in the top left corner below your profile picture. Tap on it to create a story.
- Now either swipe up or tap on the “Camera icon” to choose the photo/ video you would like to upload.
- Adjust the background, and filters and, add stickers or gifs to make your story interesting. Once you are done tap on the “Share” or “>” arrow and voila!
Make sure to follow the dimensions and aspect ratio and make creative stories. You can use various tools on Instagram to create beautiful stories and your followers will love it.
Instagram Story Tips & Ideas
Stories are essential to engage with your audience and building a unique identity for yourself. However, it is not easy to make your stories stand out on the platform.
You need to strategically use tricks and methods to make them impressionable. Below are some Instagram story tips and ideas that will surely help you:
Call-to-Actions by Adding a Link
Call-to-action by adding a link is a proven effective marketing strategy that increases your user engagement on Instagram. It enables and prompts users to visit a link or website.
If you want to use the technique, create engaging stories and such links which prompt users to interact with your story and visit the link you provide.
Use appealing visuals and keep it straightforward and accessible. This will surely attract different users to your stories and your account.
Sneak Peeks and Behind-the-Scenes
Everybody on Instagram posts well-staged/created content. But what makes an account stand out is when they post sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes. It enables users to see the true picture and relate more to your created content. It adds a personal touch and helps you build a connection with your audience.
Instagram Story Polls
Instagram polls feature has been a hit since its launch. Users like to interact and vote for their choice and this leads to increased engagement. This way you can also gather valuable insight about your followers further helping you to create quality content.
So if you want to foster a strong connection with your community Instagram story polls are the feature to the rescue.
Displaying User-Generated Content and Brand Features
User reviews, interactions, and submissions are a good way to showcase your account in a good light. It further builds your reputation and loyalty leading to an increase in traffic on your page. You can ask your users for reviews, ask them questions, give them credit, and even feature their submissions.
All this is good for increasing interaction and building your brand. Besides, if you are getting featured in news, it is always best to post it on your story. This creates credibility and makes a good impression on your audience.
Use High-Quality Images/Videos
Everybody is a fan of HD and premium quality these days. Nobody wants to look at grainy content. To maintain the quality, follow the aspect ratio and story dimensions and you are good to go.
Adhere To Correct Dimensions
We cannot stress enough when we say that adhering to correct dimensions is extremely important. This ensures that story looks good and is properly optimized for the platform. If the dimensions are not followed, Instagram will crop the story or not display it properly making your followers lose interest.
Go Vertical
As per the aspect ratio of the stories, it is best to make them vertical. If it is horizontal it will not be as impactful and might irk the viewers.
Use Editing Apps
There are various editing apps that you can use to make stories more visually appealing. You can add graphics, effects, and transitions with great applications like Fotor, Canva, etc., and create professional stories.
Keep Files Within 30 MB
Larger files may pose errors in uploading and pose quality issues. So it’s best to keep files within 30 MB.
Instagram Story Mistakes to Avoid
If you learn the art of avoiding mistakes, your Instagram stories will stand out. This is essential to make them impactful. Here are some Instagram story mistakes you need to avoid-
Long and Redundant Stories
People rarely like to see irrelevant content especially when it comes to stories. Ensure you do not create long and redundant stories. For a single story the limit is 15 seconds so try to limit it., If you create multiple parts, users might not find it interesting and it might lead to losing the audience.
Too Much Promotion
Overpromoting on Instagram might be a turn-off and can have a negative impact. So minimize promoting brands and be creative even when you do it.
Excessive Text
On social media, people rarely like to read a lot. So we advise you to strictly avoid long paragraphs and leave that to the textbooks. Keep your text concise and play with words smartly to create catchy content.
Irrelevant Instagram Story Hashtags
Too many hashtags are not at all visually appealing and may minimize your visibility. Only use popular, relevant, and specific hashtags and limit them to 5-7 maximum and rarely 10 if you want. This will make your stories interesting.
Best Instagram Story Examples from Brands
HubSpot
Everybody knows about Hubspot’s strong Instagram presence. Their story giveaways, polls, surveys, etc. create engagement for the brand making them more successful.
Puma Women
Influencers and their marketing strategies have been taking Instagram by storm. So, puma collaborates with all famous influencers and celebrities and the latter features the former’s products on their accounts.
And we all know how big of an impact influencers have on our lives. This way Puma can reach a far and wide audience and increase its brand loyalty.
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes stands out by posting sneak peeks and shenanigans on their stories which makes the audience goes crazy about the brand. With its high-quality and engaging content, Mercedes surely knows how to reach its audience.
FAQs
Is an Instagram story 9:16?
Yes, the Instagram story is 9:16. This means that the height is 1.6 times the width which is almost double. If you don’t follow the ratio, the story will not look appealing.
What aspect ratio is Instagram?
The aspect ratio of the story on Instagram is 9:16. Keep this ratio in mind while creating content so that photos or videos do not get cropped.
Final Thoughts
Now you know all about creating stories and making them engaging. Well, it is surely not a cakewalk but if you do it correctly, your page and brand are sure to stand out.
With everything we have given in this guide, we are sure your stories will beat the others. So what are you waiting for? Pick your phone and start creating impactful stories. All the best!
