Instagram continues to prevail in the vibrant social media environment where every swipe tells a visual story. The platform, which brings innovation to the way of communication with its many features, stands out, especially with its posts and stories. However, these “Instagram Post vs Story” features have become a puzzle for many and we are preparing to solve this puzzle.
Let’s dive into the bits and pieces of Instagram stories and posts and discover an unequivocal way to use them for your brands and social media strategy tactics.
Instagram Stories vs Feed Posts: What is the Difference?
While at the core of each feature that Instagram offers stands images and videos, there are clear differences between them – especially between Instagram posts and stories. Additionally, the difference doesn’t just lie in their functions but also in how a business uses them to interact with Instagram users – whether it’s through comments or intending to gain more views – and shape their content strategy.
So, before deciding on an Instagram post vs story argument, it’s essential to understand the functions and benefits of these interactive features.
Instagram Story: Fleeting Content Brings More Engagement
Instagram stories are bite-sized content that gives users less than 15 seconds of time to interact with their target audiences. They stand around for a day as timely content and disappear from the profile forever unless you include them in an organized highlight.
In other words, they are the perfect tool for a more casual approach to embarrass yourself with a short video or a series of photos and act like it never happened after a day. That is also the reason even major brands use Instagram stories to go out of their aesthetic boxes and give their existing followers a glimpse of behind-the-scenes content, real-time updates (such as short-term discounts), their attempt to try the latest trends, share links and anything else that doesn’t fit in their Instagram feed photos.
It’s essential to mention, however, that Instagram stories encourage a more authentic and spontaneous connection with your target group. As you can use interactive elements like polls or questions and add filters to your story post, they tend to draw more engagement than Instagram feed posts.
You can also see who viewed your stories – unless they use Story Viewer on Instagram which enables users to view content anonymously.
Instagram Posts: Highly Curated Feed Content
Unlike stories, Instagram posts provide a more extensive reach for brands and often are tailored based on brand goals and audience preferences. They are the most used feature of the Instagram app – whether it’s single-image posts or carousel posts – and often stand at the center of digital strategies to reach new audiences while also understanding current followers’ sounds.
These posts – both photos and videos – stay around for a longer period, which means unless you delete them, they will stay in your feed. This is why, businesses use Instagram posts to deliver longer messages, their brand goals, product or service information, or campaigns to gain new followers.
Yet, Instagram feed posts don’t offer flexibility as much as stories do. That means you can’t just share random images or video content. Feed content includes a square photo so you need to do research about image sizes before sharing content.
On the good side, you can get engagement through not only likes and views but also through comments and engage with your audience by replying to them on your post.
Choosing Between the Two: The Best Option for a Business Account
Choosing between Instagram stories and posts might be a challenge for a business if they don’t understand the behavior and preferences of users on the platform. In general, however, the winner of Instagram post vs story depends on the targeted audience and overall business goals.
If you already have existing followers on your Instagram account, you can analyze their preferences to understand what kind of Instagram content they prefer to engage with. You can use the platform’s analytical tools to get a better idea about your followers’ demographics, and see which content of yours performed better – whether it’s an Instagram story or a feed post.
This information about your post can help you adjust your Instagram strategy and create more polished content – also make an informed decision for an Instagram post vs story dilemma.
The Disadvantages of Using Instagram Stories and Posts
Just like other features of Instagram, there are disadvantages when you use Instagram stories and posts as well.
For Instagram stories, as they disappear after a while, uploading content that you wish to have a longer visibility can be a dangerous move. If users don’t catch your stories in time, the posts may go unnoticed and not serve their purpose. Additionally, while using interactive elements brings engagement, overly use of them might create a negative impression of the brand.
For Instagram posts, on the other hand, there are a few factors that affect the visibility and the first one is the ever-changing Instagram algorithm. You always need to keep up to date to adjust your posts accordingly. You also need to deal with time-consuming post creation and less visibility of older posts on your account.
However, with the right strategy for your Instagram content, you can effectively build your presence on the platform while reaching your targeted audience.
FAQs
Here are the commonly asked questions about posting stories and posts:
Can Users, Unlike Instagram Stories?
Yes, they can, unlike posts you share as stories. However, only you can see their engagement with your Instagram story.
Which is Better to Gain New Followers: Instagram Stories or Posts?
Both depend on the strategy you follow such as your posting schedule, what kind of post you are creating, and how you encourage the audience to engage with your posts. You also need to know the methods to utilize such as Instagram SEO both for posts and stories to increase your content visibility.
Can You Use Both Instagram Stories and Feed Posts for a Brand?
Yes, you can use both Instagram posts and stories for your brand. For example, you can share behind-the-scenes, selfie videos, or someone’s feed posts, videos, or stories as a story and create your own content or video to share as Instagram posts on your feed. You can divide your content based on how it aligns with your brand personality.
We hope you found this article helpful. If you want to keep exploring emerging fashion trends, be sure to check out our popular blog post on the Top Latina Instagram Models to Follow in 2024!
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
