Instagram Stories Tricks: Best Way To Boost Engagement

So now that you know of all the best apps to create some exciting Story templates, you need to work on increasing engagement. For some, posting on Stories may come easy, but for others it can be a frustrating experience. If you’re one that often gets stuck, I would recommend building out a weekly editorial calendar, with Story ideas pre-planned, so you don’t have to try and think of them on the whim.

Even though it may take some upfront work, the benefit of boosting your engagement and building strong relationships with your followers will be well worth it. :)

So let’s go over some of my favorite ways to boost engagement:

1. Ask Questions that Require Feedback: The best way to interact with your audience is to ASK questions on your Insta Stories. For instance, you can ask your followers “what’s your favorite carry-on bag”? Or, “what’s the best travel story you have?” From there, you can screenshot their answers and then post them on your Stories, which shows that you connect with your audience as well as giving them a little shout out to make them feel special. Also, this allows you to get to know your followers better and make genuine connections. After all, isn’t that what social media is all about?

2. Utilize the Poll Function: The poll function is a quick and easy way to have your followers interact with you. It basically gives your followers the autonomy to make a decision. Also, you can post the results of your poll so you can showcase the ‘official’ decision.

3. Go Live: I know what you’re thinking, but believe me, it’s NOT so bad. Going live gives your audience the most authentic experience because there is NOTHING curated about it. Don’t worry about ‘messing up’ or not saying the right thing, because that is what will keep you genuine. Your audience wants to feel as though they’re just like you – flaws and all. Rumor has it that Instagram favors Live Videos so it may essentially help you with exposure too.

4. Go Live With a Blogger: Another way to get creative with Lives is to invite a fellow blogger to do them with you! This is the perfect way to transition into Lives because you’re not doing them alone.  Or, if you want to interview a fellow blogger about a special topic, it’s a great way to give your followers value and insights! This is one of my favorite Instagram Stories tips because not only are you providing engaging content for your followers but you’re building relationships with other people in the industry which is always a win!

5. Take Your Audience On a Journey: The good, bad and ugly. Don’t only show the highlights of your life, but reveal the things that people can relate to. For instance, missing your flight, or having lost bags – yes, it’s not fun but it’s all part of your journey, and it will keep your audience more enticed. Here’s a great example – a few months ago, I traveled to Costa Rica and lost my SD card with ALL MY CONTENT. It was by far the worse case scenario for a travel influencer. But guess what? I showcased the entire journey of losing my SD card, all the way through to finding it in a coffee plantation and having it mailed to me by the farmer who found it. The journey was real, captivating and it gave my audience insight into mishaps on my trip. Plus, I had a lot of DM’s from my followers who shared their sentiments with me.

6. GIFS: Using GIFs is a fun and simple way to keep your Stories entertaining. The more clever you can be, the more reactions you’ll receive from your audience.

7. Call to Action: One way to increase exposure to your posts is to create a call to action on your Stories. For instance, you can create a story that says “Check out my latest post” and it will drive your audience to see the latest photo you posted. Or, you can add a link to your latest blog post so they can easily swipe up to read your post.

8. Instagram Takeover: Instagram Takeovers are a great way to increase your visibility. For instance, if you can land a takeover for a huge travel account you will increase your exposure to more like-minded travelers. Additionally, you will most likely gain a lot more followers because you’re in the same niche.  Also, you can ask a fellow traveler to take over your account as well, to bring new content to your page.