Stories were launched on Instagram back in August of 2016, but there are still TONS of lingering questions out there so without further ado, here is the 4-1-1 on all things stories.

First things first…What are Instagram Stories?

Instagram stories are “magical” posts of short videos (up to 15 seconds) or photos that after 24 hours, POOF! disappear. These stories are visible to the user’s followers and can even be sent to specific followers.

Where can I find Instagram Stories & how can I view them?

These stories don’t live within the traditional, tiled-grid profile. Stories are published separately. Your story and the stories of those you follow can be found above your “Home” (house icon) feed within their profile photo. Having a colorful circle around the profile photo means there is a story you haven’t viewed. A white circle means there isn’t a story or you have already viewed it.

P.S.A. Instagram stories are NOW available for viewing through the desktop website.

What else I should know about Stories?

• As mentioned above, story videos can be up to 15 seconds BUT they can continue with another follow up video allowing you to complete your message.

• Your past stories can be reviewed after the 24-hour time period by only you

• Story highlights are great ways to keep your story content alive past the 24-hour mark.

Why are Stories Successful?

Although Instagram Stories are only available for 24 hours, they are driving TONS of engagement! A total of 250 million users are utilizing stories, surpassing Snapchat. Stories have also increased the number of minutes spent on the app by nearly 10 minutes every day.

Need assistance to make your Instagram stories shine? Let’s get started!

For more information on Instagram, read my Instagram blog series, including The Real Deal about Instagram Reels.