How to Create Instagram Story Highlights
Remember how much time and money you invested in your photos and website?
Well... it’s time to start treating your social media the same way.
“Instagram is the New Google.
Your Smartphone = The New TV.”
Especially for younger audiences, Instagram is becoming your first impression—replacing your Google search results and website homepage.
Instagram Stories (short 15-second slides that expire in 24 hours) have seen a huge increase in popularity.
Why? Because audiences on social media are craving authenticity! Your audience wants to connect with you in a real way. They want to meet you as a real person, not just see your polished posts/productions, or have you be an elusive public figure!
Don’t be afraid to take them behind-the-scenes and show them more of your daily life, work, and work-in-process! Use your voice. Share your thoughts. Share your outfits! It’s up to you. 💗
But how do you leverage the time and energy you invest in creating these fun, authentic, and engaging Instagram Stories—especially since they expire after 24 hours?!
Introducing Instagram Story Highlights ✨
Want those cool bubbles when someone lands on your profile? Of course you do! It’s a great way to give your stories everlasting life! 😇
Before you just start adding a bunch of random things to your profile (or your first impression for many audiences), let’s start with a bit of digital strategy and sexy design, yes?
Step 1. Strategize Menu with Analytics and Offerings 🍽
Think of your Instagram Story Highlights as a visual menu or catalog for your audience—not a personal scrapbook for you.
Much like your website, visitors want to know what you can offer them. And don’t get it twisted… they really want to know about your personal life, too! 😉
“Honor your past.
Present your present.
Design OUR future!”
Strategy starts with analysis! What does your audience “like” the most? Take the note!
To get official Instagram Insights, you’ll need to upgrade to an Instagram Business or Creator Account. This will allow you to see your Analytics quickly and easily. If you’re only on a Personal Account, you’ll have to poke around a bit to see the top likes, video videos, and most comments.
Beyond social analytics, think about your website’s navigation. How have you outlined the categories of what you do on your website? How can you model that here on Instagram?
Some recommended Instagram Story Highlights for artists and creators:
About
BTS (or the individual titles of your shows)
Portfolio (or your work categories, such as musical theatre, writing, voiceover, etc.)
Q&A or FAQ
Students or Results
Travel (or the individual tittles of locations)
Step 2. Design CUSTOM THUMBNAILS 🎨
Want pretty bubbles on your profile? Of course you do… and your audience probably does do!
If you go for custom thumbnails (much like the beauty of custom thumbnails on IGTV, YouTube, or Facebook Watch), use Canva or Over to create your graphics. There are templates waiting on these FREE apps. You can do this… dive in and start creating! For awesome royalty-free images, check out Unsplash. Check out NounProject for free icons—or feel free to keep it social and use fun emojis on a colorful background! 👌🦄🧞♂️
All of these tools (and sooooo many more) are in my FREE Resource Rolodex available here.
Step 3: Create your Instagram Story Highlights. 🤩
To add a story to a highlight:
Go to your profile and tap Story Highights below your username and bio. Tap the +.
Select the story (or stories) you want to add to highlights by checking the circle in the upper right corner, then tap Next.
Choose a compelling thumbnail. You can simply choose a thumbnail from one of the stories to fit in the bubble, or upload a custom graphic from your camera roll. Survey says… go for pretty graphics!
Enter a short headline for your highlight. You have limited space, so go for clear and concise. I would only use emojis (or icons) in your custom thumbnail.
Tap Add (iPhone) or Done (Android).
Add more photos or videos to your highlight at any time! Simply tap and hold on the highlight and then select Edit Highlight.
PRO TIP #1: Controlling Your Order of Stories
For now, Story Highlights are in chronological order. If you want to control the order of the Story Highlights or bubbles, start with the last category and finish by creating the first category. 🙃 If you want to bump something back to the #1 position, such as “About Me,” you’ll need to add a Story, and then you can remove it. Voila! Your #1 Story Highlight was the one that was most recently edited.
PRO TIP #2: Controlling Your Transitions
If you want people to see a custom title slide (the graphic photo or video you’ve designed) as it moves from one category into the next, you’ll want to share those first, and then add stories in those categories from that day onward.
This tip is really for people getting started. If you already have Story Highlights, don’t think you need to burn down the house and build again. Just optimize your bubble menu and apply this strategy to NEW categories. If you’re fine with the default title slide (I am!), you can simply go into your archives and add past stories. Otherwise, start with your title slides and one example from each category, then keep sharing Instagram Stories and highlight what you want!
There’s no “right” or “wrong” here, but I wanted to share that tip with you! If you’re brand new to Story Highlights, perhaps your story today could look a little something like:
BEGINNING: go on camera, greet your audience and let them know you’re taking your story game up a notch, and here’s what they can expect from you...
MIDDLE:
Upload the graphics you’ve created! Share the text headlines inside each story—I wouldn’t just share icons.
Play with motion (such as GIFS) or fun stickers (such as sliders or polls) to make it more engaging. Have FUN and add some personality! 💋
Don’t be afraid to share an example or two for each category, such as a few concert clips, rehearsal photos, throwback or family photos, etc.
END: Close with some sort of engagement. Consider asking a question, such as, “Did I miss anything?” or “What do YOU want to see?” or “What are your categories?”
Step 4: Share Your Work! 🚀
“Perhaps it’s time to upload some childhood photos, production stills, video clips to Instagram?”
Do NOT worry about doing this “right” or “wrong.” Do it your own way! You can have as many or as little highlights as you want. Just work to add a little more strategy and design as you share your story through Instagram Stories!
Tag me or DM @TonyHowell so that I can see your work.
