Instagram has transformed how we share and consume content, and one of its standout features is Instagram Story Highlights. If you’re wondering, “What are Instagram Story Highlights?” you’re not alone. These curated collections of Stories allow users to showcase their best moments beyond the 24-hour lifespan of regular Stories, making them a powerful tool for personal branding, business promotion, and creative expression. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what Instagram Story Highlights are, how they work, why they matter, and how to use them effectively to engage your audience. Whether you’re a casual user, influencer, or business owner, this article will help you master Highlights to elevate your Instagram presence.
What Are Instagram Story Highlights?
Instagram Story Highlights are saved collections of Instagram Stories that appear on your profile, displayed as circular icons below your bio. Unlike regular Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, Highlights remain visible indefinitely until you choose to remove them. They allow you to curate and organize your best Stories into themed collections, making it easy for visitors to explore your content at their own pace.
For example, a travel blogger might create Highlights for “Europe Trip,” “Food Adventures,” or “Hiking Spots,” while a business might use Highlights to showcase “Products,” “Customer Reviews,” or “Behind the Scenes.” Highlights are accessible to anyone viewing a public profile or to approved followers for private accounts, making them a versatile way to share evergreen content.
Key Features of Instagram Story Highlights
- Permanent Display: Highlights stay on your profile until you delete them, unlike Stories’ 24-hour limit.
- Customizable Covers: You can create custom icons or images for each Highlight to make them visually appealing.
- Organized Categories: Group Stories into themed collections (e.g., “Events,” “Tutorials”) for easy navigation.
- No View Tracking After 48 Hours: While Instagram tracks Story views for 48 hours, Highlight views after this period are anonymous.
- Editable Content: You can add, remove, or rearrange Stories in a Highlight at any time.
Understanding “What are Instagram Story Highlights?” is the first step to leveraging them for your personal or professional goals. Let’s dive into why they’re so valuable.
Why Are Instagram Story Highlights Important?
Instagram Story Highlights offer unique benefits for users, influencers, and businesses alike. Here’s why they matter:
1. Extend the Life of Your Stories
Regular Stories disappear after 24 hours, but Highlights let you preserve your best content indefinitely. This ensures that key moments, promotions, or announcements remain accessible to new and returning followers.
2. Showcase Your Brand or Personality
Highlights act as a digital portfolio, giving visitors a quick snapshot of who you are or what your brand offers. For businesses, they can highlight products, services, or customer testimonials. For individuals, they can showcase hobbies, achievements, or lifestyle.
3. Improve Profile Organization
By grouping Stories into themed Highlights, you make it easier for visitors to find relevant content. This is especially useful for businesses or influencers with diverse offerings, as it creates a structured, user-friendly profile.
4. Boost Engagement
Highlights can drive engagement by keeping followers on your profile longer. For example, a well-curated Highlight with engaging content (e.g., tutorials, Q&As) encourages viewers to interact with your posts or send DMs.
5. Support Business Goals
For businesses, Highlights are a marketing tool to showcase products, share customer reviews, or provide FAQs. They can also drive traffic to your website or e-commerce store if you have the “Swipe Up” feature (available to accounts with 10,000+ followers or verified status).
6. Build Trust and Credibility
Highlights like “Testimonials” or “About Us” can build trust by showcasing social proof or your brand’s story. For example, a fitness coach might use a Highlight to display client transformations, proving their expertise.
How to Create Instagram Story Highlights
Now that you know “What are Instagram Story Highlights?” let’s walk through how to create and manage them. The process is straightforward and can be done directly in the Instagram app.
Step 1: Create or Save a Story
To add a Story to a Highlight, you first need to post it or have it saved in your Story Archive:
- Post a Story: Open Instagram, tap the camera icon or swipe right, and create a Story using photos, videos, text, stickers, or filters. Post it to your Story.
- Enable Story Archive: Ensure your Stories are automatically saved to your archive. Go to Settings > Privacy > Story > Save Story to Archive and toggle it on.
Step 2: Add a Story to a Highlight
Once a Story is posted or archived:
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the + New button in the Highlights section (below your bio).
- Select one or more Stories from your archive or current Story.
- Tap Next, then give your Highlight a name (up to 15 characters, e.g., “Travel” or “Shop Now”).
- Choose a cover image by selecting a frame from the Story or uploading a custom image.
- Tap Add (iOS) or Done (Android) to save the Highlight to your profile.
Step 3: Customize Your Highlight
To make your Highlights visually appealing:
- Edit the Cover: Tap the three dots on the Highlight, select Edit Highlight, and choose a new cover image or upload one from your camera roll. Use tools like Canva to create branded cover icons.
- Rename the Highlight: Update the name to reflect the content (e.g., “FAQs” or “Events”).
- Add or Remove Stories: In the Edit Highlight menu, add new Stories or remove outdated ones.
Step 4: Organize Your Highlights
Arrange Highlights to prioritize the most important ones:
- Place key Highlights (e.g., “Shop” or “About”) on the left, as they appear first.
- Limit the number of Highlights (ideally 5–10) to avoid overwhelming visitors.
- Group related content into a single Highlight to keep your profile clean.
Tip: Use consistent cover designs (e.g., same color scheme or font) to create a cohesive look that aligns with your brand.
Best Practices for Using Instagram Story Highlights
To make the most of Instagram Story Highlights, follow these best practices to engage your audience and enhance your profile:
1. Curate Content Strategically
Choose Stories that reflect your brand or personality and resonate with your audience. For example:
- Businesses: Highlight products, customer reviews, tutorials, or promotions.
- Influencers: Showcase collaborations, daily routines, or fan Q&As.
- Раскажи историю своей компании или поделитесь личными достижениями.
2. Use Engaging Visuals
Highlights are visual, so prioritize high-quality images, videos, and graphics. Use Instagram’s built-in tools (stickers, filters, text) or external apps like Canva or Adobe Express to create eye-catching content.
3. Keep Highlights Short and Focused
Each Highlight should tell a concise story. Aim for 5–15 Stories per Highlight, with each Story lasting 5–15 seconds. Avoid overloading a single Highlight with too many clips, as this can overwhelm viewers.
4. Add Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Encourage engagement by including CTAs in your Highlights, such as “Swipe Up to Shop,” “DM for Details,” or “Comment Below.” If you have 10,000+ followers, add links to drive traffic to your website or products.
5. Update Regularly
Keep your Highlights fresh by adding new Stories and removing outdated ones. For example, update a “Promotions” Highlight with current deals or a “Travel” Highlight with your latest trips.
6. Use Descriptive Names
Choose clear, descriptive names for your Highlights (e.g., “Menu” for a restaurant, “Workouts” for a fitness coach). This helps visitors quickly find the content they’re interested in.
7. Leverage Analytics
Check your Highlight views (available for 48 hours after posting) via Insights (for business or creator accounts). Analyze which Highlights perform best and adjust your content strategy accordingly.
Tip: Test different Highlight formats (e.g., tutorials vs. behind-the-scenes) to see what resonates most with your audience.
Ideas for Instagram Story Highlights
Need inspiration? Here are creative ideas for Instagram Story Highlights based on your account type:
For Businesses
- Products/Services: Showcase your offerings with demos, pricing, or customer testimonials.
- Behind the Scenes: Share your team, workspace, or production process to humanize your brand.
- FAQs: Answer common customer questions (e.g., shipping policies, return process).
- Promotions: Highlight current deals, discounts, or limited-time offers.
- Customer Reviews: Feature positive feedback or user-generated content to build trust.
For Influencers
- Collaborations: Highlight brand partnerships or sponsored content.
- Daily Life: Share snippets of your routine, like morning workouts or meal prep.
- Q&As: Answer follower questions to boost engagement.
- Events: Document events, meetups, or conferences you attend.
- Tips/Tutorials: Share expertise (e.g., makeup tutorials, fitness tips).
For Personal Accounts
- Travel: Curate Stories from trips or vacations.
- Hobbies: Showcase your passions, like cooking, gaming, or art.
- Milestones: Highlight achievements, such as graduations or birthdays.
- Pets: Create a dedicated Highlight for your furry friends.
- Family/Friends: Share moments with loved ones (if privacy allows).
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Instagram Story Highlights
To ensure your Highlights are effective, avoid these pitfalls:
- Overloading Highlights: Too many Highlights or Stories can overwhelm viewers. Stick to 5–10 Highlights with concise content.
- Generic Covers: Use custom cover images to make your profile visually appealing, not default Story frames.
- Outdated Content: Remove old promotions or irrelevant Stories to keep your Highlights relevant.
- Ignoring Analytics: If you have a business account, use Insights to track performance and refine your strategy.
- Inconsistent Branding: Ensure your Highlights align with your overall aesthetic (e.g., colors, fonts) for a professional look.
How to View and Engage with Others’ Highlights
Understanding “What are Instagram Story Highlights?” also involves knowing how to interact with them as a viewer. Here’s how:
- Accessing Highlights: Visit a profile and tap the circular icons below the bio. Public profiles are accessible to everyone; private profiles require you to be a follower.
- Anonymous Viewing: To view Highlights anonymously, wait 48 hours after the Story was posted (no view tracking after this period), use Airplane Mode, or try third-party tools like AnonyIG for public profiles.
- Engaging: You can react to Highlights via DMs (e.g., with emojis) or share them with others (if enabled by the account owner).
Tip: If researching competitors or public figures, save or screenshot relevant Highlights for reference, but respect copyright and privacy.
FAQs About Instagram Story Highlights
What are Instagram Story Highlights, and how are they different from Stories?
Instagram Story Highlights are saved collections of Stories that stay on your profile indefinitely, unlike regular Stories, which disappear after 24 hours. Highlights are displayed as circular icons below your bio and can be organized into themed categories.
Can anyone see my Instagram Story Highlights?
For public accounts, anyone can view your Highlights. For private accounts, only approved followers can see them.
How long do Instagram Story Highlights last?
Highlights remain on your profile until you delete them, unlike Stories, which last 24 hours.
Can I see who viewed my Instagram Story Highlights?
You can see viewers for 48 hours after a Story is posted to a Highlight (via Insights for business/creator accounts). After 48 hours, views are not tracked.
How many Stories can I add to a Highlight?
There’s no strict limit, but Instagram recommends keeping Highlights concise (5–15 Stories) for better viewer engagement.
Can I edit or delete Instagram Story Highlights?
Yes, tap the three dots on a Highlight to edit its name, cover, or Stories, or to delete it entirely.
Advanced Tips for Instagram Story Highlights
For those looking to take their Highlights to the next level:
- Use Highlight Covers for Branding: Create custom icons using tools like Canva with your brand’s colors and logo for a polished look.
- Incorporate Interactive Elements: Add polls, quizzes, or question stickers to older Stories before saving them to Highlights to boost engagement.
- Link to External Content: If you have 10,000+ followers, use the “Swipe Up” feature to link to your website, blog, or shop.
- Cross-Promote Highlights: Share a new Highlight to your Story or feed to alert followers and drive views.
- Archive Strategically: Save all Stories to your archive to have a library of content to pull from when creating or updating Highlights.
Conclusion
Instagram Story Highlights are a powerful feature for showcasing your best content, organizing your profile, and engaging your audience. By understanding “What are Instagram Story Highlights?” and following the steps and best practices outlined above, you can create compelling, visually appealing Highlights that reflect your brand or personality. Whether you’re a business promoting products, an influencer sharing your journey, or a casual user curating memories, Highlights offer endless possibilities to connect with your audience.
Start experimenting with Highlights today—create themed collections, design custom covers, and track performance to refine your strategy. Have you used Instagram Story Highlights to elevate your profile? Share your tips or favorite Highlight ideas in the comments below!