When to use stories, reels or feed posts

Why we love Instagram and all of it's content formats; and when to embrace each.

reels: simple videos that can be created in-app, reels are great for;

  • Entertaining and brand storytelling

  • Tutorials or value-added content

  • Trending content (participating in trending audio or content to increase reach)

  • Discoverability (with a dedicated Explore page which again helps with reach)

stories: with their short life span, stories are great for;

  • Behind the scenes content (unpolished, authentic and casual content that brings your brand to life)

  • Timely updates (time-sensitive announcements like flash sales)

  • Interactive content (polls, quizzes, questions & swipe up links)

  • Product demos (inspired by daily life)

posts: a permanent place for your content, posts are great for;

  • Brand storytelling through a curated feed.

  • Polished content (campaigns, lifestyle imagery and high quality visuals)

  • Evergreen content (‘always on’ or doesn’t date)

  • Context (use longform copy to support visuals)

  • Hashtags (relevant hashtags will support discoverability)


We recommend an approach that embraces all three - more is more when it comes to content. Bear in mind the algorithm’s prioritisation of reels, stories, and carousel posts (in that order). Finally, test, test, and test again - experiment with each and learn what your audience interacts most with to guide your content mix. 

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