Instagram Stories: What They Are and How to Make One Like a Pro

 These days, social media is all about documentation.

Where you go, what you eat and drink, who you see, and what's most memorable: These are the typical fodder of Instagram Stories -- seconds-long glimpses of people's lives, shared on Instagram for only 24 hours.

Click here to access a month's worth of Instagram tips & free templates.

Below, we've created a guide for you to learn what Instagram Stories are, how to share them with your followers, and how to make sure those Stories are exactly what your audience wants to see. In this post, we'll cover the following. Feel free to click on a bullet point below to jump to that section of the article.

What are Instagram Stories?

How do Instagram Stories work?

How long are Instagram Stories?

How to view Instagram Stories

How to Make an Instagram Story

How to Use Instagram Stories for Business

Instagram Stories Tricks and Hacks for Awesome Instagram Stories

What are Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories allow Instagram users to share photos and videos to their "Story" -- which is visible to followers of the user's Instagram account -- and to specific users the Story's sender follows. Like in Snapchat, Instagram Stories are ephemeral, meaning they disappear after 24 hours.

Your Instagram Story is published separately from the photos and videos found in the tiled gallery of one's Instagram profile. And although you might know the basics of sharing them, there are hidden tools within the app that can make the photos and videos you add to your Story more creative and engaging.

FREE RESOURCE