It’s no secret that an Instagram account is a great platform for building relationships with potential customers. But what about the people who have already taken the leap and followed you? How can you turn those one-time viewers into lifelong fans?
The key is to engage with them on a regular basis, and one way to do that is by creating engaging Instagram stories.
However, just like with posts, it’s not as simple as just making a story and calling it a day. You need to know how to use the platform’s different features to your advantage, and that’s where Instagram story viewer comes in.
TLDR Summary — The Lowdown on the Instagram Story Viewer
What is an Instagram Story Viewer?
There’s no doubt that Instagram stories are one of the most popular features on the social media platform. But who exactly are the viewers?
Well, they’re a diverse group, to say the least. There are the friends and followers who always make sure to watch your stories, even if they don’t necessarily interact with your posts.
Then there are the lurking individuals who you may not even know are following you, but who take the time to view your Instagram stories on a regular basis.
And of course, let’s not forget about the bots and fake accounts that seem to be everywhere on Instagram these days. Whether you love them or hate them, Instagram story viewers come in all shapes and sizes.
Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Story?
Yes, but only if you’re the one who posted it. Once your story is up and live, you will start collecting story views over the next 24 hours it’s available.
Unlike Instagram videos, which show a total view count and not the names of the individuals who viewed each video, Instagram chooses to let you know exactly who has taken a look at your stories.
Can You See Who Views your Instagram Stories After 24 Hours?
So, you’ve just posted an absolutely killer story and you’re dying to know who’s seen it. The good news is that you can see who’s viewed your Story after it’s been posted… but there’s a catch.
You can only view who has seen your Stories up to 48 hours after you post them. After that, the Instagram story views will disappear and you’ll have to wait until your next Story to get a fresh batch of engagement data.
Can People View My IG Story and not Appear on the Instagram Story Viewer List?
There are a few ways that a viewer can hide their view for you. If they blocked you, if they turn off their internet connection, or if they use an Instagram viewer.
If any of these methods are used, you will not be able to see that user on your list of story viewers.
Third-Party Instagram Story Viewers
These new-fangled mobile apps have taken the Instagram world by storm. If you ever wanted to view a story incognito, now is your chance.
These third-party apps let you view a story without the person knowing. Obviously, this defeats the purpose of stories being a temporary photo or video, but it also gives you some anonymity.
Instagram Story Viewer Order
If you’re an Instagram user, you’ve probably noticed that the order of who views your stories is different every time you open it up. And if you’re a business owner, you may be wondering why this is and how it could be useful to you.
Here’s the thing: Instagram story viewer order is determined by the Instagram algorithm that takes into account factors like recency, frequency, and timing.
So, while it may not be immediately apparent, the order does actually have meaning. And for businesses, that meaning can be invaluable.
By understanding who is viewing your stories and in what chronological order, you can get insights into things like what content is resonating with your intended audience and who your most interacting users are.
This information can then be used to inform your marketing strategy and help you better connect with your target audience.
How Does Instagram Sort Story Viewers?
Instagram is notoriously secretive about its algorithms. This extends to the algorithm it uses to create the Instagram story viewer order.
While there are some general theories about how Instagram sorts your story viewer order (including a chronological theory and a reverse chronological order theory), nobody really knows for sure.
Some believe that it is based on interactions between users, such as who views your stories most frequently or who you interact with the most in general.
Others believe that Instagram looks at things like how long you spend viewing a story or how often you respond to someone’s story.
Ultimately, though, we can only speculate because Instagram isn’t telling.
What Does Instagram Story View Order Mean?
If you’re running a business, then Instagram story views are very important.
Thanks to the story view list, you can not only see who viewed your story, but you can also take advantage of the order of viewers.
The chronological order indicates who is the most interested in your content, so you can tailor your future marketing efforts towards specific people.
How to Take Advantage of the Instagram Story Viewers Order
As a business owner, it’s important to understand how to take advantage of the Instagram Story viewers list.
This list can be a valuable tool for outreach efforts that marketers leverage. Here are some tips on how to use the list to your advantage:
Engaging with High-Ranked Instagram Story Viewers
There’s no doubt that Instagram stories are a powerful engagement tool – but what’s the best way to get the most out of them?
One effective strategy is to interact with the viewers that are given a high Instagram rank. By regularly engaging with these top viewers, you can create a strong sense of connection and build deeper relationships with them.
Here are a few ideas for how to do this:
- Send them direct messages: Thank them for watching your stories and let them know you appreciate their support.
- Feature them in your stories: Take advantage of Instagram’s tagging feature to give your top viewers a shout-out in your stories.
- Collaborate with them: If you’re both creative types, consider teaming up on a project. For example, you could create a joint Instagram story or even create engaging content together.
By building deeper relationships with your high-ranked viewers, you can turn them into loyal fans and followers who will help amplify your message.
Engaging with Lower-Ranked Instagram Story Viewers
While it’s true that the vast majority of Instagram users never get past the Explore page, there’s still value in engaging with lower-ranked viewers on your stories.
For one thing, it shows that you’re interested in connecting with a wider range of people, not just those who are already following you.
By taking the time to connect with lower-ranked viewers, you can make a lasting impression and potentially attract some new fans.
Instagram Highlight Viewer
As an Instagram user, you’re probably familiar with highlights. Highlights are a collection of stories that you can save and share with others.
They’re a great way to show off your best content and keep your followers engaged. But did you know that you can also see who viewed your highlights?
And it’s not just a one-time thing – the list renews itself every 48 hours, so you can keep track of who is regularly checking out your highlights.
10 Ways to Get More Story Views on Instagram
Knowing how to get information out of the viewer order list is one thing, but knowing how to expand that list is another.
Here are a few key ways to get more people checking out your Instagram story highlights:
Create High-Quality Content
Seems pretty obvious, right? But it’s true – the better your content is, the more likely people are to want to check it out.
Make sure your Instagram stories are well-edited and engaging, and you’ll see more people viewing them.
Post Stories Consistently on the Instagram App
Since stories disappear after a short 24-hour period, it can be easy to forget to post them at all.
But if you want people to actually see your content, you need to post consistently.
One way to do this is to set daily or weekly reminders for yourself to post new content.
Engage Users with Instagram Story Stickers
A great way to facilitate Instagram engagement on your stories is to use story stickers.
These are interactive elements that you can add to your stories, such as polls, quizzes, and emoji sliders.
By using these stickers, you can encourage your followers to interact with your content in a fun and easy way.
Use Location Stickers and Geotags in your Instagram Story
Geotagging your Instagram stories can help you get more views, and even lead to some new followers!
When you add a location sticker to your story, it becomes part of a curated collection of photos and videos from that location. If someone clicks on the location sticker, they’ll see all the public stories from that spot.
Edit Photos/Videos before Sharing in Instagram Stories
Before you add visual cues, you can edit it to make it look just the way you want.
It may seem like learning how to change background color on Instagram story is not time well spent, but all evidence points otherwise.
Professionally edited content will make your stories more visually interesting and help you get more story views.
Know the Best Posting Times to Reach Your Target Audience
People are creatures of habit, and that includes when they’re using social media platforms. So if you want to get more Instagram story views, it’s important to post them when your target audience is most likely to be online.
Mention Other Instagram Users
Mentioning other users in your Instagram stories is a great way to get more views. When you mention someone, their username appears in your story and they get a notification.
This encourages them to view your story and maybe even share it with their followers.
Include Hashtags in Your Instagram Stories
Hashtags are a great way to get your stories in front of more people.
When you use a hashtag in your story, it becomes clickable and anyone who clicks on it will see all the other stories that have used that same hashtag.
Keep Your Instagram Stories Aligned with Your Brand Voice
This is a great tip for any aspect of brand-building on Instagram. When you’re creating your stories, make sure they align with the overall voice and aesthetic of your brand.
This will make your stories more cohesive and on-brand, and as a result, more memorable to your audience.
Convert Your Stories to Highlights
Some stories are meant to be shared only once, but others are worth saving and sharing for a longer period of time.
If you have stories that you want to keep visible on your Instagram profile page for more than 24 hours, you can convert them into highlights.
Instagram Story Viewers FAQ
How Popular is the Instagram Story Feature?
Extremely popular is an understatement. It was recently revealed that this format boasts an impressive 500 million daily users.
Was there an Instagram Stories Algorithm Change Recently?
It’s debatable, as many users claim that there was an Instagram algorithm change back in 2021, and others say that there’s been one since.
Do Stories Appear on the Instagram App in Chronological Order?
Not necessarily, like with most aspects of Instagram, our behavior is a large influential factor when it comes to the chronological order of content displayed on our stories feed.
Do I Get More Views when Someone Watches My Stories Multiple Times?
Yes, but you won’t know who it was. The only indication that your story was viewed several times by the same person is that the view number doesn’t equal the user number.
How do I appear at the top of my followers’ feeds?
There is no one answer to this question, as the secret algorithm that Instagram introduced is constantly changing and evolving.
However, some things that you can do to increase your number of profile visits include posting regularly, using relevant hashtags, and tagging other users in your Instagram posts.
Final Thoughts: Instagram Story Viewer and Your Success
While the Instagram story viewer can be a helpful tool to see who has viewed your particular story, it is important to remember that it is not the only factor in determining your success on the platform.
There are many ways in which you can make your content appear at the top of your followers’ feeds, and ultimately it is up to you to use the Instagram story viewer as one crazy online business tool amongst many to help you grow your Instagram account.
