Tips for better instagram stories

We all know that guy or gal who goes all out when it comes to Instagram. You know the type - perfect feed aesthetic, beautifully edited photos, and of course, cool and unique Instagram stories. I mean, how do they make something as arbitrary as their morning coffee or a tree they passed on their way to work look so enticing?! Well lucky for you, we’ve been studying the art of Instagram stories and have rounded up some of our favorite tips so that you can get one step closer to being THAT Instagram b*tch.

1. Use an Instagram lens

If you already have a perfectly edited image that is ready to be posted, then go ahead and skip this step, but for a photo on the fly we recommend one of Instagram’s many lenses to elevate any photo. I’m not talking about bunny ears and face smoothing filters, people. Instagram has thousands of artistic filters that add cool elements like grain, a vintage overlay, a light flare, and more!

Here are some of our favorites:

1. Telek*TwoColor by ya.molli

2. Summertimes by robertobrendo

3. Orange by aksinyakc

4. Cream by ya.molli

5. Nude&Tiffany 2.0 by alinavelnikovskaya

If you’re wondering how to access these filters, here’s how:

..And if you see a friend using a filter you’d like to save, click on the effect under their name in the top left corner and hit save.

2. Get Creative With Text

Don’t limit yourself when it comes to the text you add to your story. Although instagram only has a few font choices, you can do a lot more with those fonts than you might expect! Here are a few ways to spice up boring font:

Add a background to the Classic, Typewriter, or Strong fonts to add color blocks. Pro tip: Add space before and/or after text to extend the block of color!

Create separate text blocks for each letter so that you aren’t confined to a straight line. Pro tip: Make each letter a different color for an ombre effect!

Overlap text for a 3D effect, or stack text to add dimension. Can you tell we like ombre?!

You can also mix and match fonts..

These are just a couple of quick examples, but there are so many things you can do with Instagram fonts! If you think outside the box and add your own unique touch, font can go a long way on your instagram stories!

3. Use the Pen & eraser Tool

Using the pen tool can add a lot of interest to your image. There are several things you can do with the pen tool, but here are a few examples of how we like to use this feature

Start by using the dropper tool to choose a cool color. You aren’t limited to the color instagram gives you. You can either pull a color from your image for a perfect match, or press and pull down on the color bar to choose a custom color.  

Add some sparkle or create a starry night using the glow pen..

Select a color, press and hold to fill the whole page, then erase where desired!

3. Have fun with stickers!

Stickers can cheapen a story depending on which you choose, but if you know which collections to search, you can find a ton of cute accent elements for your story.

Here is a list of some of our favorite sticker collections:

1. gladdest

2. vipapier

3. lizaproch

4. plantethics

You can also search for general elements like these:

1. Frame

2. Arrow

3. Tape

4. Line

We hope these tips inspire you to go out and make awesome Instagram stories, and if you are looking for more inspiration, we recommend searching “Instagram stories” on pinterest for tons of ideas! Happy Instagramming!