Why Are My Instagram Story Views So Low?

If you want to grow your presence on Instagram, you should post Stories. The beauty of Instagram Stories is that they create a sense of urgency for your fans. In 24 hours, that Story will be gone, so you’d better view it quickly.

With that said, if you’ve been posting Instagram Stories recently, you may notice a small problem: many of your Stories aren’t getting the views they deserve. Why is this happening? This post aims to help you figure that out and get your Stories back on track!

How Instagram Story Views Are Influenced

First, it’s essential to know the factors that influence Story views. The algorithm is the king of influence on social media. It’ll show your Stories to your viewers based on several factors, such as engagement history, relevance to their interests, how recent the Story is, and more.

In other words, you need to create engaging content that your audience will be interested in. But that’s not all. Your views can also change depending on what type of content your Stories contain. If your Stories contain polls and quizzes, they may get more or fewer views than videos and static images.

One way to peer into your personal Story algorithm is to look at who is watching your videos.

How to See Who Viewed Your Story

Luckily, it’s simple to see who is viewing your Story. In the Instagram app, tap Your Story. This icon should be at the top left, represented by your own profile picture. You will then see the latest Story you have posted.

Swipe up. You will then see an Insights screen. Next to the graph icon is an icon consisting of the profiles of two people. Click that. This is who has viewed your Story.

Note that, like the Story itself, the viewer list will disappear after 24 hours unless you have archived it. So keep that in mind.

Why Are My Story Views Dropping?

Now, let’s try to answer the question. There may be several reasons you’re experiencing a drop in views, such as:

Your Content Feels Stale

No one likes hearing this, but your audience may grow bored if your Stories feature the same photos of your face or the same topics. Even if they signed up for a specific niche that you offer, they might grow bored if your content feels too repetitive. If they say, “Been there, done that,” they will retreat. 

Luckily, there are ways to mix it up without straying too far from your niche. Have a good mix of video, photo, quiz, and other formats. Try posting about side topics or niches that your audience may like. Cross-posting Story content from similar users can also mix up your Story content, and be a great way to collaborate.

Not Using Enough Hashtags or Location Tags

Your Instagram posts could benefit from a smart mix of hashtags, keywords, and location tags. If you’re traveling, check in with your location. Locals may be able to see your content this way. Use 3-5 hashtags relative to your niche. Mix in lower-competition and “viral” hashtags, along with a branded tag.

By experimenting with hashtags, you may notice a higher view count!

You’re Posting at the Wrong Times

This fact does not make sense due to Instagram Stories’ 24-hour nature. Even if you post at 3 AM, people can see it all day, right? That is correct, but Instagram prioritizes recency. If your Story is old news and your competition has posted recently, guess whose Story the algorithm is going to prioritize?

When you should post your Story largely depends on when your audience is the most active. Your Insights can help you pinpoint a time. If you don’t see those insights, you may want to post at times when the average person is active, such as after work or school.

Poor Engagement With Others

If you want engagement without engaging with others, remember that it goes both ways. You should like, comment on, and follow others. If people reply to your Story or comment on a post, like and reply.

You don’t need to spend all day engaging with others; we recommend taking 10-15 minutes a day to engage. If a post has gotten numbers, focus on the most interesting comments you have received.

Your Stories Don’t Have Enough Engaging Content to Them

Here’s a statistic: after the first three Stories, people have bounced. You want to ensure that your Story stands out.

Obviously, the “your content is too stale” advice applies here by mixing up the type of formats your Story has. Another way to encourage engagement is to have an attention-grabbing first slide. You may have a juicy story to tell or a fact that will shock your audience. Use the power of color, imagery, and good writing to get your audience’s attention.

You’ve Been Shadowbanned or Restricted

Shadowbanning occurs when a social media site does not give you a content violation or restrict your ability to use their site, but instead makes it so that you have limited reach. You can look at your reach in your Insights to get a good idea of whether you’re shadowbanned. There are also sites, such as Spikerz, that can determine if you are shadowbanned.

If you’ve been using bots, have lewd content, or are using words or hashtags that may promote or discuss controversial issues, you may get a shadowban. What those hashtags and words are can vary; if you have to second-guess what you’re about to post, you should refrain from posting or reword the hashtags. In addition, reviewing Instagram’s guidelines every year can help you be aware of any changes.

To remove a shadowban, remove any offending content, unlink any bots or apps you may have to your account, and message support if needed. Sometimes, you may need to start fresh if your shadowban isn’t getting removed.

Not Following Any Current Trends

Instagram always has something going on, from trending music to new features to take advantage of. Take some time each day to see what’s hot, especially in the niche you serve. Then, make content related to the trend. Your content doesn’t always have to be about chasing the trends, but some of it should be if you want to be on top.

Wrapping it Up

These are some reasons why your Story may not be getting the views it deserves. If you want to boost your views, there are some things you can do.

• Post consistently. Post a Story daily or at least three times a week. However, do not post too many Stories, as this can overwhelm your viewers and possibly hurt you in the algorithm.
• Mix it up. Use a mix of video, images, polls, quizzes, and boomerang Stories. If you post the same thing repeatedly, your audience may leave. Engagement stickers are one way to always keep your content fresh.
• Leverage trends. Don’t fall behind on what is hot on Instagram.
• See who’s viewing your Stories. This will help you determine the best types of content to post.
• Cross-promote and engage. If you’re not reposting other people’s stories or engaging with your audience, they won’t return the favor.

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