TLDR: Our recommendation when growing your Instagram account with Plixi, is to focus on creating engaging content with Stories. Posts are great and still important, but in 2022, viral growth and engagement is primarily generated via Stories.
Instagram posts and Instagram Stories both appear on the same platform, but they’re extremely different from one another.
Differences and Similarities of Instagram Posts and Instagram Stories
Instagram posts are the bulk of Instagram content. These are the traditional square photo and video posts that appear in your follower’s feeds.
As of 2022, Instagram posts can include captions up to 2,200 characters long, although the ideal Instagram post length is between 138 to 150 characters. Instagram posts typically feature several hashtags.
Instagram posts are evergreen. They appear on your profile forever (unless you delete them), so they tend to get more views over a longer period of time.
They need to reflect your brand image and values, and reflect the level of quality content that your followers expect. As a result, for major brands or accounts, Instagram posts are highly curated.
Instagram Stories are more fleeting and fun. Instagram Stories are only 15 seconds long and disappear 24 hours after they are posted.
However, you can feature your best Instagram Stories at the top of your profile and they will sit there permanently.
Instagram Stories appear at the top of the Instagram app rather than as part of someone’s feed. Instagram Stories are in the vertical video or photo format rather than square.
They often include stickers or face filters—which you can’t use in an Instagram post.
Because Instagram stories are more temporary, they’re typically more casual. They’re used as a real-time engagement strategy rather than a perfect, polished Instagram post.
When to Use Instagram Posts
Instagram posts are best for content that is:
Evergreen –Content that you want people to be able to see forever
Curated – Aim for high-value content on your Instagram feed
Designed for reach – Posts are more likely to reach new audiences than Stories
Soundless – Most users scroll their feed with the sound off
A business’s Instagram posts may be:
Professional product shots
Well-produced videos
When to Use Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are ideally:
Timely – Stories only last 24 hours, so they can be more “in the moment”
Casual – Selfie videos or behind-the-scenes content are more common
Designed for engagement – Your Stories will be watched by your current followers
Sound on – Most users watch Instagram Stories with their sound on
Example Instagram Stories for business would be:
Breaking announcements
Short-term discounts or sales
Polls for your customers
Behind-the-scenes videos or interviews
What's our Expert Recommendation?
If you're looking to get as much engagement and growth as possible, we recommend you focus on Instagram Stories. They are easy to make, have much higher impressions/viewership than Posts, and boost your overall engagement on Instagram.