30 high impact Instagram Story ideas for UK brands

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Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri says that brands should upload two Stories per day, minimum. Other experts recommend up to seven.

That’s a lot of content, but don’t be overwhelmed.

Getting your Instagram Story game right means boosting engagement, driving conversions and marking yourself as a UK brand for UK consumers. All you need is a range of content ideas at the ready to fill your calendar.

Looking for inspiration to keep up with your Story content? Here are some Insta Story ideas for a range of business objectives.

30 creative Instagram Story ideas to captivate your audience

Stories are shared exclusively with your Instagram followers. They offer a sense of exclusivity that Instagram posts or Reels sometimes lack, leading to increased engagement and brand awareness. Used strategically, they help achieve a range of business goals.

Instagram Story ideas to increase engagement

Link stickers are now a staple for keeping your Instagram followers engaged. Here are some creative ways you can use Stories and various Link Stickers to boost engagement.

1. Create a tap-to-reveal Story

Reveal stickers blur your content until a viewer taps the reveal button. It’s a fun way to tease exclusive content and boost engagement.

Include an enticing caption about what’s hidden. It could be a before-and-after shot or a grand reveal of a fantastic new product.

(Source: Instagram)

2. Share your latest content

Drive traffic to your blog posts, YouTube videos or podcasts by using the link sticker and a bold CTA.

(Source: Instagram)

3. Share a quiz

Test your audience with a fun, interactive quiz. It could be general trivia or questions more specific to your brand or industry. Want to keep them coming back? Make it a weekly or even a daily event.

4. Share your new posts and Reels

If you want to boost your latest Instagram Reel’s view count, share it in your Story. You can either copy the link and add a clickable sticker to the story or click “add to story” for easy navigation.

(Source: Instagram)

5. Ask for feedback

This can be in the form of a poll, another interactive sticker or a request for followers to comment. Ask your followers about product features you have in the works or what kind of content you should make more of. This has the dual benefit of increasing engagement and helping you understand customer preferences.

(Source: Instagram)

6. Conduct a Q&A

You can host your own “Ask Me Anything” on Instagram with the question sticker for Stories. You can later answer these yourself or even feature a subject matter expert and post your answers in a Story. This will help educate your followers about your offering and why it’s important.

(Source: Instagram)

7. Share a meme

If it’s on brand, don’t be shy about sharing a meme in your next Insta Story. Anything that tickles your audience’s funny bone is a win for engagement.

Alt text: Book retailer Waterstones shares a meme about William Shakespeare on its Instagram. (Source: Instagram)

8. Flash giveaways

Giveaways can be a competition (like the one below) or a simple reward for loyal followers.

A monthly or even bi-monthly giveaway for active followers is a great incentive for brand engagement.

It works two ways:

Your followers will comment, like and engage more in the hopes of winning.
They’ll check your Stories more regularly to see if they’ve won.

Of course, you need to factor in costings, but the prize doesn’t have to be big. A free product, a discount code or even a personalised shoutout can be enough. The key is consistency.

(Source: Instagram)

Creative ways Instagram Stories can drive conversions

Stories aren’t just about keeping your followers engaged. You can also use them to drive sales.

9. Promote an exclusive discount

Followers-only content promotes a sense of exclusivity and community. It rewards followers for engaging with your brand. This sense of intimacy, like your followers are part of an exclusive club, can be a powerful driver of conversions.

(Source: Instagram)

10. Hype a new product launch

Build a bit of buzz with product teaser videos. This could include shots of your team beavering away behind the scenes to prepare for a launch date. When the new product finally drops, be sure to offer an exclusive followers-only discount in your next Story.

(Source: Instagram)

11. Highlight customer testimonials

Received another glowing review? There’s nothing like social proof to build credibility, so be sure to add it to your next Instagram Story. Pair it with a product image and product sticker to drive sales.

(Source: Instagram)

12. Create a shoppable Story

Take advantage of the increasing ease of social commerce in the UK by using product stickers on your Stories. Even if you don’t have a sale on, Insta Story’s temporary format drives urgency and can boost conversions.

(Source: Instagram)

13. Promote limited-time offers

Use the countdown sticker to promote a limited-time offer for a quick sale. Ideally, this will be as long as, or shorter than, the life of your Story. If you want to leave it up for longer, save the Story to your highlights. Sharing flash sales like these on a regular basis has an added bonus. If they don’t want to miss your next sale, they’ll be watching your Stories like a hawk!

Use Instagram Stories to build community

Stories are mostly seen by your followers. The exclusivity of the format can help build a sense of community.

14. Put the spotlight on user-generated content

If your brand gets a shout-out from an influencer, be sure to return the favour by reposting it in your Story. It saves you from having to craft the content and it helps build a sense of community with other creators.

(Source: Instagram)

15. Take your audience behind the scenes

Take your audience to where the magic happens. Sharing behind-the-scenes footage of your workshop or office adds a sense of transparency that builds trust.

(Source: Instagram)

16. Feature V.I.P. customers

Putting your best customers in the spotlight demonstrates that your brand values the most important thing: the customer. If they’ve recently given you a shout-out, be sure to share it in your next Story!

(Source: Instagram)

17. Thank your followers

What are you thankful for about your business that you couldn’t have done without your followers?

Let your followers know how you feel. You might even want to tag long-term and engaged followers to make them feel extra special.

18. Ask your audience for their opinion

Poll, slider or question stickers with thought-provoking questions are a great way to engage your followers and build community. It also helps you understand what your audience wants so that you can align future content, products and services to these needs.

(Source: Instagram)

19. Show off your team…

Introduce your followers to your team members. If they’re comfortable, get them talking about what they love about their job and why they’re passionate about serving your customers.

20. …Then show off your office pets

Seeing an office space with a furry co-worker has a funny effect on people. It immediately makes everybody in that office look at least 20% cooler.

If your Chief Cuddles Officer is an office fixture, be sure to include them in your Story.

21. Play a game with your audience

Fun quizzes, games and interactive challenges are simple ways to engage your followers. If possible, make it a daily or weekly thing. Think of what Wordle did for the New York Times. If you make a fun and addictive game that becomes part of your followers’ daily ritual, you’ll enjoy a huge boost in engagement.

22. Get in front of the camera

This is perfect for small businesses or entrepreneurs. If you’re the face of the business, don’t be shy. Connect with your audience by giving them a face behind the brand.

23. Answer questions

If you’re regularly fielding questions either in DMs or the comment section, do an FAQ round-up in your next story. This will show your community that you’re listening and responding to their queries.

(Source: Instagram)

24. “This or That”

Playing “This or That” with your followers is a low-effort way to build a sense of community. This can be done easily with the Poll sticker. You can do it for trivial, fun things like:

“It’s 9am and you just walked into the office… Earl Grey, or English Breakfast?”

(Source: Instagram)

Or it can be used to get valuable intel for developing products. If you’re a homewares brand developing a new line of cushion covers, your “This or That” might be more like:

“Geometric or botanical prints?”

Doing this too often might project a lack of confidence, so use this sparingly.

25. Announce a hashtag challenge

You can go really broad with hashtag challenges—they can be literally anything.

A homewares brand might run an at-home styling competition called #mycosyreadingnook. A wellness brand might run a best protein bowl competition called #bowlgoals.

(Source: Instagram)

The sky is the limit and the benefits are endless. They include but aren’t limited to:

Gathering user-generated content
Building a sense of community
Boosting brand visibility through shares and tags
Gaining real-time insight into how customers use your products
Encouraging repeat engagement from your most loyal followers

The key is to keep the ask simple, the timeline tight and the reward social. Recognition, reposts or even a small giveaway go a long way.

Instagram Story ideas to celebrate culture in the UK

26. Invite your audience to local events

If you’re attending a local business event, let your followers know you’ll be attending. If you’re attending a pop-up market in Camden or exhibiting at a creative showcase in Manchester, share the details in advance and document the day-of highlights. Use location tags, event countdowns and behind-the-scenes content to turn casual interest into real-world attendance.

Better yet, give a reason to come say hello by offering exclusive discounts, samples or a cheeky giveaway. These Stories work especially well for businesses with a physical presence, but they also build brand affinity for online-only brands rooted in local culture. And don’t forget to save it to a Story Highlight labelled “Events” to extend its shelf life beyond 24 hours.

(Source: Instagram)

27. Highlight business collaborations

Give a shoutout to your business partners or other local businesses you’re engaged with. Share a quick selfie after a creative brainstorm or client meeting to add a human layer to your brand and create mutual reach for you and your collaborators.

(Source: Instagram)

28. Spotlight local or cultural holidays

Drill down into local markets by celebrating important UK cultural events or holidays. Think Burns Night, the King’s Birthday or Guy Fawkes Night. For example, on Guy Fawkes Night, showcase a firework safety tip or a poll asking your audience to pick the ultimate bonfire snack: parkin or toffee apple?

The goal isn’t to tick every calendar event, but to show your audience you’re part of their world.

(Source: Instagram)

29. React to British cultural moments

If Adele drops 38 and it’s on heavy rotation in your workshop, Coventry City finally gets promoted to the Premier League or a new season of the Great British Bakeoff is announced, be sure to share your excitement with your followers.

The key? Don’t just repost the moment, react to it. Show your team’s live commentary. Ask followers to weigh in with a poll or emoji slider. Or better yet, tie it back to your brand: “If [insert celebrity] were one of our candles, which scent would they be?”

Cultural moments like these are a great way to connect with UK audiences. According to the Sprout Social Index: UK Edition, 95% of UK consumers expect brands to stay on top of online culture, and they reward originality over repetition. Choose moments that feel aligned with your tone, and make your reaction feel like a nod between friends, not a bandwagon grab.

30. Show your support for local causes

Show your followers you care by throwing your support behind local causes that affect the UK, whether that’s supporting your local food bank, raising awareness for mental health services or volunteering with a community garden initiative.

Stories are ideal for this because they’re ephemeral, informal and action-driven. Use a mix of video and static content to explain the cause and why it matters to your team. Tag the organisation, share a donation link via the link sticker and invite your followers to get involved. You could even ask your audience to nominate a cause they care about for your next initiative.

(Source: Instagram)

How to turn Instagram Story ideas into real engagement

Having the right IG Story ideas is only half the battle. You need to make sure you understand best practices to make your content effective.

Create on-brand visuals

Nailing your visual branding with consistency and engaging imagery, fonts or emojis is a must. Using Canva or a similar tool to easily craft visually appealing Stories is a good first step, but having access to top-notch visual assets will turbocharge your content. With Sprout Social’s Asset Library, you can easily schedule and publish quality visuals for your next Instagram Story.

Add clickable calls to action

As above, making your Stories interactive with clickable stickers is a surefire way to drive engagement. This easy interactivity will propel your followers from passive consumption to action.

Time posts for peak viewer traffic

Some people think that timing Instagram Stories isn’t important, but this isn’t the case.

Four Stories appear at the top of an Instagram user’s feed in order of recency. This means that if you post shortly before your followers open the app, your Story will be at the front of the queue.

Tools like Sprout Social’s ViralPost® pinpoint opportune moments to help you get Stories, Reels and posts seen.

Use location tags and relevant hashtags

Hashtags in Stories may not boost reach like they once did, but location tags still matter. Tagging your city, venue or event helps your content show up in local discovery Stories. This is especially useful for local businesses or events.

Track top-performing content

Tracking the success of your Stories is challenging due to their ephemeral nature.

The native analytics that come with a business Instagram account offer a sense of how your IG stories perform, but Sprout Social’s Premium Analytics give you the full picture:

Campaign and post-performance tracking: Easily measure reach, impressions, replies and exits across your Stories and Reels, helping you pinpoint what drives engagement in your following.
Smart Inbox: Receive and reply to comments and other interactions, all in one place.
Listening tools: Monitor your brand mentions and hashtag uses with sentiment analysis to gauge how Instagram users respond to your brand and content.
Tagging system: Categorise Stories and other content by theme, campaign or product to make analysis and reporting easy.

Instagram content strategy made easy

With a solid understanding of what Stories can do for your brand and a range of ideas for each purpose, you almost have everything you need to boost your Instagram marketing and drive real business results.

All that’s left is to set yourself up with tools that make scheduling, posting and tracking your Instagram content easy.

Ready to take the next step? Sprout Social has you covered. With powerful insights that help you analyse your social media performance, you’ll be able to experiment easily, find what works with your audience and nurture your following with targeted content.