The short answer is yes, usually you can.
Instagram lets you see who viewed your Instagram Story. However, there can be exceptions to this rule – and it’s not always possible.
But, there are far more powerful metrics than just Story views.
In fact, if you can use some of these metrics properly, you can grow your audience, drive higher engagement, and even increase revenue.
In this post, you’ll learn everything about Instagram Stories and how to grow your account.
The Impact of Instagram Stories 📈
Over 500 million Instagram users use Instagram Stories every day.
Instagram Stories are one of the most effective ways to engage with your audience, get attention, and improve brand awareness.
That’s why Instagram Stories are used by 36% of businesses to promote their products.
Source: Gitnux
And the results speak for themselves – 15% to 25% of people swipe the links in branded Stories!
If you aren’t already using Instagram Stories to promote your business and products, now is the best time to do so.
The Limitations of Instagram Analytics ✋
Instagram provides a range of analytics for businesses and creators. However, Instagram has its limitations, especially with tracking Story views.
Anonymous Viewing
You can usually see who viewed your Story on Instagram by checking Story views.
But, there are online services that can allow users to view your Stories anonymously.
For instance, you can use the tool InstaDP and view an Instagram Story of any public profile from their website.
This means that, as a business which created a Story, you won’t be able to see the person who viewed your Story via these services.
Plus, some people create fake profiles to view Stories, too.
The Most Basic Data
Instagram’s built-in analytics primarily offer aggregate data, such as:
- The total number of views
- The interactions
- The reach
These metrics give you only a bird’s eye view of your Story’s performance – you won’t see more details such as the gender, age, source of traffic, or nationality.
No Historical Data on Viewers
Instagram doesn’t provide historical data on who viewed your Stories either. If you go to the Archive tab in your profile, you can see the history of all Stories you posted.
Source: The Verge
You’ll be able to see the people who liked or engaged with your Story. However, viewer lists and view counts will be deleted after 48 hours.
The Biggest Instagram Limitation for Affiliate Marketers 🙈
These missing analytics are also only part of the problem for affiliate marketers though. Because there’s also the bio.
It can be challenging, if not impossible, to summarize your affiliate business in 150 characters. Yet, this is what you get when you’re trying to create your bio on Instagram – a 150-character limit, which is only around 21 – 38 words.
Plus, you can include ONLY one link in your bio.
If you’re like most creators and small businesses, it’s simply not enough – since most creators offer around 11 different products on average.
And that’s why you need to use ClickWhale.
ClickWhale is a link in bio tool for every affiliate marketer. It will empower you to create a link in bio page where you can share all your links with your audience.
Plus, you’ll get tons of customization options, including:
- Match the colors of your website
- Design CTA buttons
- Add every link
Additionally, you can host the link in bio page on your own domain and look more professional – unlike with most other tools where you have to use the tool’s domain (linktr.ee/katyperry).
Get ClickWhale for FREE now and drive more traffic to all your products.
Third-party Applications 🧩
Third-party apps can be helpful for getting more data out of Instagram. For instance, these tools can provide additional metrics, such as:
- Top posts based on engagement during specific timeframes.
- Viewing which influencers are interacting with your posts.
- Comparing how your IGTV views and comments stack up with the rest of your feed.
However, you have to be very careful when using such tools.
This is because when you use third-party apps, you usually grant these tools access to your Instagram account.
This can potentially expose sensitive information and compromise your account.
If you’re looking to use these third-party tools anyway, we recommend choosing reputable and trusted tools and reviewing their privacy policies. This is also important for making sure you don’t violate Instagram’s terms of service.
(If Instagram detects the use of unauthorized third-party tools, it can lead to penalties.)
Utilizing Instagram Insights 🕵️
While Instagram doesn’t offer in-depth data, you can still take advantage of the data they provide to help maximize your online presence.
If done properly, it will ensure you’re tailoring content to your target audience to help drive higher engagement.
Accessing Insights
To access Instagram Insights, you must have a Business or Creator account.
After you’re done setting your account up, you can find insights by navigating to your profile, tapping the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner, and selecting ‘Insights’.
You will now be able to see all available insights from Instagram.
Overview of Key Metrics
There is a range of different metrics that Instagram offers. Some are very similar, such as impressions and reach. However, it’s essential you know the differences between each of the metrics, so you can make the right decisions.
In the table below, you’ll see the common Instagram metrics, with a brief description of each.
| Impressions | The total number of times your content is viewed. This includes multiple views by the same user. |
| Reach | The number of unique accounts that have seen your content. It measures the actual audience size of your post. |
| Engagement | A measure of how your audience interacts with your content. This includes likes, comments, shares, and other forms of interaction. |
| Exits | The number of times users exited your Story before it ended. |
| Swipe-ups | The number of times users have swiped up on your Story to access an external link. |
| Story interactions | The total interactions (e.g., taps, replies) within your Stories. |
| Story completion rate | The percentage of viewers who watched your entire Story. |
| Taps forward | The number of times users tapped to move forward to the next frame in your Story. |
| Taps backward | The number of times users tapped to go back to the previous frame in your Story. |
Now you know precisely what each of these metrics means, so you can rely on the right data and create a winning strategy.
Optimizing Content Strategy
Based on Instagram’s Insights, experiment with different content formats, captions, and visuals to see what resonates best with your audience.
You should especially pay closer attention to the data on follower demographics:
- Age
- Gender
- Nationality
This will help you tailor your content strategy specifically to this type of audience – leading to higher engagement and better results.
Source: Startup Bonsai
Also, you should look at the times when your audience is most active.
This can help you schedule your Instagram Stories and post them at the right time – maximizing your reach and engagement.
Tracking Progress and Iterating
You should also regularly monitor Insights to track the progress of your content strategy.
This will allow you to identify trends and make adjustments. For instance, if you are a fitness influencer you might be posting a lot of different types of content, such as:
- Q&A
- Quick workouts
- Polls about preferred exercise types
If you check your data, you might notice that the ‘quick workouts’ get the most engagement.
Based on this data, you can then decide to focus more on creating short workout Stories and maybe even Reels that feature similar types of content.
As your audience grows, the hours when you get the most engagement can change too. For instance, you may attract audiences from different parts of the world in different timezones. That’s why it’s essential to regularly monitor the data – so you can make the necessary adjustments.
Encouraging Engagement and Interaction 🚀
Looking to maximize your engagement with your Instagram Stories and posts?
We’ll now go over some of our proven tips we’ve used to maximize our reach, views, and engagement with Instagram Stories, and every other type of content.
Consistency and Frequency
The most powerful way to boost engagement and build an audience is to post regularly – and ideally at the same time. This will show your audience that you’re active, and also let them know when to expect new content from you.
Source: Pepper Content
To do that, we recommend scheduling content directly with tools such as Facebook Business Suite.
It’s as simple as clicking the arrow beside the ‘Publish Story’ button and setting up the scheduling options. You can do the same with your posts and Reels too.
Use Interactive Features
Leverage interactive features like polls, quizzes, questions, and sliders.
Instagram users love to interact with their favorite brands and feel like they’re part of the community. Make sure you include at least one type of the content mentioned above and post it regularly – at least once a week.
Call-to-Action (CTA)
Incorporate clear and compelling CTAs in your Stories.
Whether you’re asking a question or want a user to swipe up to learn more, adding a clear call-to-action button will massively increase your click-through rate.
Engage with Your Audience
Respond promptly to comments, messages, and interactions.
It’s vital you show your audience that you value their opinions and input – which will also encourage them to continue engaging with your content.
Ready to Build a Solid Online Presence? 🐳
Instagram Story views make up only a small part of the metrics you can use to grow your audience and build a profitable online following.
However, that’s only a tiny fraction of what Instagram can do for your affiliate sales.
Tools such as ClickWhale can help you create beautiful link-in-bio pages where you can share products with your audience and drive massive traffic to your website.
Without these tools, you’re left alone with just one link and a 150-character bio limit.
That’s not enough!
Get ClickWhale for FREE now, create stunning link in bio pages, and maximize your brand awareness and affiliate sales.
