Instagram Stories are part of everyday life for many brands, but that does not mean they are all using them with a clear strategy.
Managing Stories for a restaurant is quite different from managing them for an ecommerce business. And even within the same sector, what works for one account may go unnoticed on another.
After analysing the performance of different accounts we manage at VILAX, we have identified some recurring patterns. They are not universal formulas, but they help us understand what type of content generates more engagement, what causes a sequence to lose views and why posting more does not always lead to better results.
What Are Instagram Stories?
Instastories, or Instagram Stories, are photo or video posts that appear at the top of Instagram and disappear after 24 hours, unless they are saved as Story Highlights.
They allow brands to share content more immediately than through the feed and add interactive elements such as polls, questions, links, mentions, music or sliders.
Because of their temporary nature, many brands use them to showcase their day-to-day activities, news, promotions, products, teams or moments that might not make sense as permanent posts. The problem arises when Stories are published simply because “we have to post Stories”.
How Does Instagram Decide Which Stories to Show First?
Unlike Reels, which can reach users who do not yet follow an account, Stories rely much more heavily on the existing relationship between the user and the profile.
Instagram takes into account signals such as viewing history, interactions with the account and the strength of the relationship between the two profiles. This is why polls, questions and sliders can be useful: they encourage additional interactions and help build that relationship.
However, there is an important distinction: adding interactive elements does not automatically guarantee greater reach.
What We Have Learned from Managing Client Stories
When we analyse the accounts we manage, certain recurring patterns emerge. They do not work in the same way for every brand, but they help us make better decisions.
Interaction Helps, but Does Not Always Increase Reach
Stories with polls, questions, sliders or calls to action tend to generate more direct engagement than purely informative content. This works particularly well in the restaurant industry when the question is simple and linked to an immediate decision: choosing between two dishes, voting for an option or taking part in something happening at that moment.
Beyond views, we also see more replies, clicks and actions per user reached on interactive Stories compared to purely informative content.
At one of the pizzerias we manage, polls related to World Cup matches increased Story views by up to 98% compared to Stories without interactive elements. This does not mean a poll will always double your results, but rather that interaction works best when it makes sense within the context.
Spontaneous Content Can Perform Better Than Perfectly Produced Content
Professional photography does not guarantee better results. Events, celebrations, team members, customers or user-generated content often create a sense of authenticity and connection that is difficult to achieve with overly polished creative content.
During a local Festa Major celebration, a sequence of Stories from one of the pizzerias we manage reached approximately 1,200 views and 21 shares. It was not an elaborate production: it was content connected to what was happening at that moment.
Some Data That Caught Our Attention
| Situation | What Happened | What It Tells Us |
| Polls during the World Cup | +98% increase in views | Interaction can boost performance when it fits the context. |
| Stories during the Festa Major in Viladecans. Population: 67,000 | 1,200 views and 21 shares | Current events and spontaneous content can generate more interest than highly produced content. |
| Long Story sequences | Drops of approximately 15%–20% | Key information should appear in the first or second Story. |
| Stories featuring dishes | 5%–10% of views lead to profile visits | Product content can spark interest when presented with a clear purpose. |
Long Story Sequences Tend to Lose Views
Another common pattern emerges when a brand publishes too many Stories in a row. Across the accounts we manage, we have observed progressive drops in views of approximately 15% to 20% as sequences become longer.
The practical takeaway is simple: important information should appear at the beginning. If a promotion or announcement appears in the ninth Story, part of the audience will probably have already left the sequence.
We have also observed that purely informative Stories tend to perform less well when they do not offer something new, encourage interaction or include a human element.
When People Appear, There Is Usually a Stronger Connection
Products and services remain important, but Stories featuring people — team members, customers, atmosphere or preparation processes — tend to create a closer connection with the audience.
In fact, across the restaurant accounts we manage, the presence of people is one of the most recurring patterns among content that connects with the audience.
This does not mean that product content stops working. At one of the restaurants we manage, descriptive Stories featuring dishes generate profile visits equivalent to approximately 5% to 10% of the Story’s views.
Restaurants and Ecommerce Businesses Behave Differently
One of the most important conclusions is that there is no single type of Story that works for every brand. Performance depends on the concept, audience and sector.
| Restaurant industry. | Ecommerce |
| People, team members and atmosphere | New product launches |
| Products shown in context | Events and collaborations |
| Events and spontaneous content | Promotions with direct links to the website |
| Customer reposts | Content that gives users a clear reason to visit the website |
| Simple polls about products or preferences | Newness plays a greater role than spontaneity |
At a protein products brand we manage, Stories about events and collaborations achieved up to 70% more views than other content, making them some of the highest-reaching Stories on the account. Product promotions with direct links to the website also performed well. Once again, context matters just as much as format.
So, What Should a Good Stories Strategy Include?
There is no single template that can be applied to every account. But there are four questions worth asking before publishing.
| Question | What to Consider |
| What do we want users to do after viewing it? | Define a specific action: reply, vote, visit the profile, explore a product, make a booking or send a direct message. |
| Do we really need to publish so many Stories? | More content does not necessarily mean better performance. It is better to prioritise what matters. |
| Are we only showing products? | Stories are also an opportunity to showcase people, context, processes, atmosphere and the brand’s day-to-day activities. |
| Are we measuring more than just views? | Depending on the objective, track replies, shares, clicks, profile visits, website traffic and actions taken after clicking. |
How We Manage Stories at VILAX
At VILAX, we do not treat Stories as isolated pieces of content within Instagram. Their role depends on each brand’s strategy.
In some cases, they help keep the brand visible between posts. In others, they encourage interaction, showcase day-to-day activities, reinforce a promotion or drive traffic to a specific page.
We also analyse which formats perform best for each account. Because one of the things we have learned from managing profiles across different sectors is that a strategy should not be built solely around general best practices: each brand’s own data ultimately tells us much more.
