Instagram has metamorphosed in recent years, from a regular photo-sharing platform to a full-fledged social media channel. You can connect with friends, family, and strangers, and even share special moments of your life on the platform.
Of all the features Instagram has to boost engagement, the Instagram stories remain the most important. From selfies to motivational quotes, behind-the-scenes videos, people share tons of content on Instagram stories daily.
Like other social media platforms, it’s possible to repost stories on Instagram. However, while the platform does allow reposting, the process isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. But in this article, we discuss how you can repost stories on Instagram with ease. Keep digging deep to get more useful details on this topic.
Why Do People Repost Stories On Instagram?
When someone reposts a story on Instagram, there is always a reason behind their action. It could range from keeping their audience engaged to establishing a connection with a brand, friend, or follower.
Let’s discuss the reasons people repost stories on Instagram.
- Strengthen connection with friends and family:
Reposting a story on Instagram is a great way to strengthen your connection with people. For instance, if someone on the platform tags you in their post, you can repost to show you acknowledge their effort.
Reposting can also be a great strategy to show appreciation and love. For instance, if a person who is celebrating their birthday tags you, reposting that specific story is a great way to celebrate with them.
- Build a stronger community:
Whether you’re a content creator or brand, it’s essential to build a strong community. It’s something you can achieve by sharing user-generated content with your audience.
People appreciate it when you share these types of content. It indicates that you appreciate their effort, create a sense of community, and build trust.
- Share an important message with the audience:
Another crucial reason people repost stories is because they find them valuable. When you think a message, such as quotes, sermons, tips, or ideas, is valuable, reposting it gives others (your followers) the opportunity to benefit from the content.
- Feed your audience with valuable content without much effort:
There are times you won’t feel inspired to create content. Other times, you will lose interest in content creation. That is where reposting comes to the rescue.
Reposting other people’s content on your page is a unique way to keep your page active and engage your audience. It allows you to take some time off to cool down and find a spark to start creating valuable content.
How To Repost A Story On Instagram Using Different Methods
In this post, we’re not just going to discuss how to repost a story. Instead, we will discuss the various ways you can do it. Let’s get started.
Method 1: How to repost a story you were tagged in:
Here is a clear step-by-step explanation on how to repost a story you were tagged in. Note that the platform created the reposting feature for this purpose, as it knows reposting a story one is tagged in can boost engagement. Instagram thrives on engagement.
Here are the steps to follow when trying to repost an Instagram story you were tagged in.
The steps:
- Check your inbox (DM) or direct message for notification. Instagram will notify you.
- Access the message in your DM. The notification message usually comes with a button that lets you add the content to your story. You’ll find a message like “add to your story.”
- You can tap the notification to proceed. Once done, the story you want to repost will open in the platform’s story editor.
- In this stage, you have the freedom to customize the story you want to repost. You have the option to add texts, music, and even GIFs before reposting.
- After customizing the story to your satisfaction, you can now repost it. Hit the “Your story” icon at the bottom to proceed.
Imagine getting a notification message from Instagram that your close friend who is no longer in the country shared a picture of you and him at the beach and tagged you. The best way to show your friend you still care is to repost the story. Just customize it by adding the love emoji or something more captivating and repost. It’s that quick and easy.
Method 2: How To Repost A Story You Were Not Tagged In:
Instagram sends a notification to users when tagged in a story. The notification usually comes with the option to repost the story, making it easier for people to repost stories they were tagged in.
Now the question is, how can you repost a story you weren’t tagged in? What options does Instagram have regarding this?
First and foremost, note that Instagram won’t send you the “add to story” notification icon because you weren’t tagged in the story in the first place. Why? Privacy is the reason. But how can you repost such stories to your audience if you like them?
Here are the steps to follow. But first, note that there are three options to repost a story you weren’t tagged in. Let’s discuss each option.
The first option: How to repost a story you weren’t tagged in:
In this first option, you can repost a piece of content that is uploaded on a person’s profile. You can repost it to your story even if you weren’t tagged in the story. Here is how to do it:
- Go to the person’s feed and access the original post.
- Under the post you want to share, you’ll find a paper plane icon. Tap on it.
- Choose “add post to your story.”
- Now, you can repost the story. But first, customize it to make it unique. Add text, GIFs, or take advantage of other customization options available.
If you’re using this method, then you’re technically not reposting the story. Instead, you’re reposting the original content.
The second option: How to repost a story you were not tagged in:
The second option to repost a story is a simple method, though it can be unsuccessful. It involves seeking permission from the original owner before reposting the story.
You can send a message like:
“Hey, I like your story, thanks so much for gracing us with such valuable content. Do you mind me sharing it on mine?”
Send this direct message to the original owner of the story. You can equally craft your message.
If the person agrees to your request, they can tag you in the post or send you the original content. Either way, you will have the chance to share the content on your story.
If the owner of the story tags you, then Instagram will send you a notification message where you can repost the story to your story. It’s that simple.
The only major downside to this method is that the story’s owner might ignore your message. Most people take weeks or longer to reply to direct messages. If the post owner falls in this category, then your quest to repost the story will be unsuccessful.
The third option: How to repost a story you were not tagged in:
The third option is simple. If you find a story you want to repost to your story, simply screen-record or take a screenshot of the story.
If the post is a video, you can screen-record it, then post it directly. However, it’s an image; take a screenshot of the image and post it to your Instagram story.
It is always important to give credit to the original owner when you screenshot or screen record a post. You can tag the person or say something like “love this from @theirhandle. Keep giving value to the community!
Tagging the original owner of the post won’t make your followers abandon you and start following the person. No genuine follower would do such a thing. Instead, it will enable you to build goodwill with the owner of the post.
How To Repost A Story On Instagram And Make It Engaging
The reason people repost stories is to keep their followers engaged. People don’t repost stories they don’t find valuable.
If you find a valuable story you want to repost, consider adding value before sharing it. By so doing, you’re making the post more engaging and unique.
Here are ways you can add value to a story before reposting.
- Use trending stickers to make the post fun and engaging:
Before reposting a story, incorporate reaction emojis, stickers, or GIFs. That way, you are not only making the post unique but also captivating. The extras you added can make people develop more interest in your post.
- Incorporate a poll or question in the post:
You can incorporate a question or a poll on a story before reposting. For instance, if you find a friend’s post on a topic, you can repost it and add a poll like “True/False.”
For instance, if the post is about marriage and involves who should be responsible for domestic chores in the house, you can add a poll like “male/female?”
When you add a poll or question to a story before reposting, you can encourage people to become more engaged with the content. They would want to watch the video from start to finish to know how to respond to your question or poll.
- Add a befitting sound:
Another way you can make a story more engaging is to add a fitting sound before reposting. But you should only consider adding music if the original post doesn’t have a sound. There is no point adding music to a post that already has music.
- Create a collage with the post:
You can add your photo in the background to serve as an A-roll. This way, you will make the post you’re sharing unique and captivating.
Even if your photo doesn’t relate to the post, adding it to the background would give it a unique touch.
- Respond to people publicly:
Make your response to people public. For example, if a person gives you a shout-out, do well to respond to them publicly. You can repost their response and add a thank-you note to express your gratitude.
It’s also essential to respond to comments on the platform. By so doing, the algorithm can rank your content high in the search.
Instagram Story Reposting: Must-Know Etiquettes
Before you repost a story on Instagram, here are essential etiquette to consider. You must consider them when reposting other people’s stories.
- Avoid the temptation of claiming that someone else’s content is yours. Only someone with a criminal tendency would do such. Always give credit to the original creator. It won’t take anything from you to do so.
- Don’t over-repost stories on your Instagram profile. You can annoy your followers if all you do is repost other people’s work, but not your own. Constantly reposting other people’s content can clutter your Instagram story.
- Add a unique perspective or value before sharing any story. You can add polls or questions, including music if the story doesn’t have a sound. Don’t rush to repost every story you come across on Instagram.
- Respect other people’s privacy: If you come across a story that the author shared with “Close Friends,” respect their decision. They shared the content with close friends and don’t want it to be out there in public. It is out of place to screenshot or screen-record such stories without seeking permission.
Conclusion
We have explained how to repost a story on Instagram. We explained the different ways you can repost a story on the platform.
People repost Instagram stories they find valuable and believe their audience can benefit from. If that is you, then this content will be of great help to you.
Keep in mind that there are several etiquette rules to observe when reposting other people’s stories. For instance, avoid sharing stories that people only wanted their close friends to view. That way, you’re violating their privacy.
It’s also essential to add value to content before posting. Furthermore, always give credit to the original owner of the content. Avoid the temptation of claiming other people’s content as your own.
