How to Use Story Highlights to Share Your Brand’s Journey

Instagram Story Highlights are like a digital scrapbook for your brand—your chance to preserve your best Stories, showcase your values, and share your journey with anyone who lands on your profile. Unlike Stories that disappear after 24 hours, Highlights stick around, giving you a permanent space to tell your brand’s story in a way that’s organized, engaging, and authentic.

Whether you’re a new brand looking to make a strong first impression or an established one wanting to showcase your evolution, Story Highlights are a powerful tool to connect with your audience and reinforce your key messages.

In this post, we’ll walk you through how to use Instagram Highlights to share your brand’s journey, from organizing your content to designing covers that align with your aesthetic.

Why Instagram Highlights Matter

Story Highlights aren’t just decorative—they serve as a curated introduction to your brand. Here’s why they’re important:

1. First Impressions Count: Highlights are one of the first things visitors see on your profile. They provide a quick snapshot of who you are and what you offer.

2. Showcase Your Story: They let you go beyond a single post to dive deeper into your journey, values, and products.

3. Organize Key Information: From behind-the-scenes content to FAQs, Highlights keep your most important Stories accessible and easy to navigate.

Step 1: Plan Your Highlights Around Your Brand’s Key Messages

The first step is deciding what you want your Highlights to communicate. Think about the key aspects of your brand that you want every visitor to understand.

Common Highlight Categories for Brands:

1. About Us: Share your origin story, mission, and values.

2. Products/Services: Highlight your offerings with demos, tutorials, or customer reviews.

3. Behind the Scenes: Give followers a peek at your process, team, or daily operations.

4. Testimonials: Showcase glowing reviews and user-generated content (UGC).

5. FAQs: Answer common questions about shipping, returns, or how to use your products.

6. Events/Launches: Keep past events or product launches accessible for new followers.

7. Community: Highlight collaborations, partnerships, or your brand’s involvement in causes.

Pro Tip:

Stick to 5–10 Highlights to keep your profile organized and easy to navigate.

Step 2: Curate Your Stories for Each Highlight

Once you’ve decided on your categories, it’s time to curate the Stories you want to include.

How to Add Stories to Highlights:

1. Go to your Instagram profile and tap the “+” button under your bio.

2. Select the Stories you want to include from your archive.

3. Choose a name and cover image for your Highlight.

What to Include:

• High-quality visuals that align with your brand aesthetic.

• Stories with clear messaging or calls to action.

• A mix of formats, like videos, photos, and interactive elements (polls, quizzes).

Step 3: Design Eye-Catching Highlight Covers

Your Highlight covers are like the chapters of a book—they set the tone and make your profile visually appealing.

Tips for Designing Covers:

• Stick to Your Brand Colors: Use your brand’s color palette to create a cohesive look.

• Keep It Simple: Icons or minimal text work best for clarity.

• Use Tools Like Canva: Canva offers pre-made templates for Instagram Highlight covers that are easy to customize.

Example Ideas for Covers:

• An icon of a heart for testimonials.

• A camera icon for behind-the-scenes content.

• A shopping bag icon for products or services.

Step 4: Tell Your Brand’s Journey in a Compelling Way

Now that your Highlights are organized and visually appealing, it’s time to make sure they tell a story that captivates your audience.

1. Start with Your “About Us” Highlight

This is your chance to share your origin story and mission.

• Include a mix of old photos, videos, and captions that explain how your brand started and why you do what you do.

• Add personal touches, like founder quotes or anecdotes, to make it relatable.

Example:

For a small coffee roaster, your “About Us” Highlight could include:

• A video of your first coffee shop opening.

• A slide with your mission: “Bringing people together, one cup at a time.”

• A behind-the-scenes look at your roasting process.

2. Use Highlights to Showcase Values

Are you eco-friendly? Focused on giving back? Use Highlights to showcase your commitment.

• Share content about your sustainability practices or partnerships with charitable organizations.

• Use text overlays to explain why these values are central to your brand.

Example:

For a sustainable fashion brand, a “Sustainability” Highlight could include:

• Videos of your production process, emphasizing eco-friendly materials.

• Infographics on the impact of fast fashion vs. sustainable fashion.

• A call-to-action slide encouraging followers to shop consciously.

3. Highlight Your Products or Services

Make it easy for followers to learn about what you offer.

• Include product demos, tutorials, or close-ups.

• Share customer reviews or UGC to build trust.

• Add swipe-up links (if available) to guide viewers directly to your website.

Example:

For a skincare brand, a “Skincare Tips” Highlight could include:

• Tutorials on how to use your products.

• Before-and-after results shared by customers.

• Quick tips on creating a skincare routine.

4. Keep Your Audience Engaged with Interactive Highlights

Interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or Q&A sessions make your Highlights more engaging.

• Use a poll to ask your audience their favorite product or service.

• Add a Q&A slide answering common questions.

Example:

For a fitness coach, a “FAQs” Highlight could include:

• A poll: “What’s your fitness goal: strength or endurance?”

• A Q&A answering questions like: “How often should I train per week?”

Step 5: Regularly Update Your Highlights

Story Highlights are a living part of your profile, so keep them fresh and relevant by updating them regularly.

When to Update Highlights:

• After new product launches, events, or milestones.

• To remove outdated Stories or replace low-quality content.

• To add new UGC or testimonials as they come in.

Final Thoughts: Share Your Journey with Pride

Instagram Story Highlights are more than just a collection of Stories—they’re a powerful way to share your brand’s journey, showcase your values, and engage your audience. By organizing your Highlights thoughtfully, designing eye-catching covers, and keeping them updated, you can turn your Instagram profile into a storytelling masterpiece that captivates visitors and converts them into loyal followers.

Now it’s your turn! What’s the first Highlight you’re going to create or update? Share your ideas in the comments or tag us on Instagram—we’d love to see how you’re showcasing your brand’s journey!