Woah… big Instagram update alert. Instagram is now limiting the number of Stories shown to just three per user. This means that if a creator you follow posts five Stories in a day, you’ll have to click the new “show all” button to see more than the latest three.

In order to view all your Stories, users will have to take an extra step. As you can probably imagine, this update will most likely limit the number of views your Stories get.

The feature is still in the testing phase, and Instagram has been known to backtrack on updates that don’t vibe with their audience (goodbye BETA Feed and super high recommendations percentage). The jury’s still out on whether or not this feature is here to stay. In the meantime, here’s what we understand about how it will impact your overall Instagram Story engagement and performance.

What Limited Stories Means for Creators

The “Show All” button is pretty tiny. Instagram doesn’t seem to be pushing users to watch through all their fav creator’s Stories, which means users probably will not.

That means Stories will get fewer views. It also might push some creators to limit the number of Stories they post in a day. Long-winded explanations might become more concise so that the poster can get their point across without taking up too much valuable Story real-estate. Additionally, creators probably won’t waste too much time pushing out Stories if they know only three will be seen. After all, ROI matters.

Another change to expect– Highlights will become more important to Insta marketing than ever. Highlights are another way for viewers to access Stories. This might be an easier place to share longer Story chains.

How to Save Your Story Performance

Considering Instagram Stories have always been casual and spontaneous, this update was unexpected. Here are some tips for keeping your Story performance up:

Prioritize your top 3

Because only three Stories will show, it’s important to present the three most important Stories first. If you plan on talking about multiple topics, consider giving a synopsis of what you’re about to cover followed by a CTA asking users to click the “See All” button if they want to check out what you have to say.

You can also just make sure the top three Stories include everything you want to share for the day. If you know you need to make more than three Stories, make sure your first three are engaging enough to make viewers take that extra step.

Use CTAs

Chances are, most of your viewers won’t remember to click the “See All” button. In that case, you’ll need to remind them to take certain actions via CTAs. That might mean directing them to click the “See All” button to view the remaining Stories, or sending them to another location (like a specific Highlight).

You might also want to be more intense with your regular CTAs. If you would regularly put the link you want viewers to click on the last Story, try putting it on the first instead.

Organize Your Highlights

Because Highlights will be a go-to for users looking to view all your Stories on a given topic, they could use a little cleaning up. You’ll need to give your followers an easy-to-navigate place to view all your Stories for a certain category and event.

Go Live

Long strings of Stories are a popular way to engage in Q&As with your audience. If fewer users are participating now that they have to click the “See All” button, consider doing your Q&As on Instagram Live instead.

Instagram is making a lot of changes these days, and they’re no stranger to growing pains. Many have voiced disdain about this update, along with others. But it wasn’t too long ago that people were making fun of Reels, too. Instagram has a team of highly qualified individuals and a whole lot of data at its disposal. It might take some trial and error, but they usually get things right in the end.

In the meantime, our Instagram Story Planner is here to help you create and customize Story templates that make your life easier and help you stay ahead of the game, no matter what updates Instagram throws your way.