We use Instagram for personal and professional requirements. Some use it to share life updates, while others use it to market their products and services. Besides the grid posts, one Instagram feature that plays a quintessential role is Instagram Stories.
Keeping track of the metrics of your Instagram Story tells a lot about your account. It indicates the relevancy of your posts, audience engagement, and the kind of popularity you get to translate into sponsorships and works.
One thing about Instagram Stories that users are confused about is the story viewers. Let’s assume your Instagram Story received 100 views. What does the order of the viewers indicate? Is the person on the top the first viewer? Is the one at the bottom a recent viewer?
We will answer these questions and explore more about the Instagram Order Story Viewers in 2023.
What Are Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories is an interactive feature allowing users to share different moments of their day with their audience.
It could be personal uploads, or it could also include sharing other people’s content if you relate to them, find them informative, or want to promote them.
The main objective of Instagram Stories is to give a glimpse into your likes and interests. The Stories appear as a slideshow, stacked one after the other. They are similar to Snapchat Stories, which disappear after 24 hours.
Also, users can add their uploaded Instagram Stories into highlights to save them to their accounts. Overall, Instagram stories are a fast, memorable, and fun way to share insights into a user’s daily life.
How Instagram Story Views Work?
If you use Instagram for professional use, for example, for posting brand deals and sponsorships or for marketing personal brands and products, knowing the significance of Instagram Story Views is crucial.
For the users confused about the list of views, things aren’t as simple as you think. According to official reports, Instagram arranges the Story views in chronological order up to 50 views.
Following that, Instagram arranges the views at random. Although there’s no way to confirm it, 100% of users believe the most interactive users are at the top. Also, there are reports about a secret algorithm, which Instagram uses too.
There are also reports that the people who visit your profile the most are generally at the top of the list of Story Views.
Let us understand this concept a little better.
Recency vs. Engagement
Regarding Instagram Story views, most users believe that it’s sorted chronologically. This means that the person who most recently viewed your story will sit at the top, and the one who first viewed your story will be at the bottom.
However, that’s not how things work. The algorithm uses the reverse chronological order for the first 50 Instagram Story viewers on Instagram. So, the first who viewed the story is at the top, and the recent ones are at the bottom.
But what happens when you cross 50 views? That’s where Instagram implements its secret algorithm for Story Views. Since Instagram thrives on engagement, the top of the Story Views is filled with accounts you most interact with.
So, if you have recently interacted with a few different accounts and they have viewed your story, their accounts will be at the top of the list. The bottom of the list typically consists of accounts that are spammy, unknown, etc.
Outside Interactions
For that unaware, Instagram is owned by Meta, which also runs Facebook and WhatsApp. So, you can be assured that these three accounts are linked.
If you signed up to your Instagram account via Facebook, it would also consider those friend lists and views. Instagram tracks your interactions on Facebook and WhatsApp.
So, to boost your engagement, Instagram will likely list the most visited accounts on top of the Story Views. If you interact with some frequency on Facebook, their account may be at the top of the Story Views.
What Does the Order of Instagram Story Viewers Mean?
Unlike other social media platforms, Instagram wants to create a more transparent approach with its features. This is why it enables the users to keep track of the people who viewed their stories.
Once posted, you can keep checking the number of people and the respective accounts who have viewed your story before it disappears after 24 hours.
The story view list is based on multiple factors, including:
- The accounts you interact the most with
- The accounts that visit your account the most
- The accounts where you like and comment the most
Overall, the story views depend on the interactions on the platform. So, if you want to change the list of orders, be assured that you’d need to change the people you interact with on the platform.
If you are a business or marketer that relies on engagement and Instagram story views, the order of the views will make a huge difference in keeping track of the metrics and insights. Knowing the order helps marketers leverage this social media platform to ensure optimal conversion rates.
Also, since Instagram frequently changes its algorithm, you must adapt to these dynamic changes. The latest update relies on the user’s previous Instagram activity, so there are chances that it could influence the Instagram Story Views too.
Also read: A Step-by-Step Guide to View Private Instagram Accounts
Factors That Influence the Order of Instagram Story Viewers
There are recently published interviews that indicate that Instagram’s all-seeing algorithm determines the order of Instagram Story Viewers. Julian Gutman, Head of Product for the Home Experience of Instagram, confirmed the insight.
Now, that aside, what are some of the factors that influence this order? Although not much has been revealed in detail, some of the most notable factors include the following:
- User Activity
- Past interactions
- Likes and comments
- Messages
- Profile visits
If your Instagram Story Views cross 50, that’s where the all-seeing algorithm is put into effect. Based on these factors, Instagram curates the list and order of Instagram Story Views.
Remember that the story views rely on “how your followers interact with your profile” instead of “how you engage with other Instagram users’ profiles.”
Do Instagram Story View Orders Matter?
Another relevant question is about the significance of the story view order. Does it matter?
Technically, the answer depends on the intent behind the Instagram story. If it is a personal Instagram story, the order of the views might not matter much.
However, if you post a sponsored post or promote your product, the Instagram Story View order matters quite a bit. Let’s assume you are an influencer who leverages Instagram stories for paid promotions. Having a list of the people viewing your Instagram stories is a marker of the kind of people engaging with your account.
So, in hindsight, the Instagram Story view order matters if you are using Instagram for professional purposes. It doesn’t serve much of a purpose for personal Instagram accounts.
FAQs
Why Is the Same Person Always at The Bottom of My Instagram Story Views?
The most common reason behind that is engagement. People wish to view stories anonymously. However, it is not so easy to view anyone’s story without letting them know. If the same account appears at the bottom of your Instagram story views, they might follow you, but you don’t. Moreover, spam accounts also sometimes appear at the bottom of the barrel.
How Do Instagram Views Work on The Story?
When you post a story, the Instagram views are segregated based on interactions, engagement, and relevancy. It allows you to keep a check on the accounts that are interacting the most with your account. The story view order relies on Instagram’s algorithm too.
Does Instagram Story Views Order Matter?
As mentioned, the Story Views rely on the post’s intent. The story view order matters to gauge engagement if you use it for professional and marketing purposes. It doesn’t play a significant role in personal stories.
Conclusion
Instagram Story View order has left people confused. With dynamic changes to the algorithm, people are often confused about the intent behind these views and their organization. If you were on a similar boat trying to figure out the meaning behind the order of Instagram Story Views, we hope this article gives you all the insights.
