Why People Love Instagram Stories More Than Reels

Instagram is crammed full of features and functionalities. Everywhere you look on this platform, you will see gorgeous photos, insightful videos, and exciting stories.

When the platform decided to take on TikTok head-on, it came up with the Reels feature, which immediately got everyone talking.

Reels are still popular, but surprisingly, there is a much older feature that Instagram users still prefer over the video feature: Instagram Stories.

This also goes for individual content creators and brand marketers. They create stories instead of reels simply because it gets more engagement.

But why is that?

Why Are Instagram Stories So Alluring?

We find ourselves in a world overrun with AI options. You can swipe a circle on your phone to get AI to search for things for you. You can use AI technology to process any type of data, whether visual or text-based.

AI is trained to leave human biases behind (imprinted by humans themselves) and only give objective answers to questions.

Looking at this shift into a digital world, is it any wonder that people crave a human connection?

Social media is also full of AI features. Instagram uses AI to moderate content. You can use AI to generate a background for your Instagram Stories. AI is so prevalent that Meta is working on labeling AI content so people do not confuse it with human-created content.

Why wouldn’t people be ‘desperate’ for something human, something they can connect with?

This is precisely why Instagram stories are so alluring to social media users. Stories are often unscripted, raw, and unfiltered.

Content creators and marketers use stories to share glimpses of events or just funny moments. They create stories behind the scenes of any given business day and give people insight into how their favorite products come together.

This ‘living in the now’ content appeals most to people. Some are scared of what the future of AI holds. They believe that their jobs and livelihoods are at risk because AI can do everything they can do better.

Instagram stories take people out of their worries for the future and get them interested and excited about the current moment. Even better, stories encourage real-time engagement, which is lacking in pre-produced reels.

There is also the ‘fleetingness’ of stories. Story content only lasts 24 hours on Instagram (if not highlighted). This takes the pressure off all around to create perfectly polished content.

It also means the funny bunny filters and unflattering angles make for a far more relatable experience for Instagram users.

Connections Rule

Most people want to maintain a connection with others. They do not want to stare at their avatars and wonder what they look like in real life. They do not want to hear AI audio and wonder what the content creator sounds like.

Stories are excellent for establishing a sense of interaction, connection, and community. Content creators can integrate several other Instagram features like polls, quizzes, and questions to get conversations started.

Once the conversations flow, connections appear. And connections eventually lead to strong relationships.

Unlike Reels, which amount to passive scrolling and viewing, Stories beg people to participate.

For example, if you are an artist, you can use polls and questions in your stories to get user feedback. You can ask them whether they prefer your watercolor or acrylic paintings. You can poll them on what they want to see you paint next.

And, when you engage with them about their feedback, you build a connection between yourself and your audience.

Moreover, you can use the Live feature in stories to interact with your followers daily and in real-time. People can ask you even more questions, you can provide them with live tutorials, or you can just have a chat.

This is the type of personal interaction people crave, and Instagram stories make it easy for content creators to fulfill this craving.

Stories are Highly Flexible

People love sharing funny moments or fleeting thoughts. When they observe something, they want to share it with others. Stories are the perfect way to do this.

You can use an Instagram story to create a quick update about something you noticed or experienced. It does not have to be a permanent post that stays on your feed and will disappear after a day.

Stories are also flexible enough for business owners to promote exciting products and special offers. The 24-hour feature attached to stories instantly creates a sense of ‘must have’, which automatically drives engagement.

Stories are Easier to Create

There is often a lot of pressure on content creators and advertisers to create the perfect reel. They only have a few seconds to hook viewers, so they vie with each other to see who can post the most polished, most exciting, most interesting, most compelling reel.

This is not to say that reels do not have their own place in a marketing strategy. But if you want to make real connections on Instagram without maximum filtering, editing, and production value, stories are simply easier to create and work better.

Reels Bring Many Benefits

Again, reels have their own merit. They reach much wider audiences, including non-followers. This is mainly thanks to the Explore page and hashtag functionality. Reels remain a powerful tool for brands and creators who want to reach their target audience.

Also, sometimes reels can even exceed the engagement rate of stories, depending on how well people design them.

Finding the Right Balance Between Reels and Stories

Still, people love stories, and that fact will not change anytime soon. If you are a content creator or marketer, it may be in your best interest to strike a balance between using reels and stories.

You can always use stories to build a community on Instagram. You can create stories to tell stories about your process, your life, your business, and anything else.

You can also use reels to expand your reach and show off your creative talents on Instagram. Ultimately, you should use both features to reach your Instagram goals. But if you want to create a human touch in a digital world, Instagram stories may be the only tool you need.