How to Use Instagram Highlights to Elevate Your Brand Story

Ever wondered how to make your best stories work harder for your brand? That’s where the power of Instagram highlights comes in. 

Highlights allow you to save Stories beyond the usual 24-hour limit, turning them into evergreen content that sits right below your bio, one of the first things visitors see. With over 500 million people using Instagram Stories daily, highlights are a prime opportunity to guide new followers through your brand story at a glance.

For businesses, Instagram highlights offer more than aesthetics; they’re strategic. They create persistent visibility, help funnel visitors from awareness to conversion, and provide quick access to FAQs, products, or promotions.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Instagram Highlights, from strategy and setup to design tips, creative ideas, and tracking performance so you can maximize their impact.

What are Instagram Story highlights?

Instagram Story highlights are curated collections of Stories that you choose to keep permanently on your profile. 

Unlike regular Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, highlights allow you to save and showcase your best or most important content for as long as you want.  They appear in small circles directly under your bio, making them one of the first things visitors see when they land on your page. 

This placement makes highlights a powerful tool for guiding new visitors, whether you want to introduce your brand, share FAQs, highlight products, or showcase customer testimonials.

Why are Instagram highlights important?

Instagram highlights are more than just saved Stories, they’re a permanent content hub that boosts your profile’s professionalism, improves user navigation, and builds stronger connections with your audience. 

For brands, they work as mini-landing pages right on your profile, driving awareness, engagement, and conversions. Here are reasons why Instagram highlights are more important than you think: 

• Evergreen “About/Start Here” for new visitors: Unlike Stories that disappear in 24 hours, highlights give a lasting first impression, serving as an ongoing introduction to your brand
• Organize content into clear themes: Break down your Stories into categories (e.g., products, tutorials, FAQs, events) to make browsing easier and more engaging for visitors
• Drive actions: Strategically curated highlights can encourage actions such as link taps, direct messages, or saves, moving followers along your marketing funnel
• Reinforce brand voice and visual identity: Branded covers, consistent colors, and cohesive storytelling strengthen how your brand is perceived
• Showcase social proof: Save customer reviews, testimonials, or user-generated content (UGC) to build credibility and trust
• Highlight campaigns and launches: Keep product launches, promos, or seasonal campaigns visible long after the 24-hour window
• Educate your audience: Store tutorials, how-tos, or product demos in highlights, providing a go-to resource for followers anytime

Must Read : 8 Instagram Story Ideas to Captivate Your Audience

How to create Instagram highlights (step-by-step)

Creating Instagram highlights is simple and powerful for showcasing your brand story. Whether you’re saving active Stories or pulling from your archive, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Add a highlight from an active story 

Sometimes you’ll want to save a Story while it’s still live so followers can revisit it later. Adding a highlight from an active Story is the quickest way to make sure your content doesn’t disappear after 24 hours.

1. Open your active Story, then tap More.

2. Click Highlight.

3. Click the highlight where you want  your story to be added. If you want a new highlight, click the + button.

4. Name the highlight if it’s new (keep it short), then tap Add.

Create a highlight from your story archive

If you missed saving a Story while it was live, don’t worry. Instagram automatically saves your Stories in the archive, making it easy to turn past content into highlights at any time. 

1. Go to your profile → Menu → Archive → Stories archive.

1. Select one past Story at a time, then tap Highlight.

2. Choose an existing highlight, or click the + for a new highlight.

3. Add title for the new highlight, then tap Add.

Add a story to an existing highlight or edit the highlight 

Sometimes you’ll want to update or expand an existing highlight with fresh Stories. Instagram makes it simple to add new or archived Stories to a highlight so it always stays relevant and up to date.

1. Go to your profile and pick the existing highlight you want to edit. You can either long-press the existing highlight, or click the highlight, and tap Edit highlight.

2. Tap Edit cover if you want to edit the cover. You can choose one of the Stories from the highlights or choose a photo from your gallery.

3. Add or remove any story from the highlight as desired. 

Design best practices for Instagram highlight covers 

Your Instagram highlight covers are often the first visual elements new visitors notice on your profile, so making them eye-catching and consistent is key. 

Well-designed covers not only improve your profile’s aesthetic but also help organize your content in a way that feels professional and approachable. Here are some best practices to follow:

• Keep a cohesive icon set and color system
• Use simple, centered graphics; avoid tiny text
• Ensure contrast for accessibility
• Maintain consistent padding and style across all covers
• Align with your brand identity
• Stick to no more than 5–6 colors
• Use high-resolution images
• Test visibility on mobile
• Use the right size/dimensions

Here’s an example of a brand with well-designed Instagram highlights:

Ways to use Instagram highlights 

Instagram highlights aren’t just for saving Stories—they’re powerful tools for extending your brand message beyond 24 hours. By curating and organizing your best content into themed collections, you can guide new visitors, nurture existing followers, and create an evergreen hub of valuable resources on your profile.

Start here/about 

• Share your brand story and mission
• Add links to your website or shop
• Pin an introduction video or welcome message

Products/services 

• Showcase collections or categories
• Highlight bestsellers or seasonal picks
• Share quick pricing snapshots or product features

Tutorials/how-tos

• Step-by-step product use cases
• Quick tips or hacks related to your niche
• Mini-guides for beginners

FAQs/policies 

• Explain shipping and return policies
• Walk through onboarding processes
• Share delivery timelines or guarantees

UGC & testimonials

• Showcase customer photos and videos
• Post before-and-after transformations
• Highlight positive reviews and stories

Events/launches 

• Recap past events or workshops
• Share announcements and teasers
• Spotlight limited-time offers or launches

Behind the scenes/culture 

• Introduce your team members
• Share your process or workspace vibes
• Post fun “day-in-the-life” moments

Press/partnerships 

• Highlight media features or interviews.
• Share awards or recognitions.
• Showcase brand collaborations or influencer partnerships

Industry-specific Instagram highlight ideas 

Not all Instagram highlights look the same—your strategy should reflect your industry and audience needs. By tailoring highlights to your niche, you can showcase content that feels more relevant, engaging, and valuable to followers. 

For example, a restaurant might highlight menus and specials, while a fitness coach could feature workout routines and client results.

Ecommerce & DTC 

• Size guides for easier shopping decisions
• Gift guides for holidays and special occasions
• Product drops calendar to build excitement for new launches

SaaS/B2B 

• Feature tours highlighting software capabilities
• Customer stories or testimonials to build credibility
• Integrations with other tools that add value

Hospitality & local 

• Menus with food and drink highlights
• Room previews or virtual tours for hotels and resorts
• Experiences and reviews that showcase customer satisfaction

Education/creators 

• Mini-lessons or tutorials to showcase expertise
• Resource libraries for free downloads or guides
• Course FAQs covering enrollment, pricing, or learning paths

Nonprofits 

• Impact stories showing the difference your org is making
• Programs spotlighting initiatives and projects
• Ways to give donations, volunteer, or sponsorships
• Events with recaps or announcements

Turn Instagram highlights into lasting brand assets

Instagram highlights aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re one of the most effective ways to extend the life of your Stories and turn them into evergreen content that works for your brand 24/7. 

By curating your highlights strategically, you create a permanent hub of resources that helps new visitors understand who you are, what you offer, and why they should follow or buy from you.

To maximize results, start with 4–6 highlight categories aligned with your brand pillars, such as Products, FAQs, Tutorials, and Testimonials. Keep them fresh by updating regularly, designing cohesive covers, and tracking performance to see what resonates most. 

Done right, Instagram highlights become more than saved Stories—they transform into lasting brand assets that support your growth and conversions.

Use Vista Social to plan, design, and schedule Stories in advance so you always have fresh content ready to add to your highlights.

Instagram highlights FAQs

How many Instagram highlights should a brand have?

There’s no strict limit, but most brands perform best with 5–8 highlights. This keeps your profile organized without overwhelming visitors.

What’s the ideal number of Stories per highlight?

Aim for 5–15 Stories per highlight. Too few can look incomplete, while too many may discourage viewers from tapping through.

Do highlight covers affect performance?

Yes, highlight covers influence first impressions. While they don’t directly impact reach, consistent, branded covers can improve profile aesthetics and encourage more clicks.

Can I reorder or rename highlights without republishing?

Absolutely! Instagram lets you rename, reorder, or update covers anytime without needing to re-upload Stories.

How often should I refresh my highlights?

Review and refresh highlights every 1–2 months. Keep them updated with relevant content so your profile feels current and engaging.