Instagram Reels and Stories are powerful features, but the best choice depends on your goals. Whether you’re running a creator or a business account, both can help you engage your audience or boost sales.
Now, here’s the deal: Stories and Reels are like two different beasts. They have varying formats, lengths, discoverability, features, and more. To figure out which one, the “Reel vs. Story,” is your best match, dive into this blog.
The Differences Between Reels & Stories
| Feature | Instagram Reels | Instagram Stories |
| Format & Dimension | Vertical Videos (1080*1920 9:16 aspect ratio) | Vertical Videos and Images (1080*1920 9:16 aspect ratio) |
| Length | Up to 90 Sec | Up to 60 Sec |
| User Engagement | Like, Comment, Share, Add Yours | Likes, Polls, Question, Quiz, Q&A |
| Visibility | 24 hours | Permanent |
| Discoverability | Your Feed, Explore Page | Top of Your Feed to Your Followers |
| Music Library | Yes | Yes (Not available in All Regions) |
| Hashtag | Yes | Yes |
| Slideshow | No | Yes |
| Captions | Yes | Yes |
| Adding Clickable Link | No | Yes |
| Tag & Mention | Yes | Yes |
| Shareable | Yes | Yes (But Hardly) |
| Interactive Stickers | Yes | Yes |
| Editing Tools | Texts, Effects, Stickers, Green Screen, Add Yours, Layout, Timer, Adjust Speed, Remix | Texts, Stickers, GIFs, Effects, Layout, Boomerang, Hands-free |
| Direct Message | No | Yes |
| Save to drafts | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Entertainment, Visually Captivating & Creative Videos, Viral Content | Daily updates, Behind-the-scenes, promotions, Interactive content, UGC, Promotions |
| Target Audience | Youthful, Content Creators, Trends Enthusiasts | Your Followers, General Audience, Customers |
Did you know? 86.6% of Instagram users post Instagram Stories every day. Instagram users watch 17.6 million hours of Reels per day.
Reel vs. Story
Here’s what sets Reels and Stories apart:
#1. Format and Duration
Stories are vertical, short-lived posts that disappear after 24 hours. You can upload photos or video slides in a single story, creating a narrative. Each story segment can be up to 15 seconds long.
On the other hand, Reels are vertical short-form videos with a maximum duration of 90 seconds designed for entertaining and engaging content.
However, the ideal size for both Reels and Stories is 1080*1920 9:16
You may like to know the ultimate guide for IG post size in 2023
#2. Audience Engagement
While stories can encourage real-time engagement with features like polls, questions, quizzes, and even DMs, Reels allow users to engage through liking, commenting, and sharing.
Stories seem to pack more engagement tricks up their sleeve compared to Reels. But the secret sauce lies in how you use their unique powers. Reels can be your go-to for snagging new followers, while Stories are your trusty sidekick for keeping your current gang entertained.
Note: One-third of Instagram’s most viewed Stories are uploaded by brands.
#3. Discoverability and Reach
Another difference is that Stories take center stage in your followers’ feeds, and you can broaden their reach using hashtags and location tags.
In contrast, Reels shine on the Explore page, making them more likely to catch the attention of a larger audience. You can also share Reels on your feed for added visibility.
Learn how to make a reel on Instagram.
#4. Editing Tools and Effects
Both Reels and Stories come with a set of tools to jazz up your content. When crafting a Reel, you’ve got the power to trim it, fine-tune the volume, and sprinkle in text, stickers, and filters.
You can even weave in multiple clips and choose a cover image. And if you’re feeling the vibe, you can groove to tunes from the music library or pick from a selection of reel templates.
When it comes to stories, a wide range of filters, stickers, text, and GIFs are available. For example, the most engaging and interactive tools for Instagram stories include:
- Location
- Add Yours
- Questions
- Poll
- Link
- Hashtags
- Countdown
#5. Instagram Stories VS Reels: Purpose
Stories are useful for sharing daily updates, behind-the-scenes moments, promotions, and interactive content.
Reels, on the other hand, are well-suited for presenting visually engaging and creative content, often accompanied by music. They provide a platform for artistic expression and entertainment.
Depending on your strategic goals, you can take advantage of these features. For instance, Reels are the best options for brand storytelling and audience engagement.
Read more: 5 Instagram Reels ideas to attract more followers
#6. Target Audience
While Reels typically appeal to individuals interested in entertainment, creativity, and visually captivating content, Stories are more aligned with those seeking updates and personal connections.
Are Reels Better than Stories?
Better for what? When crafting your social media strategy, you’ll want to measure various (KPIs) to gauge success. To answer this question, let’s delve into these essential aspects with examples.
Strategic goals
Imagine you have a fitness brand. Reels can be a powerful tool for telling your brand’s story by showcasing inspiring workout journeys, transformation stories, and user testimonials.
Meanwhile, Stories can serve as your real-time communication hub to announce flash fitness challenges, conduct live Q&A sessions with trainers, and provide daily motivational updates.
Content Repurposing
Let’s say you’re a technology reviewer. You can transform a detailed product review into a Reel, condensing the key highlights in a visually engaging format.
Then, use Stories to provide quick updates on software updates, respond to audience questions in real-time, and share sneak peeks of upcoming reviews. Take a look at the @kevinstratvert page.
Reel vs. Story: Consistency vs. Creativity
A cosmetics brand can maintain brand consistency on Stories by showcasing a ‘Product of the Day’ with a recognizable style and color scheme.
Reels, in contrast, can be the canvas for creative and artistic makeup tutorials, allowing you to experiment with innovative looks to engage your audience. Look how @maccosmetics takes advantage of both stories and reels.
Engagement Levels
If you’re a pet influencer, Reels can get the party started with cute pet costumes and fun tricks, sparking more likes, shares, and comments. Stories, on the flip side, can get folks chatting with direct messages, polls, and playful ‘Caption this’ contests, bringing the pet-loving crew closer.
Engagement Rate by post type on the Instagram app, Source: Socialinsider
Conversion Opportunities
For an online store, Reels are your stage to flaunt cool new products with eye-catching demos, making likes, shares, and sales more likely.
And when it’s time for quick deals, Stories are where you run call to actions, nudging your followers to swipe up and turn website visits into buys.
| KPI | The Best Option |
| Engagement (likes, shares, comments, saves) | Reels & Stories |
| Reach and Impressions | Reels |
| DMs | Stories |
| Website Visits | Stories |
| Follower Growth (Get New Followers) | Reels |
| Video Views | Reels |
| Conversion Rate (Sales, Sign-ups) | Stories |
| Profile Visits | Reels |
| User-generated Content | Reels |
Reel vs. Story in terms of Instagram KPIs
FAQs
Here are a few FAQs regarding the differences between reels and stories.
Does a reel show up as a story?
Yes, you can share a reel as a story or direct message.
What’s the main difference between Reels and Stories on Instagram?
Reels are short, creative videos set to music, often focused on entertainment, while Stories are brief photo or video updates shared for 24 hours, designed for real-time communication with your audience.
Do other social media platforms offer reels and stories?
Yes, Facebook offers both Stories and Reels. On the other hand, platforms like TikTok and Snapchat primarily focus on Stories. Notably, former Twitter, or current X, once had a feature called Fleets before discontinuing it.
Can Reels and Stories be used for business marketing?
Yes, both Reels and Stories are valuable tools for businesses. Reels are great for showcasing products or services creatively, while Stories can be used for promotions, flash sales, and real-time customer interaction.
Can I see insights and analytics for Reels and Stories on Instagram?
Yes, Instagram provides insights for both Reels and Stories. You can view metrics such as views, engagement, and reach to evaluate the performance of your content.
