What is Stories?

Stories are short-form, vertical content pieces that automatically disappear after 24 hours. Originally popularized by Snapchat and then adopted by Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other platforms, Stories are designed for quick, casual, in-the-moment sharing. They typically include features like stickers, polls, questions, countdowns, and link stickers that encourage interaction. Stories appear at the top of the app interface, giving them premium visibility. Many brands use Stories for behind-the-scenes content, daily updates, promotions, and interactive engagement that complements their permanent feed posts.

Examples

  • I

    Sharing behind-the-scenes footage of a product photoshoot as Instagram Stories throughout the day.

  • II

    Using Instagram Story polls to let your audience vote on new product colors or designs.

  • III

    Creating a LinkedIn Story announcing a job opening with a swipe-up link to the application.

Why it matters for social media

Stories occupy prime real estate at the top of most social media apps, ensuring high visibility. Their ephemeral nature encourages frequent posting and creates a sense of urgency that drives immediate engagement.

Stories also provide a space for more authentic, less polished content that humanizes your brand. While your feed might be carefully curated, Stories let you show the real, behind-the-scenes side of your brand that builds deeper connections with your audience.

How Velocity helps with Stories

Velocity agents help you apply stories across real social workflows: research, platform-ready content, scheduling, publishing, analytics, and recommendations. The full workspace helps you optimize, track, and improve performance without splitting the work across separate tools.

Learn about Publishing

Related terms

Feed

The main stream of content a user sees when they open a social media app. Feed content is curated by algorithms based on user preferences and behavior.

Engagement Rate

The percentage of your audience that interacts with your content through likes, comments, shares, and saves. It measures how compelling your content is.

Cross-Posting

Sharing the same content across multiple social media platforms. Cross-posting saves time but should be adapted for each platform's unique format.

UGC (User-Generated Content)

Content created by your customers or audience about your brand, not by you. UGC is highly trusted and serves as powerful social proof.