Instagram stands at the top among the leading social media platforms out there that can help you drive traffic and engage the intended audience.
The popularity of the platform has been increasing over the years, making it a preferred choice for all generations.
While the platform offers a variety of capabilities to help you create a buzz around your brand, the story feature outshines them all. It enables you to leverage visual content and connect with your target audience.
Instagram stories can get you the desired level of traction through the platform if the content you share is relevant and offers value.
Adding music to your stories makes them stand out and gets you more eyeballs. However, doing so may not be as easy, especially for beginners.
We have created a detailed guide to walk you through the process and help you learn how to add music to your Instagram story.
What makes Instagram popular?
Instagram is a rapidly growing social media app. With more than 2 billion users, it’s a preferred choice for social media marketers, influencers, and content creators around the globe, enabling them to connect with their respective audiences.
There are a number of reasons why Instagram has become a popular choice among social media platforms today.
For starters, Instagram has a beginner-friendly interface. Hence, you don’t have to spend days learning what you can or can’t do using the platform.
It’s home to influencers and content creators around the world, serving as a reliable channel that offers countless collaboration opportunities.
Instagram provides you with creative tools to create personalized content in the app. You don’t need to leverage multiple tools to create engaging content for your audience.
Due to the huge user base, you can expand your reach exponentially and convey your message to the masses with ease.
Instagram doesn’t charge you anything unless you decide to go for paid advertising. You can sign up for free and interact with an audience segment that aligns with your goals.
Most importantly, the platform enables you to leverage visual content, which is one of the most effective ways to ensure high engagement.
It takes us only 13 milliseconds to process information presented to us in the form of an image. It’s the reason why people prefer consuming visual content compared to text.
All these things and more make Instagram popular among audience segments representing diverse demographics and psychographic characteristics.
How does the Instagram algorithm work for stories?
Every social media platform has its algorithm, and Instagram is no exception. These algorithms define how social media platforms operate and display the content published.
Back in the day, Instagram displayed the latest content published by users at the top. Over time, the algorithm evolved, and it’s not how things work anymore.
Now, there are a number of factors that decide the fate of the visual content you publish on Instagram and the traction you generate through it.
The platform now considers the authority of the publisher, the relevance of information, content quality, posting time, users’ activity, interaction history, and user experience into consideration.
The algorithm not only dictates the performance of the content you see in the news feeds, but it also influences the performance of stories you publish.
It’s the reason why you come across stories shared by certain content creators, influencers, and brands more frequently compared to others.
How can you generate traction through Instagram stories?
In most cases, the first thing that catches users’ attention when they access Instagram is stories published by accounts they follow.
It provides you with an opportunity to connect with your target audience on a deeper level and ensure high engagement.
You can leverage stories to post announcements about your brand, share the latest updates about your solutions, publish polls, run giveaways, display testimonials, share discount codes, and more.
Not only do you get to engage the users who follow you, but you also draw more potential followers.
The more interactive your stories are, the higher your chances of generating traction through them and conveying your message to the right people.You should tailor the content you share to the interests of the intended audience. Plus, you can amplify the user experience by adding music to them.
How to add music to Instagram stories
Adding music to Instagram stories may be tricky when you are getting started. There are a number of ways you can add your preferred tunes to the content you share and level up the engagement.
1. Add music using Music Sticker
Let’s talk about the most commonly used method for adding music to Instagram stories first. You can use the music sticker to add your different soundtracks or tunes to your stories on Instagram.
Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Upload content
Open Instagram, click the ‘+’ button from the story menu, and upload your preferred visual content that you want to post as a story.
Step 2: Click the music icon
After uploading your content, the next step is to click the ‘music icon’ appearing at the top to add your favorite tunes or soundtracks.
Step 3: Select the music
The third step is to select the music you want to add to your Instagram story. You can choose from the options the platform recommends or browse other soundtracks that may pique your interest.
Step 4: Add a sticker
After selecting your preferred music file, choose a sticker to make your story more appealing. You can choose the audio-only option if you don’t want any text to appear in the story or choose to display the lyrics of the soundtrack.
You can also add an album cover or explore other options. The goal here is to improve engagement. So, go with an option that you think will work best for you.
Click ‘Done’ and publish your story.
2. Add music using Keyhole
Consistency is important when your goal is to engage your audience through Instagram. You compete with hundreds of players in your industry who all strive to gain a competitive advantage.
So, it’s best that you consistently share quality content through the social media platform.
3. Add music using Apple Music
If you aren’t happy with the music options that the platform recommends, Instagram allows you to add your music to your stories. It’s likely a go-to approach for music artists or content creators.
To add a soundtrack from your device, you can use Apple Music and select your favorite tune for the story. Just follow the steps below to do so.
Step 1: Open Apple Music
To add your favorite tune to your Instagram story, you need to access the Apple Music app from your phone.
Step 2: Choose the file
The next step is to explore the music files and select the one you want to add to your Instagram story.
Step 3: Add music to the Instagram story
After selecting the music file, click the ‘share’ icon and pick ‘Instagram’ from the options available to you.
You’re all set. The music you added is now accessible to your audience through your Instagram story.
4. Add music using Spotify
Another useful tool for adding your music files to Instagram stories is Spotify. All you need to do is follow the below-mentioned steps.
Step 1: Access Spotify
To add the soundtrack you like to your Instagram story using Spotify, you should access the app using your phone.
Step 2: Pick a soundtrack
The next step is to pick a soundtrack you want to share with your audience or add to your Instagram story.
Step 3: Add music to the story
After selecting the file, click ‘share’ and then proceed with the ‘Instagram stories’ option in the app. The next step is to pick your favorite soundtrack.
That’s all. The app will add the music you selected to your story.
You can further customize your story as per your liking through Instagram and share it with your followers.
5. Add music using Shazam
Shazam gives you the option to add catchy tunes or soundtracks you discovered through the app to your Instagram story.
All you need to do is follow the given process.
Step 1: Access Shazam on your phone
To initiate the process of adding music to your story, the first thing you need to do is open Shazam through your phone.
Step 2: Select a song
The next step is to either discover the song or choose the previously discovered soundtrack from the library.
Step 3: Add a tune to the Instagram story
The final step is to add the soundtrack to your Instagram story and customize it with stickers, GIFs, or text in the app.
Why add music to Instagram stories
Adding music to stories is one of the many handy features that Instagram offers. It enables you to offer an enhanced experience and grab the attention of the intended audience.
Adding music to your content makes it more relatable. Music is associated with different memories and experiences of people. Hence, listening to it while accessing your content may have a deeper impact.
Additionally, adding music to the videos in your story enhances the user experience. For example, if you’re an event marketer or social media manager planning a New Year’s Eve party, plan to add relevant music to your stories instead of raw audio.
This can make your brand’s post feel polished and professional, avoiding the distractions of background noise or shouting.You may be able to bond with your audience and convince them to pay heed to what you have to say. You get to improve your brand’s credibility and establish lasting relationships in the long run.
Final words
In this guide, we discussed different processes through which you can add music to your Instagram stories.
We recommended simple steps for you to follow so you can amplify the experience you offer and generate more traction through the content you share.
Sharing stories on Instagram serves as an excellent strategy to engage your target audience. However, you compete with hundreds of players out there.
So, your goal is to make your stories as interactive as possible. Adding music to them is a handy tactic that may help you drive optimal results.
Author Bio
Syed Balkhi is the founder of WPBeginner, the largest free WordPress resource site. With over 10 years of experience, he’s the leading WordPress expert in the industry. You can learn more about Syed and his portfolio of companies by following him on his social media networks.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is adding music to an Instagram story a must?
No! You don’t need to add music to your Instagram story before publishing it. However, adding it may serve as the best course of action.
2. Can Instagram unpublish my stories with music?
Yes! Instagram can remove your stories with music if they don’t contain visual elements due to copyright issues. For example, you may encounter this problem when you add to a story with a blank screen.
3. Will adding music to the Instagram story affect the quality of content?
No! Adding music to your Instagram story will not affect the quality of your content, be it image, video, or any other type of visual content.
