For small business owners, your Instagram Strategy needs to be efficient, authentic, and high-impact. Reposting stories is one of the most powerful ways to integrate social proof and user-generated content (UGC) into your marketing mix without dedicating hours to content creation.
Knowing how to repost a story on Instagram is more than just a trick; it’s a vital way to build trust, drive sales, and encourage your community to become brand advocates.
Method 1: Repost When You Are Tagged
This is the cleanest, easiest, and highest-quality method. When a customer, influencer, or partner tags your business in their story, Instagram gives you a direct, high-resolution sharing option.
The Business Value:
Authenticity:
Nothing is more powerful than a genuine, unsolicited endorsement.
High Quality:
Reposting via the official method ensures the highest possible image and video quality.
Encouragement:
A quick repost of a customer’s story acknowledges their effort and encourages more sharing.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Monitor Your Direct Messages (DMs):
When an account tags your business (e.g., @yourbusinessname), you will receive a notification and a DM from that user.
Access the Share Link:
Open the DM. You will see the prompt: “Add to Your Story.” Tapping this will open the Story editor with the original content embedded as a sticker.
Strategic Customization:
This is where the magic happens for your business. Before posting, use the story editor to:
Call to Action (CTA):
If you have swipe-up link access or a Link Sticker, attach a link to the featured product’s page.
Thank the Customer:
Add a quick text overlay that says, “Thank you, [Customer Name]! We love this photo.”
Add Value:
Briefly explain why the product in the story is great. (e.g., “Our best-selling coffee blend!”)
Publish:
Tap “Your Story” to share this powerful endorsement. Remember to do this within the original story’s 24-hour window.
Method 2: The Repost Workaround
Sometimes, a customer shares a beautiful photo of your product but forgets to tag you. You don’t want to let that valuable content go to waste! This method requires a manual process, but it’s perfect for curating strong User-Generated Content (UGC).
Crucial Step: Always Seek Permission First
As a business, you must maintain professionalism and avoid potential legal issues. Send the creator a polite DM like: “Hi [Name]! We absolutely love your photo of our [product]. May we share it on our story? We’ll be sure to give you full credit!”
The Screen Capture and Credit Method:
Capture the Content:
For a static image, take a screenshot.
For a video, use your phone’s built-in screen recording feature.
Edit and Crop for Quality:
Go to your camera roll and crop the photo or video carefully to remove your phone’s status bar, buttons, and other clutter. This gives it a professional look.
Upload to Story:
Start a new story and upload the cleaned-up media.
Prominent Tagging:
This is mandatory. Use the @mention sticker to tag the original creator prominently. You can also use a text box to write out their name, ensuring they are credited and notified.
Add Your Brand Stamp:
Reposition the image, add a branded background color, or include your business logo (discreetly) to integrate the content with your brand aesthetic.
Method 3: Reposting Your Own Feed
Many users spend more time browsing Stories than scrolling the main Feed. Reposting your own new content to your Story is an essential marketing step to ensure maximum visibility for your latest products, announcements, or tutorials.
The Business Value:
Feed Post Boost:
Increases initial engagement on your Feed post, which Instagram’s algorithm favors.
Instant Traffic:
Stories act as a high-visibility funnel to your most important content.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Locate the Content:
Find the post or Reel on your profile or in the main feed.
Tap the Share Icon:
It looks like a paper airplane below the content.
Select Story Option:
Choose “Add post/Reel to your story.”
Create Curiosity:
Use the Story editor to entice users to click:
Teaser Graphic:
Use a GIF, a solid color sticker, or a large emoji to partially cover the post image.
Click-Bait Text:
Add a text overlay like “Tap to see our surprise sale!” or “Wait till you see this recipe ➡️” to encourage a tap-through.
Publish:
Post the story to drive immediate traffic and engagement.
Maximizing Engagement as a Business:
To turn a simple repost into a strategic asset, leverage Instagram’s interactive stickers:
Final Tip:
Don’t let valuable reposted content disappear after 24 hours. Every time you repost a rave customer review, add it to a dedicated Story Highlight on your profile (e.g., “Customer Love,” “Reviews,” or “Press”).
This creates a powerful, permanent source of social proof that new visitors can easily browse, reinforcing their trust in your business long after the original story has expired.
