How to Create Customer Testimonials as Instagram Story Highlights for Your Brand: A Complete Guide to Using Instagram Stories Highlights

Instagram is more than just a social platform—it’s a key tool for growing your brand and engaging with potential customers. One of the best ways to provide value and increase customer engagement is by using the story highlight feature. Instagram story highlights are a great way to organize and showcase reviews and testimonials, products and services, and the best of your Instagram content right at the top of your Instagram profile.

With the ability to save stories to archives, you can easily pull past stories and create a highlight that resonates with your audience. By adding a well-designed highlight cover image or creating a custom cover, you can make your Instagram highlights visually appealing and branded. This guide will walk you through how to create Instagram stories highlights, why they’re one of the best ways to engage your audience, and how to leverage them to build trust, attract new customers, and drive action—whether it’s clicking through your Instagram shopping link or making a purchase.

Let’s dive into what Instagram stories can do for your brand and uncover ways to use Instagram highlights to their full potential.

Why Use Instagram Stories Highlights for Customer Testimonials

Instagram story highlights are a great tool for boosting your brand’s credibility and showcasing reviews and testimonials in a way that’s always visible on your Instagram profile. Here’s why they’re essential for your strategy:

Benefits of Showcasing Customer Testimonials on Instagram Highlights

1. Build Trust Through Social Proof
   Featuring happy customers using your products and services adds credibility to your brand. Testimonials act as social proof, encouraging potential customers to engage with your content and explore your Instagram account further.
2. Highlight Your Best Story Content
   Using the story highlight feature, you can pull from archived stories to create highlights that display only the most impactful reviews or testimonials. This approach lets you control the narrative and emphasize what matters most.
3. Make It Easy for New Customers to See Reviews
   With story highlights, you can ensure that customers using your product or service are front and center on your profile. Highlights help by keeping key information available for Instagram users browsing your account.
4. Increase Engagement with Organized Highlights
   By adding a cover photo or creating a custom highlight cover, your new highlight will stand out, driving more viewers to explore and interact with your testimonials.

How Instagram Story Highlights Build Trust and Engagement for Your Brand

• Dedicated Highlight Categories: Organize testimonials by highlight categories, such as product reviews, video testimonials, or customer success stories. This organization makes it easy for visitors to find the specific story content they’re interested in.
• Tap Into Archived Stories: Since Instagram automatically saves stories to your archive, you can curate testimonials into as many highlights as you want, ensuring no great customer story gets lost.
• Consistent Updates: By refreshing your highlights regularly, you keep your audience on Instagram engaged and coming back for more.

When I first started using Instagram Stories Highlights, I created a dedicated ‘Customer Reviews’ highlight on my profile. By featuring testimonials from satisfied clients, I noticed a significant increase in engagement and inquiries about my services.

How to Create Instagram Stories Highlights for Customer Testimonials

Creating story highlights is simple, and when done correctly, it can transform your Instagram profile into a hub of trust and engagement. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create Instagram story highlights for your reviews and testimonials.

Steps to Create Instagram Story Highlights

1. Go to Your Profile
   Begin by opening your Instagram account and navigating to your profile. The story highlight feature is located right below your bio.
2. Choose Stories You Want to Highlight
   Tap on the “+” icon to start creating a new highlight. You can choose from your archived stories or any active story currently visible. Select the best story content that showcases happy customers or video testimonials.
3. Edit Highlight Details
   Once selected, give your highlight a name, like “Customer Reviews” or “Success Stories.” You can also tap and hold the highlight to make further edits later.
4. Create a Cover Image
   Adding a highlight cover image is crucial for branding. You can design a custom cover photo that aligns with your brand’s visual identity. This step ensures your highlights look polished and professional.
5. Save and Organize
   Save your new highlight to your profile. You can create as many highlights as you want and organize them in a way that appeals to potential customers.

Tips to Use Instagram Stories for Collecting Customer Reviews

• Encourage Customers to Share Stories
  Ask your customers using your product or service to tag your brand in their stories. You can then share their stories and save them to a relevant highlight.
• Feature Video Testimonials
  Video content is a powerful way to build trust. Highlight customer videos in which they talk about how your products and services made a difference for them.
• Include a Call-to-Action
  Use story stickers like polls or question boxes to invite customers to leave reviews. Once shared, these can be converted into highlights to show potential customers why they should choose your brand.

Over 500 million users access Instagram Stories daily, making it a powerful tool for brand engagement.

Creative Ways to Use Instagram Highlights to Showcase Customer Testimonials

Instagram story highlights are a great way to organize and display customer testimonials in a visually appealing format. By focusing on thoughtful design and learning from successful examples, you can create highlights that engage your audience and build trust.

Highlight Cover Ideas to Match Your Brand Aesthetic

The highlight cover image is one of the first things users notice on your Instagram profile. A well-designed cover not only makes your highlights look professional but also reinforces your brand identity.

To align your covers with your aesthetic, consider these ideas:

• Use Brand Colors and Fonts: Match your highlight cover to your existing branding elements, such as logo colors and typography. This consistency helps your Instagram content look cohesive.
• Icons and Illustrations: Simple icons representing the theme of each highlight (e.g., a shopping bag for product reviews or a star for testimonials) make it easy for users to understand what each highlight is about.
• Custom Photography: Include branded imagery or product visuals as part of your cover photo. For instance, showcase a photo of happy customers with your product for a “Reviews” highlight.
• Minimalist Designs: Clean, uncluttered covers with a single design element or word are effective in catching attention while maintaining a polished look.

These covers not only make your highlights help users navigate easily but also give your profile a professional edge, making it easy for customers to engage with your brand.

After launching a new product, I used Insta Stories Highlights to showcase unboxing videos and customer feedback. This approach not only boosted my brand’s credibility but also led to a noticeable uptick in sales within the first month.

Examples of Brands Successfully Using Instagram Stories Highlights

Many brands have mastered the art of using IG story highlights to showcase testimonials and boost engagement. Here are some inspiring examples:

• Glossier: This beauty brand uses highlights to share real customer reviews and tutorials featuring their products. They organize testimonials under specific categories, such as skincare and makeup, making it easy for viewers to find the content they need.
• Nike: Nike’s highlights include authentic customer stories, where athletes share how Nike products support their performance. This use of video testimonials adds a personal touch while promoting their gear.
• Etsy Sellers: Small businesses on Etsy often feature highlights that provide social proof. Many sellers showcase feedback from customers alongside images of their handcrafted items, adding authenticity and trustworthiness to their profiles.
• Local Boutiques and Restaurants: Businesses use testimonials to highlight satisfied customers enjoying their offerings. This strategy works particularly well for attracting new customers who rely on reviews before making a purchase.

These examples illustrate how highlights can act as a curated portfolio of your brand’s success, giving potential customers the confidence to explore your offerings further.

In 2023, Glossier, a beauty brand, effectively utilized Instagram Stories Highlights to showcase customer testimonials and product tutorials. By organizing content into specific categories like skincare and makeup, they made it easy for followers to find relevant information, leading to increased customer engagement and brand loyalty.

Best Practices for Using Instagram Stories Highlights

To maximize the effectiveness of your story highlights, following best practices can help ensure they resonate with your audience and drive engagement. Thoughtful organization and consistent updates can turn your highlights into a dynamic tool for customer trust and brand visibility.

Organizing Your Highlights for Maximum Impact

A well-structured set of highlights makes it easier for users to find relevant information and interact with your brand. Begin by categorizing your stories to a highlight that reflects specific themes, such as product highlights, customer reviews, or FAQs.

Use descriptive names for your highlights, such as “Testimonials” or “How-To Guides,” to provide clarity. A dedicated highlight category for reviews and testimonials, for example, ensures your potential customers can quickly access the social proof they need to make purchasing decisions.

Additionally, place your most valuable highlights—like those showcasing your top products and services—at the top of your Instagram profile. This strategic positioning ensures your audience sees your best content first.

Brands that utilize Instagram Stories Highlights effectively have seen a 20% increase in reach and engagement.

Consistently Updating and Promoting Highlights

Keeping your highlights fresh is crucial for maintaining engagement. Regularly review your archived stories to add new content and remove outdated material. By doing this, your highlights remain relevant and reflective of your brand’s current offerings.

When launching a new product or campaign, use active story content to drive attention to the related highlight. For example, you can post behind-the-scenes clips or customer unboxing videos, then save these stories to a highlight titled “What’s New” or “Customer Reactions.”

Promote your highlights regularly by linking to them in your Instagram posts, reels, or stories. This cross-promotion can draw more traffic to your IG story highlights and encourage deeper engagement with your profile.

Conclusion

Instagram story highlights are a great way to elevate your brand’s presence, provide social proof, and engage your audience effectively. By organizing stories on your profile, using well-designed highlight covers, and showcasing customers using your products or services, you can turn casual visitors into loyal customers.

Highlights serve as a bridge between your Instagram feed and the deeper story of your brand, offering potential followers and customers a curated look into what makes your business unique. Whether you’re creating a story highlight for testimonials, products, or FAQs, the key is to keep the content relevant, visually appealing, and consistent with your brand identity.

With tools like “save story to archive” and the ability to create multiple highlights, the possibilities are endless for turning your profile into an interactive and engaging platform. Start implementing these strategies today, and see how highlights can help you connect with your audience and drive meaningful results for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the First Step to Creating an Instagram Story Highlight?

The first step is to create an Instagram story by sharing engaging content on your account. Once the story is live, tap the “Highlight” button at the bottom of the screen to save it to a new or existing highlight. For archived stories, navigate to your profile, tap “+” under Highlights, and select from the saved content. This is a great way to engage your audience and keep important content accessible.

Can You Create Multiple Highlights for Different Content Types?

Yes, you can organize your stories on your profile by creating multiple highlights. For instance, you might create one highlight dedicated to customer testimonials, another to behind-the-scenes content, and a third to product promotions. Using different Instagram highlights ensures your audience can easily find the content they’re most interested in.

How Do Highlights Help You Engage with Your Audience?

Highlights can help by keeping your best content front and center, making it easier for users to find value in your Instagram feed. They also provide opportunities to consistently engage with your audience by showcasing interactive stories, such as polls, FAQs, or customer insights. This constant visibility encourages followers to explore your profile further.

What Are Some Creative Ways to Use Your Story Highlights?

Some highlight ideas include creating branded tutorials, featuring “A Day in the Life” content, or offering customers an inside look at your business processes. You can also curate FAQ highlights to answer common inquiries, which is a great way to engage and educate your audience.

How Can You Use Highlights to Provide Social Proof?

A highlight on your profile dedicated to customer feedback, reviews, or testimonials is an effective way to build trust. By curating content that shows customers using your product or sharing positive experiences, you give potential customers compelling reasons to interact with your brand. Pairing this with visuals that reflect your branding strengthens your impact.

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