Search results
- On top of the addictive qualities of social media that most are already aware of, Instagram Stories fuel new levels of compulsion. These rapid-fire segments loop us in and keep us hooked with every tap, with a more involved narrative that seizes attention.
www.healthline.com/health/why-are-instagram-stories-so-addicting
People also ask
Why are Instagram stories so popular?
Why are Instagram stories so addictive?
Why do people prefer Instagram feed over Instagram Stories?
What are Instagram stories & how do you use them?
Are Instagram stories more authentic than other social media platforms?
Do Instagram stories really work?
Nov 8, 2018 · We partnered with Delmondo to analyze more than 15,000 Instagram Stories from 200 of the world’s top brands in one of the largest Instagram Stories research studies to date.
Jun 21, 2018 · The audience we surveyed perceived similarities and differences beyond these. Across all four countries, people strongly see both Instagram Stories and Instagram Feed as visually beautiful places to revel in creativity. But people also tend to associate each with different use cases.
- Overview
- The story behind the Stories
- There’s safety in transience
- The constructed self
- The mental health impact
- Reflecting on our habits
- Takeaway
Tapping little circles is fun, but checking in with your real circles is where it’s really at.
I’m always tapping little circles.
If I told you a decade ago that “little circles” give me intimate views into the lives of others, you’d probably assume I was some creepy neighbor with binoculars. It’s a fair assumption based on the verbiage.
These days, you might’ve guessed that I’m talking about Instagram Stories. In other words, the 24-hour life highlight reel that’s taken the main stage in social media.
I don’t know about you, but these little circles chockfull of human experience have grown to take up quite a bit of my attention.
Whether it’s so-and-so’s artfully-decorated caramel macchiato or Random Guy From College’s trip to the Adidas store, I find myself drawn to the storytelling within Instagram Stories, even when it’s mind-numbingly simple.
When these oh-so-tappable circles launched back in August 2016, I scoffed at the blatant likeness to Snapchat, vowing to skip the feature entirely.
One year post-launch, Instagram reached 150 million users on Stories, according to marketing analytics company 99firms. That number doubled to 300 million by the final quarter of 2017.
Powerless against the trend, I caved.
Enter 2021, over 500 million people interact with Instagram Stories on the daily. We’ve become engrossed in these little circles, a bizarre digital universe where authentic human emotion rubs shoulders with calculatingly designed advertisements.
So, who’s really in charge here?
On top of the addictive qualities of social media that most are already aware of, Instagram Stories fuel new levels of compulsion. These rapid-fire segments loop us in and keep us hooked with every tap, with a more involved narrative that seizes attention.
It’s deeper than structural design alone. The fact that Instagram Stories are generally less manicured than feed posts also contributes to their lure, says Antonino.
Social media dumbs down the full truth, but I’ve seen far more emotional openness on Instagram Stories compared to other places on social media.
A survey conducted by Facebook revealed that people feel they can be more authentic, since the content in stories disappears after 24 hours unless saved to a profile highlight.
Trading responses on each other’s stories, I’ve become “internet friends” with people I’ve never even met.
“Users can interpret Stories as lighter and more relatable. They’re less ‘threatening,’ making people more likely to tap through them,” Antonino shares.
These little circles feel like a nice dose of semi-realness in a raging sea of overproduced curation. It’s easier to toss a random photo on your story compared to the mechanics and aesthetic considerations of blending it into “the grid.”
After I’ve speed-tapped through approximately 86 people’s daily happenings, I often find myself rewatching my own story.
And then I watch who’s watching me. I then have an existential moment wondering what they think, viewing my life online. And TBH, I don’t really know how we got to this point of ridiculousness, but we’re all here. Everyone’s doing it.
Research tells me I’m not alone.
The same survey from Facebook revealed that one of the top reasons people use Instagram’s story feature is to see what others are up to. According to the results, they’re seeking “live and unedited content.”
As a species, we’re inherently curious about our fellow humans and how they view us. Make it a little more “behind the scenes” instead of center stage, and we’re even more interested.
The Looking-Glass Self theory was developed by a sociologist named Charles Cooley way back in 1902, asserting that we develop our concept of self from observing how we’re perceived by others.
When it comes to our mental health, stories on the ‘Gram pack the usual punch, contributing to skyrocketing rates of anxiety and depression.
Ever slapped on a snazzy filter and thought “hot damn, I look good as hell” only to realize it just airbrushed your entire existence?
Yeah. We’ve all been there.
Story filters, specifically, lead us to spend hours comparing what could be with what isn’t when it comes to our appearances. Dr. Leela Magavi has seen the effects of this firsthand as a psychiatrist and regional medical director for Community Psychiatry.
“Children and adults of all ages have confided in me, sharing that they are ashamed of posting photographs of themselves without the utilization of filters,” says Magavi. “I have assessed teenagers, men, and women who have discussed the idea of getting plastic surgery to look more like the filtered version of themselves.”
Digitally-induced body dysmorphia has descended upon society. More times than I care to admit, I’ve flicked through different filters, carefully analyzing which hue suits me the best and recoiling in horror at the ones that give me Bratz doll lips.
Social media feels like a bit of an uncontrollable avalanche on humanity. As concerning as the effects have become, it’s not all bad.
I’ve gotten some killer recipes for banana bread, and I get to view the lives of people I love by simply tapping on little circles each day. Happy as that makes me, it’s still been difficult to find a balance and resist the urge to story binge.
Antonino says the key to striking a healthy balance is by becoming aware of the impact social media has on us at the personal level.
He advises us to ask ourselves the following questions:
•How important has social media become to us compared to cultivating relationships in more traditional ways?
•How significant, satisfying, and meaningful are the interactions we maintain through social media?
Instagram Stories and their many addictive cousins aren’t going anywhere, so it’s on us to use them to value-add to our lives without going overboard.
Tapping little circles is fun and all, but checking in with your real circles is where it’s really at.
Jan 31, 2022 · They identify three key factors — how much media you’ve already viewed, the similarity of the media you’ve viewed, and the manner in which you viewed it — and argue that all three have the power...
Jun 21, 2022 · Learn how to use Instagram Stories – what they are, how to make them, why your business needs them, and secret features to make your Story stand out.
Nov 23, 2021 · How do Instagram stories perform compared to posts in feed: we look at the average reach rate of Instagram posts compared to stories to see which type of content better helps brands connect with their Instagram audiences. Learn more about what changed in Instagram's Stories' performance right here 👈. Key insights
The research revealed that people perceive and use Instagram Feed and Instagram Stories in different ways—knowledge that could help marketers fine-tune their cross-platform campaigns.
