Instagram is more than just a place to post enticing product photos. If you’re wondering how to promote your Etsy shop on Instagram, stories and reels are two of the best tools to build trust, connect with your audience, and keep your products top-of-mind.
Unlike static posts, these short-form videos are fast, dynamic, and designed for discovery. Whether you’re showing how a product is made or resharing customer feedback, Instagram stories are perfect for posting quick updates for your followers, while reels help you reach new audiences. Both can give your brand personality and drive engagement that can lead to sales.
Before we dive into how to use these tools effectively, let’s break down the difference between Instagram reels and stories so you can choose the right format for your Etsy content.
Instagram Reels vs. Stories: What’s the Difference?
Not sure whether to post to reels or stories? While both are short-form video formats, they serve different purposes and reach different audiences. Here’s how they compare.
Instagram Reels Explained
- Length: up to 3 minutes long.
- Visibility: reels posted by public accounts can be seen by anyone on Instagram via their feed, reels, or Explore tabs, as well as audio, effect, and hashtag pages. Private accounts limit reel visibility to approved followers only.
- Lifespan: permanent unless deleted. Reels appear on your profile grid and can be watched again later.
- Best for: educational content, tutorials, showcasing your brand or products, entertaining content, announcements, behind-the-scenes, shareable content, UGC (User Generated Content), and more.
- Bonus: reels can be shared and boosted for advertising on Instagram, and often get higher organic reach compared to posts.
Instagram Stories Explained
- Length: video stories can be up to 60 seconds per clip. Longer videos are broken into multiple clips. Photos display for approximately 7 seconds.
- Visibility: stories are visible to everyone, but Instagram features them at the top of your followers’ feeds for 24 hours.
- Lifespan: stories disappear after 24 hours unless you add them to a highlight, where they’ll remain visible on your profile until you remove them.
- Best for: real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, polls and questions, product countdowns, limited-time offers, flash sales, and real-time event coverage.
- Bonus: Instagram stories allow you to add text, stickers, and polls to boost engagement and interaction.
💡 TIP: before deciding what to post, check eRank’s Trend Buzz or Keyword Tool to see which products or keywords are popular. That way, your stories and reels align with what shoppers are already looking for.
Which Should You Use for Your Etsy Shop?
Ideally both! Reels let you reach new audiences, while stories can help you nurture loyal followers. So, if you’ve been wondering how to use Instagram stories or reels for business promotion, the answer is to balance the two. Use reels to grow your visibility and boost your brand, and use stories to build loyalty and share quick updates.
Now that you know the differences between reels and stories, let’s look at some creative ways to bring your products to life using each format. From behind-the-scenes peeks to engaging product demos, these ideas will help you connect with your audience in fresh, authentic ways.
Show What Happens Behind-the-Scenes
People love seeing the “real” side of small businesses. Behind-the-scenes content makes your brand more human and relatable while helping build a connection that sets you apart from big-box retailers.
Use reels to show:
- Your creative process, from sketching to packing
- How you select materials or prepare orders
- A time-lapse of your workspace or a production day
Use stories for:
- Quick daily check-ins. Ex: showing your audience what you are working on that day
- Polls or “this or that” options for upcoming products
- Sneak peeks of new listings before they go live
By letting followers in on the process, you’re inviting them to be part of your journey. That kind of transparency builds brand loyalty and can increase your engagement rate in the long-term.
Share Product Demos That Solve Problems
Reels are highly shareable videos used to drive participation. They’re the perfect place to demonstrate how your product works or fits into your customer’s life. Rather than hard-selling, focus on showing value.
Examples:
- If you sell handmade scrunchies, show how they’re gentle on hair and don’t leave creases
- Selling digital planners? Record a screen capture of how your file opens, prints, or syncs with an app
- Make jewelry? Use reels to show how to style a necklace with different outfits
These videos don’t have to be perfect. They just need to be useful. Add on-screen text, use Instagram’s music, and write captions with relevant keywords to increase interaction and visibility.
Turn Customer Content into Sales Drivers
Social proof is powerful. Sharing content from happy customers not only gives your followers confidence; it also makes them feel like they’re part of your brand.
Here’s how to use User Generated Content (UGC) effectively:
- Reshare tagged posts and stories from your customers using your products
- Create a highlight labeled “Happy Customers,” “Styled by You,” etc
- Compile quick reels using customer photos (with permission) and add a fun audio track
- Post a story thanking a customer for their support and tag their profile
Encourage customers to tag you in their posts or use a branded hashtag to make it easier to find and share their content. If you offer customizable products, be sure to feature those personal touches when resharing. This shows future buyers what’s possible.
Use Engagement Tools in Stories
Stories include built-in features designed to spark interaction and encourage engagement. Try using:
- Polls: “Which color do you love more?”
- Questions: “What product should I bring back next month?”
- Quizzes: “Guess which new item is coming this week!”
- Countdown stickers: for restocks or product launches
These tools keep your followers active and signal to the Instagram algorithm that your content is worth promoting. Make your stories fun using the variety of Instagram stickers, music, and effects available.
Bonus: When followers engage with your stories, they’re more likely to see your future posts and reels in their feed.
Post Consistently, but Keep It Fun
You don’t need to post a reel every day or document every moment of your workday. Even just one or two reels per week, along with a few stories, can keep your audience engaged and your brand top of mind.
To make the process easier, try batch-recording several reels in one sitting so you always have content ready to go. Use templates within the reels editor to maintain a consistent look and feel across your videos. You can also repurpose parts of your stories into reels (and vice versa), which saves time while giving your content new life.
💡 TIP: Use eRank’s Calendar tool to spot upcoming holidays and shopping events. This will help you plan Instagram content when shoppers are most active.
Keep your tone conversational and make sure your visuals reflect your brand’s personality. You’re not just promoting products, you’re building relationships.
Need more Instagram inspiration? Check out eRank manager Starla Moore’s 30–Day Instagram Challenge. It’s a fantastic way to kickstart your content planning and stay consistent on social media. You’ll get easy-to-follow prompts for what to post and when, which is perfect for building momentum and boosting engagement.
Make Instagram Work for Your Business
Instagram stories and reels aren’t just for influencers or viral dance trends. As a product-based business owner, you should use Instagram to build trust, show your expertise, and guide your followers toward making a purchase.
Use behind-the-scenes footage to give your audience a peek into your process. Share product demos to show solutions for potential issues buyers may face while learning to use your products. Let your customers help promote you with their own content. And have fun experimenting with interactive tools to keep the conversation going.
Start with one feature, stay consistent, and let your creativity shine. You never know which post might be the one that turns a viewer into your next loyal customer.
Not sure if Instagram is the right social media channel for your business? Learn more marketing strategies and tools with Best Social Media Platforms for Etsy Sellers.
