Many people use both Instagram and Facebook and wonder if the stories they post on each platform are connected in some way. The short answer is yes, Instagram stories and Facebook stories are linked. When you post a story on Instagram, you have the option to share it to Facebook as well. Likewise, when you post a story on Facebook, you can choose to share it to Instagram. This allows you to reach both your Instagram and Facebook audiences with the same story content.
What are Instagram stories?
Instagram stories are photo or video posts that appear in a slideshow format at the top of the Instagram feed. Stories disappear after 24 hours. To post an Instagram story, just tap the camera icon at the top left of the Instagram app or swipe right from anywhere in the feed. You can add filters, text, drawings, stickers, and more to your Instagram stories.
Some key features of Instagram stories:
- Disappear after 24 hours
- Can be up to 15 seconds long for videos
- Allow you to add creative elements like text, drawings, and stickers
- Appear in a slideshow format at the top of the Instagram feed
Instagram stories provide a way to share moments and events with your followers in a casual, creative format that doesn’t have to be permanent. Many Instagram users post stories daily to give their audience a glimpse into their daily lives.
Who can view your Instagram stories?
By default, your Instagram stories are visible to all of your followers. But you also have the option to customize your story settings and select only certain people you want to view each story. To do this, just select the “Custom” option when you go to share your story.
You can also block specific people from viewing your stories through your privacy settings. Just go to your profile, click the three dots in the top right corner, go to “Privacy,” then “Story,” and add people to your block list.
What are Facebook stories?
Facebook stories work just like Instagram stories, but they appear at the top of your Facebook news feed. You can access Facebook stories by clicking on “Stories” in the left menu bar or by clicking on “Create Story” at the top of your news feed.
With Facebook stories, you can:
- Add photos and videos
- Add text, stickers, drawings, filters, etc.
- View friends’ stories at the top of your news feed
- Share your story to specific friends or make it public
Facebook stories also disappear after 24 hours. The stories feature allows Facebook users to give their friends a daily, visual update on their lives in a more casual way than a typical status update.
Who can view your Facebook stories?
You can choose who can view your Facebook stories when you share them. You can share to:
- Public: Anyone who can see your profile
- Friends: Your Facebook friends
- Specific friends: Choose individual friends to share your story with
- Hide your story: Share it with no one
- Favorites: A custom list of friends
So you have full control over your Facebook story audience. You also have the option to block specific people from seeing your story.
Are Instagram and Facebook stories connected?
Yes, Instagram and Facebook added the ability to cross-post stories in 2017. So when you share a story on Instagram, you can choose to simultaneously share it to Facebook. And vice versa – if you post a story on Facebook, you can share it to Instagram at the same time.
The steps to cross-post a story are simple:
Sharing an Instagram story to Facebook
1. Create your Instagram story as usual
2. Tap “Send To” on the sharing menu
3. Select “Facebook”
4. Tap your Facebook profile picture to share
Your Instagram story will now post to Facebook as well.
Sharing a Facebook story to Instagram
1. Create your Facebook story as usual
2. Tap the “Share Story” icon
3. Select “Share Story to Instagram”
4. Tap “Share Now”
Your Facebook story will share to your connected Instagram account.
When you cross-post a story, your followers on each platform will be able to view it. So it’s an easy way to share your story content with your combined Instagram and Facebook audiences.
Keep in mind the story will appear native to each platform and follow the general format – Instagram stories have a slideshow format while Facebook stories appear individually.
Important things to know about cross-posting stories
Here are some key facts about sharing stories between Instagram and Facebook:
- You must have Facebook and Instagram accounts connected
- Any edits you make to the story will apply on both platforms
- You can delete a cross-posted story from either app, and it will delete everywhere
- Instagram stories appearchronologically on Facebook
- Any views, comments, or reactions remain separate on each platform
- You can turn off cross-posting in your Instagram settings
So essentially, the story content will be the same on both platforms, but the views, interactions, and technical display will be unique to each.
How to connect Instagram and Facebook accounts
If you want to be able to cross-post Instagram and Facebook stories, you need to link your Instagram and Facebook accounts. Here is how to do it:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right to access the menu
- Go to “Settings” at the bottom
- Tap “Linked Accounts”
- Select “Facebook”
- Log into your Facebook account
Once your accounts are linked, you will see Facebook sharing options when you go to share an Instagram story and can cross-post at will.
Pros of cross-posting Instagram and Facebook stories
There are a few advantages to sharing your stories on both platforms:
- Increased reach – Your story gets seen by both your Instagram and Facebook audiences
- Saves time – You don’t have to create your story twice to share on both apps
- Unified presence – Provides a more consistent presence across your social channels
- Engagement – Gives followers on both platforms a chance to view and interact with your story
Cross-posting provides an efficient way to distribute your story widely and grow your audience across multiple platforms.
Cons of cross-posting Instagram and Facebook stories
However, there are also a few potential drawbacks:
- Redundant content – Followers may get annoyed seeing duplicate stories
- Different audiences – Content may not appeal to or resonate with both audiences
- Extra notifications – Notifications from the same story on multiple platforms can be disruptive
- Analytics confusion – Harder to analyze engagement when it’s split across platforms
Make sure your content adds value for both audiences and that you cross-post selectively rather than automatically sharing every story.
Best practices for cross-posting stories
If you do decide to link your Instagram and Facebook stories, keep these best practices in mind:
- Tailor content to each platform – Use captions suited for each audience
- Analyze performance – Track engagement on each platform separately
- Follow each profile’s aesthetics – Respect the style of each page
- Space out posts – Avoid sharing every story to reduce redundancy
- Provide value – Make sure each audience benefits from your content
The key is to strike a balance – take advantage of cross-posting while also understanding the nuances of each platform’s audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cross-post Instagram stories to LinkedIn or Twitter?
No, currently Instagram only allows you to cross-post stories directly to Facebook. You cannot share Instagram stories to other platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.
Do Facebook story views count as Instagram views?
No, the views remain separate. So if 100 people view your cross-posted story on Instagram and 50 view it on Facebook, your view count on each platform will reflect only that platform’s views. The totals do not combine.
Can I cross-post old stories between Instagram and Facebook?
No, cross-posting only works for current stories. Once a story expires or you share it, you cannot retroactively cross-post it to the other platform. You need to share it simultaneously from the start for it to work cross-platform.
Do hashtags work across both platforms when you cross-post?
No. Any hashtags you add will only be relevant and clickable on the platform you included them on. Hashtags do not cross over between Instagram and Facebook when posting stories.
Can I schedule cross-posted stories?
Unfortunately, you cannot schedule Facebook or Instagram stories to post at a specific future date and time. You have to share them in the moment from within each app. So cross-posted stories also cannot be scheduled in advance.
Conclusion
Instagram and Facebook stories are very closely integrated. You can easily share a story on one platform and cross-post it to the other with just a couple of taps. This provides a convenient way to share your story content with your combined audiences and grow your reach.
However, it’s important to keep best practices in mind. Make sure the content fits both audiences, don’t over-saturate followers with cross-posts, tailor captions, and analyze results separately. Used strategically, cross-posting Instagram and Facebook stories can be a beneficial way to enhance your presence and engagement on both platforms. Just be mindful of how often you share between the apps to avoid frustrating your audience.
Summary Table
| Instagram Stories | Facebook Stories |
|---|---|
| Appear at top of Instagram feed | Appear at top of Facebook news feed |
| Slideshow format | Individual stories |
| Disappear after 24 hours | Disappear after 24 hours |
| Can customize audience | Can customize audience |
| Metrics only on Instagram | Metrics only on Facebook |
| Can cross-post to Facebook | Can cross-post to Instagram |