Instagram Stories: Filters You Can Use on Stock Photos and Videos

Until now, the filters in Instagram Stories (ears, sunglasses, and other humorous elements) could only be applied to a photo or video that you were taking at the time.

Now, you can create a new Story, add a photo or video from your mobile phone’s gallery, and tap the smiley face icon with stars on the top band to see the filters you can apply.

As of today, there are still not many filters available, and some of them don’t work. Sometimes you need to edit the image a bit for the filter to activate, and since you can’t do that with stock photos and videos, the functionality may not be available in all cases. We hope that this will improve as the app is updated.

In any case, this novelty is a great opportunity to be more creative with your story, for example, by using memes or third-party images and modifying them with filters. There are a lot of possibilities!

The keys to success in Instagram Stories

Over the past few years, Instagram Stories has become one of the favorite formats of Brands and influencers to connect with their audience. These tricks can help you get the most out of it:

• Tell a story. The name itself says it: what is most successful in Instagram Stories are… the stories. If you use your imagination, a few seconds of video or a few images are enough for an introduction, a development, and an outcome.
• It creates a sense of urgency. Stories are a great way to launch discounts and promotions with a limited amount of time, as they disappear from the app within 24 hours.
• Make micro-tutorials of your products. You can also encourage users to create their own Stories by showing different ways to use them.
• Play with your audience. Stories have a lighthearted feel and allow you to introduce interactive elements, so they’re perfect for having fun with your audience. For example, you can leave clues to encourage them to find a prize.
• Post exclusive content. If users know that Stories are the only place where they can find photos or videos of an event, for example, they’ll have an extra incentive to follow you.
• Use Stories filters! Now that Instagram Stories allows filters on stock photos, you have no excuse not to let your hair down.