30+ Creative Instagram Highlight Ideas To Boost Engagement

Your Instagram stories are a great way for you to get your viewer’s attention. In fact, as per a Facebook survey, 62% of users get more interested in a product, individual, or brand after seeing it in a story. 

The only negative part! IG Stories disappear after 24 hours. That’s where Instagram highlights come in handy. 

IG stories can help you showcase your products and keep them available on your profile for as long as you want. With IG Highlights, you can put together a collection of your best stories that your viewers will always be able to see on your page.

In this blog, you will explore more than 30 unique ideas for your Instagram highlights. These ideas will help you improve your IG profile and get more viewers involved in 2024. Let’s begin.

What Are Instagram Highlights?

Instagram highlights were first introduced in 2017 to make your stories go beyond the 24-hour limit. With this feature, you can organize your stories into a collection that remains on IG indefinitely. This can help you create a permanent showcase of specific content.

Each story is a folder for you to contain a group of stories. You can find these highlights just below your bio and above your photo grid. This placement makes IG highlights a great tool for showing your best content.

Here are key parts of your IG highlights:

1. Customizable Covers 

Custom covers make your IG story visually more appealing and make it easy to organize. You can design your cover on Canva or Adobe Photoshop.

2. Highlight Names 

Clear and concise names can help your audience easily understand what each highlight contains. You should try to keep it short and use keywords to reflect your content, like “Food,” “Travel,” or” New Project.” 

30+ Creative Instagram Highlight Ideas To Boost Engagement In 2024

We've put together over 30 great Instagram highlight ideas that will help you get more engagement and improve your social media strategy. Feel free to customize them to fit your style and audience preferences!

1. The Daily Grind

If you are a content creator who enjoys sharing your daily routine, you can create a “The Daily Grind” highlight. You can start by showing how you start your day, maybe with coffee or exercise. 

After that, you can then take your followers to your workday, sharing parts of your workday and the projects you are working on. In the end, you can show you end your day with a daily ritual of reading a book, walking, or watching a movie. 

2. Q&A Time

You can invite followers to ask you questions through IG stories. You can start by posting an IG story with a “Questions” sticker, inviting your followers to ask anything. You can ask questions like,

“What do you want to know about me” or “Ask me Anything.” Once you have enough questions, you can add this to your Instagram “Q&A Time” highlights. This is a great way to interact with your audience and answer questions about your work, interests, and even personal stories.

3. Behind-the-Scenes of My Life 

You can create a “Behind-the-scene” Instagram highlight to share what happens behind the camera in your work. You can show yourself setting up a photo shoot, adjusting lights, or dealing with challenges. 

To keep this more engaging, you can try to add short videos, time-lapses, or even bloopers. When creating the ‘BTS’ highlight, you can add the cover as a shot of your workspace. This gives your audience a glimpse of your world.

4. What Next?

You can create a highlight dedicated to fun and engaging polls. You can simply start by asking what is relevant to your niche and allowing followers to vote. Give them a few options to choose from, like;

“Which topic should I cover next” - Workout or meditation.

As your IG highlight grows, add screenshots of the results, and share your thoughts on the most popular ones. This makes your audience feel more involved and shows their preferences. 

5. Old Stories/Throwback

If you enjoy sharing old moments, you can create a “Throwback or Old Stories” highlight. You could share your old photos from childhood, memorable moments, or high school memories. 

You can also share a bunch of pictures or movies from an old family trip. This way, you can offer a unique glimpse of your past and make your audience connect with you on a personal level.

6. My Team

If you work with a team, you can create an IG highlight to show each member and their role. You could post a series of stories where you introduce each member, like their name, role, or any fun fact about them.

You can also share any activities, celebrations, team lunches, or outings. By adding a mix of these elements in your “My Team” highlight, you create a vibrant and engaging image for your audience to see.

7. How-to-Hacks

If you are looking to provide value to your IG audience, you can create a “How-to-hacks” highlight. Say you are a pro in photography. You can include hacks or tips for better photography. You can create videos based on;

# Composition Tips,  # Lighting Hacks,  # Editing Tricks,  # Quick Fixes 

You can save each of these “how-to” in your highlight so your audience can easily access and revisit them. This type of content can work as a helpful resource in your niche.

8. Client Love

As a business or service provider, you can share your client feedback in the “Client Love” highlight. You can start by adding a thank you message highlight. After that, you can share screenshots or short videos of clients talking about your product or service.

If you run a bakery, you can share the feedback of the bride who loved the cake. Next, you can show the custom cake you designed for the special event. Finally, you end with a quote that shows the value you bring to your clients, encouraging more clients to connect with you.

9. Foodie Favorites

If you are passionate about food and love sharing your food experiences, you can create a “Foodie Favorite” highlight. You can start by showing your favorite dishes, food places, or related activities. Also, you can include your go-to place for breakfast.

You can also get people interested by asking them where they like to eat and what other places they think people should try. This way, you can create a two-way interaction, boosting engagement and celebrating love for dishes.

10. Transformation Stories

In the “transformation story” highlight, you can share your journey of change with progress over time. You can show your dedication and hard work to inspire others by posting results and every step of your hard work.

You can share a photo of yourself before starting the fitness journey, along with a recent photo showing progress. In one part of the highlight, you can tell all the problems you faced and how you overcame them. By sharing your own experience, you can create a connection and encourage them.

11. Inspiration Station

You can collect all the things that inspire you and share them with your audience in the “Inspiration Story” highlights. Start with motivational quotes that connect with your values. Also, you can add your personal achievements that have given you a boost of confidence.

You can share a quote from someone very well known, like Nelson Mandela or Maya Angelou, about how it inspires you. Also, your story about when you overcame a challenge and reached the goal. This way, you can motivate your followers and make a positive connection.  

12. Fan Art & Shoutouts

You can showcase your creativity and support your followers with your “Fan and Shoutout” highlight. If your followers create fan art, memes, or other content inspired by you or your work, you can feature them in your highlight with a name like 

Fan Art, Fan Memes, or Fan Made challenges.

You can also make a highlight for your loyal fans. You can add their name, a thank-you message, and even a screenshot of their comment. This makes your fan feel recognized and appreciated, making a strong following.

13. Shoppable Highlights

If you have products to sell or promote, you can make a “Shoppable Highlights” highlight. In this, you can show your latest merchandise, exclusive deals, and special offers. If you own an online dress shop, you can show the names and prices of dresses in the highlight.

If you want to increase engagement, you can add a CTA like“Tap to Shop!” or “Want to Check?” You could also include a limited-time offer or discount code like 20%-off this weekend in your highlight. This promotes your product and increases excitement in your followers

14. Tech Reviews

If you are passionate about new tech and gadgets, you can add a “Tech Review” highlight. You can share your thoughts on newly released devices, software, and other tech. For example, you can review the latest smartphone model and show the main features of it. 

You can also share about the camera quality, battery, and UI, with personal experiences in your highlight. Also, adding a few pros and cons for each product will help your followers understand the tech. This builds the trust of your followers as they rely on your insights.

15. Book Club

If you love reading books and want to share your book knowledge, you can create a “Book Club” highlight. You can share your favorite books, add reviews, and engage with followers on their favorite books with highlights like;

“Best Books,” “Monthly Picks,” “Author Spotlights,” and “Quotes and Passages.” 

You can also tell your fans to tag you in their stories where they talk about how they liked the book you suggested. After that, you can add the story to your highlight. This way, you can be creative and make a book community. 

16. Pet Chronicles 

You can create a “Pet Chronicles” highlight if you have pets and want to share their adorable stories. First, you should introduce your pet and its personality traits. You can add a video of him hiding toys if you have a dog or if your cat loves watching birds. 

You can also add humorous captions to increase engagement, like, “Our perfect companion never has less than four feet.” It’s a great way to keep your audience engaged with a heartwarming touch.

17. Music Playlists 

To engage with your audience with music, you can add a “Music Playlist” highlight. You can share your favorite music playlist or links to your Spotify or YouTube Music. Add a description to give your followers a sense of its vibe, like;

“Chill Vibes,” “Best Punjabi,” or “BTS”

One more way to make your highlight more interesting is to ask your followers to share their best songs. This lets you share your love for music and push your followers to engage with you through music.

18. Style & Fashion

If you like sharing your personal style and inspiration, you can add a “Style and Fashion” highlight. You can show your OOTD or share your favorite outfit for a specific season, like “Cozy Winter Attire” or “Summer Beachwear.”

You can also share highlights with tips on how your followers can style some outfits, like different ways to wear a scarf, or you can show them how to choose accessories for an occasion. In this way, you can connect with fashion enthusiasts and create a fashion community. 

19. Travel Itinerary

You can start a “Travel Itenary” highlight if you like to share details on things to carry while traveling. You can start by sharing your upcoming trips like; “Heading to Paris -  Here’s my travel Itinerary” and share all the things you carried and the necessary ones to remember. 

You can also post highlights about your packing video to show how you organize your travel clothes and pack important stuff. These personal touches can help you share valuable info to inspire your followers who are planning a trip.

20. Friday Funnies

You can add a light-hearted touch to your IG with the “Friday Funnies” highlights. For example, you can post a funny story about a miscommunication at work or a funny incident you saw in your neighborhood. 

Also, you can create a highlight where you share your favorite jokes weekly, or you could ask your followers to send a funny caption for a picture. This type of highlight can give your audience something to laugh about, creating a positive vibe.

21. Sports and Adventures

If you enjoy sports, you can make a “Sports and Adventures” highlight. You can show videos and photos of your participation in various sports and the best moments, like best shot, best catch, or best save in your recent cricket game. 

You can also share your stories from a marathon you ran, capturing the atmosphere and your excitement of the competition. In this way, you can create an energetic vibe on your profile, appealing to those who love adventure and sports.

22. Love Cooking

If you love cooking and like to share your cooking recipes, you can create a “Love Cooking” highlight. In this, you can create a step-by-step highlight or a video highlight of making “Butter Chicken” or “Spaghetti Carbonara.”

You can also talk about your favorite herbs and spices, like fresh basil or smoked paprika, and how they change the taste of your dishes. Remember to add your content with vibrant visuals and music to hook your audience and make your “Love Cooking” highlight irresistible!

23. Myth Buster

If there are some misconceptions you want to address, you can make a “Myth Buster” highlight. If you are a fitness coach, you can address some myths, like 

“Lifting Weights Make You Bulky” in your highlight. You can break down facts, explain why this myth exists, and show real examples to show the truth. 

You can also share relevant studies, personal experiences, and testimonies. By making these highlights, you give your followers a source when they see misinformation or need clarification.

24. Local Exploration

You can make a “Local Exploration” highlight if you like exploring your local area and finding hidden gems. Imagine you live in a vibrant city like New York. So, you might share a visit to the best hamburger spot or a historical place.

You can also include why it is worth the visit by sharing favorite events, local events, or live music. So, you are helping others in your local area to discover the best place in your area, making you reliable for your audience.

25. Photography Showcase

If you love clicking photos, you can create a “Photography Showcase” to show your best shot and share tips with your audience. If you are a landscape photographer, you can add pictures of mountains, beaches, or forests in your highlight.

To make it more interactive you can add the story behind the shot - like the time you hiked at dawn to capture a perfect sunrise. This kind of content can attract photo enthusiasts and appreciate your art of photography.

26. Gardening Adventures

Whether you are a sprawling gardener or cozy balcony, the “Gardening Adventures” highlight is your space to share your gardening journey. You can share a video of you planting seeds or young plants, and explain what you are planting and why you chose that plant.

You can also share tips on how to prepare the soil, composting, watering, and pest control. If you know how to make any product like garden beds, you can also share them. By adding this content, you engage with fellow gardeners or inspire new people who want to start gardening.

27. Upcoming Event

You can create a buzz for an event with “Upcoming Event” highlights. You can call it something catchy like, “Event Buzz ”or “Summer Fest 2024” and align your cover accordingly to the theme name.

You can also share the stage setup videos or interviews with some artists related to the event. If there are any other engaging booths and food stalls, you can try to add in your highlight. This way, you can build excitement and boost attendees for the event.

28. My Study Resources 

If you have valuable study or research resources, you can benefit your audience by making “My Study Resources.” You can include links to online study guides, recommend books and apps valuable for studying.

You can also share your studying tricks and habits to help your audience. From memory techniques to your time management tricks, you can share in your highlights. By doing this, you can help followers who are looking to boost their productivity.

29. Sneaker Collection

If you love sneakers, then the “Sneaker Collection” highlight is the best way for you to show your kicks and engage with other sneakerheads. You can share your prized pairs like “Nike Air Jordan,” along with styling tips and your stories of how you got them.

You can also keep your followers updated about new releases that you are excited about. Also, you can show some must-have collections. This can help you create a space on your IG highlight dedicated to your sneakerhead audience.

30. Weekly Giveaways 

You can create “Weekly Giveaways” to keep track of ongoing or past giveaways. Each week you can announce a giveaway, explaining the rules and the prize. 

So, you might say, “This week, we are giving away a $50 gift card! To enter, you can follow my account and tag your friends in the comments.”

You can also make an IG highlight for the winners from your previous giveaways. This way, you can help you gain more followers and keep your existing ones excited for upcoming giveaways.

31. Daily Doodles

If you love sketching, drawing, or doodling, you can create a “Daily Doodles” highlight to show your creative side. You might start by sharing a simple doodle that you created while relaxing at home. Add a brief describing the inspiration and mood you were in.

You can also ask your followers to give suggestions through a question sticker and then create a doodle based on their responses. Add this as your suggestion highlight. This way, you can make your followers feel that they are contributing to your content.

32.  DIY Projects 

Lastly, if you are a fan of hands-on projects, you can make “DIY Project” highlight. You can show how to create a customized frame from recycled materials. Start by showing the supplies you need, like old planks, hammer, and paint.

After that, you can guide your audience to each step of assembling the frame. By showing these DIY projects in your highlight, you can give your audience valuable inspiration and engaging content; so they keep coming back for more.

Final Thoughts

This blog post goes over more than 30 creative Instagram highlight ideas. These give you a lot of choices for showing off your brand, getting people interested, and making more sales.  Try out different groups for your highlights, and make sure you're always updating them. Then, sit back and watch as your Instagram following grows. And that's it! Start using these ideas in your Instagram plan immediately and watch your followers and sales grow.