Instagram Stories are already a monumental part of Instagram. In fact, Stories are so big, that we don’t even have to stress their importance as part of a healthy social media strategy. However, if you’re new to the industry, or if you want to deepen your knowledge on Instagram Stories, we advise you dive deep into our Instagram Stories Blueprint – just a little something (40 pages long!)  we’ve put together to celebrate our love and enthusiasm for Instagram Stories.

If, on the other hand, you’re already well-versed in the language of Instagram Stories, it means you’re ready to take things to a new level of awesomeness. And that’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this article: awesome tools for awesome Instagram Stories. We must stress that these are not your usual editing tools, but real power-house tools perfect for creating ‘tap-back’ Instagram Stories.

Easil makes it easy to build knock-out Instagram Stories

In theory, Easil is probably one of the most exciting Instagram Stories tools. In practice, things look pretty promising as well.

As a desktop tool, Easil comes equipped with a myriad of templates to instantly create eye-catching Instagram Stories that will help you meet your marketing objectives. Just like its name entails, Easil is as easy to use as it gets. If you don’t find any ready-made template to your taste, you can quickly make your own. On a simple drag-and-drop basis, you can create vibrant custom templates in a bunch of useful formats: from gifs to jpegs, menus and beyond. What’s more, Easil also enables brand asset storage and protection, so that you can easily keep and use your brand visual identity elements as often as needed.

Video Credits: Easil

Easil even has several template sections dedicated to different types of Instagram Stories businesses usually share. From ‘top tips’ to ‘fan photos’, ‘exclusive offers’, ‘quotes’ or ‘call to action’ templates, Easil has you covered. The basic app version is free to download and use

Advantages:

  • ready-to-use templates for various types of Instagram Stories according to marketing objectives
  • simple drag-and-drop tools to create Instagram Stories from scratch
  • brand assets storage and security
  • 30 days of free trial

Downside:

  • only available as a desktop app

Slick collages and templates with Unfold

Unfold lets you fold different images into the same story by incorporating them into a cohesive visual layout. Not only that, but the mobile app also enables users to mix different types of formats into the same story: think images and videos combined. This matching can come as a real advantage not only from a visual standpoint but also from a strategic perspective, enabling you to send across a complex message in a simplified way.

Unfold - Instagram Stories apps
Unfold – Instagram Stories apps

The mix between static and moving is elevated by the possibility to add various fonts. You can also customize each template by changing a few variables such as borders, spaces between the images and their position. Unfold’s templates set themselves apart through their clean and minimalist look which can be adapted to a variety of brands, no matter the industry in which they activate.

Advantages:

  • free to use
  • clean and modern templates
  • enables to add videos and images in the same collage
  • mixes static and moving images
  • a variety of fonts available inside the app
  • available for iOS and Android

Downsides:

  • some users (few) have complained some of the photos won’t load

Boast your Instagram Stories outside Instagram with EmbedSocial

EmbedSocial and their EmbedStories product really take Instagram Stories to a whole new level. And by that, we mean that they take your Stories out of Instagram. Where? Well to be displayed on your website. Isn’t that simply brilliant? We say it is, but then again, we love Instagram Stories. So let’s rewind and be pragmatic. While the idea of having Instagram Stories appear outside of Instagram sounds great, can this Instagram Stories tool rise to the challenge?

Well, it does what it promises to do and that is to post your Instagram Stories on other websites. Depending on the plan you opt for, EmbedStories enables you to do cooler stuff. For example, one of the 3 paid plans has a widget feature that automatically syncs your stories every time you upload a new one on Instagram. Other paid plans allow you to add texts and play with Instagram ads as well.

EmbedSocial Instagram Stories apps
EmbedSocial Instagram Stories apps

The embedding process itself is pretty straight forward and works for any code builder. More specifically, for each Instagram Story, you get a code that can be further embedded in the site you wish your story to appear on. You can use the code for Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, PaceCloud or…well, wherever you want.

Advantages:

  • post Instagram Stories outside of Instagram
  • syncs and updates content each time you add content to your active Instagram Story
  • reuse Instagram Stories and convert them into ads
  • Story widgets with various layouts

Downsides:

  • most interesting features are available only on the paid plans

Photos to videos as fast as you can say Quik

The guys and gals from GoPro created a neat app that can help you infuse more dynamism to your Instagram Stories. So, if you have a bunch of photos that nicely fit together, you can easily create a slideshow with Quik.

Quik - Instagram Stories apps
Quik – Instagram Stories apps

Quik has been created with the intention to enhance the experience of GoPro users, so it can only be used on footage taken with a GoPro. However, the restriction might well be worth the hassle. The cool features of Quik don’t stop at creating dynamic collages, but also enable video to music syncing and adding funky graphics to your videos.

Advantages:

  • available for desktop, iOS and Android
  • turns static images into dynamic, attractive slideshows

Downsides:

  • reviews show some occurring errors in the Android version, maybe these will get fixed with an update
  • only available for footage taken with a GoPro, no third party media files allowed

Transform any video into an Instagram Stories video with InShot

Given the spontaneous style that characterizes Instagram Stories, sometimes the best video content you film can catch you off guard and not in a vertical position. So then what? We all know how landscape videos look on Instagram Stories. They’re a big ‘no, no’. That’s what the creators of InShot recognized, while also trying to save great landscape content from being forever banned from Instagram Stories.

InShot - Instagram Stories apps
InShot – Instagram Stories apps

So, InShot is a cool Instagram Stories tool that enables users to transform (almost) any video into an Instagram Stories video. That means vertical as a rule. Secondly, with InApp you can edit videos by trimming, adding overlaid texts, zooming in or even syncing audios. Thirdly, it allows you to add smooth transitions and make the video more dynamic and attention-grabbing.

Advantages:

  • available for Android and iOS
  • offers a wide range of tools for editing Instagram Stories
  • enables transitions
  • fits any video to Instagram Stories formats

Downsides:

  • fees apply for downloading and using extra filters

Schedule Instagram Stories with Storrito

If you’re running a business and you’re counting on Instagram Stories to promote your marketing initiatives, then you might find it hard to constantly accommodate your tasks around posting times.The fellows at Storrito feel you. That’s why they’ve created one of the first tools that can help you create Instagram Stories right from the comfort of your desktop and schedule them!

Storrito - Instagram Stories apps
Storrito – Instagram Stories apps

In addition to scheduling Instagram Stories, Storrito also enables you to edit your photos and videos before adding them to a Story. Various team-members can work on a single account and bring their contribution to the project. The app currently has 3 available plans, one free, one standard and one professional, each allowing you to create a specific number of Stories per month.

Advantages:

  • enables users to create Stories from the PC
  • edit photos and videos
  • animate photos
  • schedule Instagram

Downsides:

  • The free plan enables only 10 Instagram Stories per month

Time for an InstaStory!

We’re not going to ask which of these tools you’re going to use first to create an awesome Instagram Story. We’re waiting to actually see and we’re eager to hear your thoughts on the tools we proposed. So better get to work. And if you need an extra hand with your Instagram scheduling, don’t forget Preppr has your back!

Author

Ilona Iftode is a copywriter with a taste for adventure. She lives to write, travel and explore new concepts in the realms of advertising, marketing, SEO and beyond.

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