How To Make Custom Instagram Story Graphics

Michel July 7, 2025

Instagram Stories are a comprar seguidores instagram reais powerful way to connect with your audience, showcase your brand, and tell a compelling visual story. While Instagram offers built-in features like stickers, filters, and text, creating custom Instagram Story graphics allows you to stand out in a crowded feed. Whether you’re a small business owner, influencer, content creator, or simply want to make your personal stories more visually engaging, this guide will walk you through how to create beautiful custom Instagram Story graphics from scratch.

Why Custom Instagram Story Graphics Matter

Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand why custom graphics make a difference:

Brand Consistency: Custom designs allow you to maintain a consistent aesthetic, color scheme, and tone that aligns with your brand.

Professional Appeal: Polished, thoughtfully designed stories look more professional and trustworthy.

Engagement: Unique, eye-catching visuals capture attention and boost interaction with your stories.

Differentiation: With so many accounts using standard templates, a custom look helps your stories stand out.

Step 1: Define Your Goal

Every good design starts with a purpose. Ask yourself:

  • Are you promoting a product?
  • Sharing a behind-the-scenes look?
  • Announcing a sale or event?
  • Running a poll or quiz?
  • Knowing your goal will guide your layout, colors, fonts, and imagery.

Step 2: Choose the Right Dimensions

Instagram Stories have a vertical format with an ideal resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a 9:16 aspect ratio. Make sure your graphics are optimized for this size to prevent cropping or distortion.

Step 3: Select a Design Tool

There are several user-friendly tools you can use to create custom Instagram Story graphics, even if you’re not a professional designer:

Adobe Express (formerly Spark): Great for branded templates and animated stories.

PicsArt: Good for collage-style stories and artistic effects.

Over (now GoDaddy Studio): Excellent for adding text overlays and branding elements.

Figma or Adobe Illustrator: Ideal for advanced users who want complete control.

Most of these platforms offer Instagram Story templates that are already sized correctly.

Step 4: Choose a Color Palette and Fonts

Sticking to a consistent color palette and font set builds brand recognition. Here’s how to select them:

Color Palette: Choose 2-4 colors that reflect your brand. Use tools like Coolors.co or Adobe Color to create palettes.

Fonts: Select no more than two fonts. Avoid using too many different colors or fonts in one story. It can look cluttered and confusing.

Step 5: Use Templates (Or Build From Scratch)

Templates are a great starting point, especially if you’re short on time. 

  • Announcements
  • Quotes
  • Sales/promotions
  • Event countdowns
  • Story highlights
  • Testimonials
  • Polls and quizzes

If you’re building from scratch, follow this structure:

Background: Start with a solid color, gradient, or image.

Image or Graphic: Add a product shot, selfie, or branded graphic.

Text: Include a clear headline and a short call-to-action (CTA).

Branding: Add your logo, handle, or hashtag discreetly.

Step 6: Incorporate Visual Hierarchy

Headline text should be the largest.Important CTAs should be bold or highlighted.

Step 7: Add Interactive Elements (Optional)

If you plan to upload your custom graphics as a Story on Instagram, leave space for Instagram-native interactive tools like:

  • Polls
  • Questions
  • Emoji sliders
  • Links
  • Music
  • Design with these in mind by leaving negative space or using placeholder icons in your graphics.

Step 8: Save in the Right Format

Export your final design as a JPG or PNG file at high resolution (1080 x 1920 px).

File Tips:

  • Use PNG for better image clarity and transparency (if needed).
  • Keep file sizes under 30MB to ensure fast upload.

Step 9: Upload and Optimize on Instagram

Once your graphics are ready:

  • Open the Instagram app.
  • Tap the plus (+) icon and select “Story.”
  • Choose your custom graphic from your camera roll.
  • Add stickers, music, hashtags, or interactive elements.Create a Branded Story Set

To build a cohesive story sequence, design a series of custom story graphics using the same theme. For example:

  •  Hook – bold statement or question
  • CTA – encourage action (swipe up, DM, visit link)
  • Consistency across slides creates a more immersive and persuasive story.

Tips for Better Custom Instagram Story Graphics

Here are a few advanced tips to level up your design game:

  1. Use Stock Photos & Icons Wisely

Sites like Unsplash, Pexels, and The Noun Project offer free, high-quality assets that enhance your design.

  1. Stick to 20% Text Rule

Keep your designs visual. 

  1. A/B Test Different Styles

Try different styles (minimal, bold, textured, collage, etc.) and track engagement to see what resonates.

  1. Maintain Accessibility

Use readable fonts, adequate contrast, and alt text if uploading images elsewhere.

  1. Save Your Templates

Create reusable templates for weekly posts, announcements, or promotions. It saves time and ensures brand consistency.

Conclusion

Creating custom Instagram Story graphics is easier than ever with today’s design tools. Whether you use templates or start from scratch, thoughtful design can significantly boost your Instagram engagement. Start with a clear goal, maintain brand consistency, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Over time, your unique style will become recognizable to your audience, helping you build a stronger presence on Instagram.Now that you know how to design standout story graphics, it’s time to get creative and turn your next story into a scroll-stopper!

Leave a Comment