How would you set goals and measure success of Instagram stories? What will happen if too many stories are getting created instead of posts?

Introduction

Setting goals and measuring success for Instagram Stories requires a comprehensive approach that considers both user engagement and business objectives. To address this product success metrics challenge, I'll follow a structured framework covering core metrics, supporting indicators, and risk factors while considering all key stakeholders. This approach will help us evaluate the performance of Stories and assess the potential impact of increased Story creation relative to posts.

Step 1

Product Context

Instagram Stories is a feature within the Instagram app that allows users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. It's designed to encourage more frequent, casual sharing compared to the more curated main feed posts.

Key stakeholders include:

• Users: Seeking a fun, ephemeral way to share moments
• Advertisers: Looking for engaging ad placements
• Instagram/Meta: Aiming to increase user engagement and ad revenue

User flow:

1. Creation: Users capture or upload content, add stickers, text, or filters
2. Publishing: Content is shared to their Stories
3. Consumption: Followers view Stories in a tappable, full-screen format
4. Interaction: Viewers can react or reply to Stories

Stories fits into Meta's broader strategy of increasing user engagement and time spent in the app, while also providing new advertising opportunities. It competes with similar features on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok.

Product Lifecycle Stage: Mature - Stories is well-established but still evolving with new features and use cases.