Instagram Stories is just another method for brands and creators to advertise and promote their products. While doing so, learning how your audience perceives your content is the key to growing your influence on the platform. 

For that reason, Instagram provides you with Insights not just for the feed posts but also Stories. When analyzing through, you may have come across the section of Navigation and wondered what does Navigation mean on Instagram?

To answer this question and explain to you how you can utilize this incredible feature to become popular on the platform, we have concluded this detailed guide for you. So look no further as we have it all! Simply read through till the end to find out all about Navigation on Instagram.

Let’s get started!

What Does Navigation Mean on Instagram?

If you own a professional account on Instagram, chances are you may be familiar with Instagram Insights. You may have been to the Navigation tab from there and wondered what that means. This metric basically allows users to understand how viewers are reacting to their Instagram Stories. 

By using this great feature, you can find out exactly how many people are watching your entire Story, along with the number of people sharing or replying to them. This, in turn, helps you determine what your users want to see more of and what kind of content you should avoid. 

What Does Navigation Mean On Instagram

The Navigation tab includes some necessary metrics, which include Back Taps, Forward Taps, Next Story Swipes, and Exit Story Taps. Now, let’s move forward to what these actually mean and how they can be useful for your Instagram Insights. 

Back Taps

As the name indicates, Back Taps simply tells you the number of users that have tapped on the left side of the screen while viewing your Instagram Story. This means that they went back to watch your previous Story. 

The more Back Taps you receive, the more strongly it suggests that your story is having an effect on users. This may occur when your Story contains content that your viewers may want to see more of. Users may have gone back to take a screenshot of your Story or to reply or forward it to others. 

Forward Taps

In contrast to Back Taps, Forward Taps indicate the number of times viewers have tapped on the right side of the screen to forward your Story.

Before you start to worry about the number of Forward Taps, keep in mind that Instagram users generally view Stories by forward tapping to move through Stories quickly. Therefore, it doesn’t exactly indicate that your audience didn’t enjoy your Story. 

To get an idea about how accurate Forward Taps is for a Story, you can compare it with the Forward Taps of another Story and check whether there’s a huge difference between both or not. If there is, your Story may not be as interesting for the viewers. This helps you determine what your audience really wants to see. 

Next Story Swipes

The amount of people swiping from your Story to the next user’s comes under Next Story Swipes. By looking at the value of Next Story Swipes, you should be able to tell your audience’s interest and the kind of content they’re interested to see. 

If you’ve posted several Stories in a day, this metric can easily help you understand where your active followers are losing interest. It can assist you in coming up with audience-oriented content that can get your engagement back. 

Exit Story Taps

Exit Story Taps indicate the number of users that stopped watching Instagram Stories altogether. Similar to Forward Taps, this is not an accurate reflection of how well your Story is doing because many people stop viewing Stories to do tasks at a certain time.

The Exit Story Taps also include individuals that may have swiped up from your Instagram Story to go to a link. 

How Does Instagram Navigation Help?

Now that you’re aware of what the Navigation tab is all about on Instagram Stories, let’s discuss how this metric can help you in your Instagram career. 

Stories have become a key element in how we share content on the Instagram app. Just by using Instagram Stories, you can get a handful of users to get interested in your content and ultimately expand your following. Therefore, by properly utilizing this feature, you can take your Instagram career to new heights. 

Moreover, users have to beat the Instagram algorithm to get better engagement. All of this can only be done if you know how to analyze the Instagram Insights and Navigation tab. Once you know what the audience wants by using the Navigation metrics, you will be able to incorporate that into your Instagram Stories. 

How to Check Your Navigation Insight On Instagram Story? 

Before you assess Instagram Insights, keep in mind that this feature is only available for business accounts on Instagram. If you have a private account, you may have to switch to a professional account to check your Instagram Insights. 

So, if you’re a private account on Instagram,  follow these steps to change your account type:

  1. Go to the Instagram app from your device. 
  2. Tap on your Profile icon from the bottom-right corner to access the Profile tab. 
  3. Next, select the hamburger menu icon from the top-right corner and choose Settings
  4. After that, tap on Privacy and turn off the toggle for Private account
  5. Tap on OK to confirm. 
  6. Once you’re off private, head back to Settings, scroll down and locate Switch to business account. Then, turn the toggle on next to it. 
  7. The next screen is where you will have to connect your Instagram Business account to a Facebook Page. It’s necessary to have a Facebook Page to switch your account. So, if you don’t have one, simply tap on Create a new Page to continue. 
  8. On the Set Up Your Business Profile screen, provide your details. 
  9. Finally, tap on Done

Once you’re done setting up a Business Profile, follow these steps to access Navigation stats:

  1. Open the Instagram app
  2. Click on your Story from the upper-left corner and tap on the Eye icon present on the top. 
  3. Lastly, go to the Insights tab from the left side and scroll down to view Navigation stats.
What Does Navigation Mean On Instagram

Here’s how to view the Navigation metrics of an old Story that you posted:

  1. Head to the Instagram app
  2. Afterward, go to your Profile by tapping on the Profile icon from the bottom bar. 
  3. Now, select the Insights button. Alternatively, you may tap on the hamburger menu icon and choose Insights
  4. Under the Content you’ve shared, select the desired Story. 
  5. Swipe up from the Story to and scroll down to come across the Navigation metrics. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I understand Instagram Insights? 

To put it into simpler words, Insights is a feature used by business accounts on Instagram to figure out how well their page is doing.

The Insights tab includes several metrics that can be used to analyze important factors, such as your accounts reached, accounts engaged, and the total number of followers. Business accounts can interpret these analytics to discover their content’s performance. 

2. Why is Instagram Insights not available on Instagram?

The Instagram Insights feature is only available for Business accounts. If you happen to have a private account, you may not be able to view them. You will have to switch to a public account, then change your account type to business. Only this way will you be able to access the Insights. 

Moreover, if you switch back from a business account to a private account, the Insights tab will disappear, and it won’t be accessible to you anymore. 

Wrapping Up: What Does Navigation Mean on Instagram 

Simply put, Navigation metrics on Instagram Insights allow you to get a better idea of how well your audience is receiving your Instagram Stories. By looking at the Back, Forward, Next Story, and Exited metrics, you may be able to determine precisely what kind of content your viewers are interested in and adjust it accordingly.

This brings us to the end of our guide on what does Navigation mean on Instagram. After reading this article, we hope you have a good understanding of how the Navigation stats work and how they may help your Instagram career. If you have any confusion, let us know using the comments section below. We’ll be happy to assist you further. 

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