An Analysis of Iranian Users’ Behavior Toward Instagram Stories

With the rapid expansion of social media platforms, ephemeral digital content, particularly Instagram Stories, has become one of the most influential tools for user engagement and brand communication. Despite the widespread adoption of this feature, understanding users’ behavioral patterns when interacting with ephemeral content—especially among Iranian Instagram users—remains an important research area. Therefore, this study aims to analyze Instagram users’ behavior toward ephemeral digital content and describe their patterns of interaction with Instagram Stories. This applied research adopted a descriptive–analytical design. The statistical population consisted of Instagram users, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. In addition to demographic characteristics, the study examined daily Instagram usage, frequency of viewing Instagram Stories, daily time spent watching Stories, purchase frequency influenced by brand Stories, and the categories of products purchased through Instagram Stories. The findings revealed that participants exhibited different patterns of Instagram Story usage. Significant variations were observed in daily Instagram use, Story viewing frequency, time spent viewing Stories, and purchasing behavior influenced by brand Stories across different user groups. The results indicate that Instagram Stories serve not only as a communication tool but also as an effective medium for product information, brand engagement, and purchase behavior. Understanding users’ behavioral patterns toward ephemeral digital content provides valuable insights for marketers, brand managers, and digital content creators in designing more effective social media marketing strategies. The findings also contribute to the growing body of knowledge on consumer behavior in social media environments.