The ability to identify viewers of Instagram highlights hinges on the platform’s inherent design related to story retention. When content is added to a highlight, it remains visible for an indefinite period, unlike standard stories which disappear after 24 hours. Consequently, the data concerning who viewed that content is treated differently. Viewership data is only accessible for the initial 48-hour period after the content was originally posted as a story, regardless of how long the highlight itself remains active. For instance, if a video is posted to a story and then immediately added to a highlight, the creator can only see who viewed it within the first two days.
Understanding this data retention policy is important for content creators and businesses employing Instagram for marketing purposes. It allows for a limited window to gauge audience engagement with specific pieces of content. While long-term highlight performance can be assessed through other metrics like profile visits or link clicks if used in stories, the direct viewer information disappears after the initial two-day window. This impacts strategies that rely on identifying individual viewers for targeted follow-up or further engagement.