How to post a travel map as a Story that people compare

What size should a travel map Story be?

A Story is a vertical image with a 9:16 ratio. The common pixel size is 1080 wide by 1920 high, the same size Inkpass uses when it exports a Story card. Anything smaller gets stretched and looks soft on a modern phone, so export at full size and let the platform do the shrinking.

Leave breathing room at the top and bottom. Social apps place the profile name and the reply bar over the image, and the lowest part is often covered by buttons. A good rule is to keep text and codes inside the middle two thirds of the height. Cards that follow this rule survive on every phone, from a small screen to a large one, and they still look right when someone screenshots them and reposts.

Most map posts fail for a dull reason: the interesting detail is in a corner where the interface covers it.

What belongs on the map card?

Less than you think. Viewers tap through Stories quickly, so each element must pay its way. A reliable layout has four parts:

• The map itself, large, with your continents in distinct colors.
• One number, your count of countries, in a size that is readable at arm's length.
• A short rule line, such as UN list, layovers off, so the number is trusted.
• A call to action, such as a link sticker or a QR code, for people who want to compare.

How do I add a link sticker?

The link sticker is the part that turns a picture into a conversation. The exact menu names change with app updates, so check the social app on your phone, but the flow is stable:

1. Copy the link before you open your social app. Inkpass copies it for you when you tap Share.
2. Open a new Story and choose the saved image from your camera roll.
3. Open the sticker tray and pick the Link sticker.
4. Paste the link and place the sticker in the middle of the image, away from the edges.
5. Add a short line of text near it, such as Compare your map, so people know to tap.

What should the caption say?

Put the number, the rule and the date in one line. 31 of 195 countries, UN list, layovers off, October 2026. This small habit has two effects: nobody asks how you counted, and in a year you can look back and see what you meant. Add a question if you want replies, such as Which one am I missing?

Do not overexplain. The photo does the showing and the caption supplies the context. If you want to tell a longer story, post a normal feed post later and keep the Story light.

Hashtags in Stories rarely do anything. Skip them and spend the effort on a clear line.

What does Inkpass export?

The Share screen in Inkpass makes two card sizes: Story at 9:16 and Post at 1:1, which is 1080 by 1080 pixels. A Story card always keeps the QR code, since that is how a viewer reaches the comparison page. On the square Post card you can turn the name, the count and the QR code on or off.

Card styles include Classic, Sky, Sage, Sand, Peach, Lagoon and Night, and some styles are part of Inkpass Pro. Tap Share for the iOS share sheet, or Save image to put the card in Photos. Saving asks for add-only access to your library, so the app cannot read your photos.

The suggested message reads like a normal chat line: My Inkpass map and the number of countries, with a link to compare. Details on the cards are on the ink stamp album page.

How do I turn a Story into a comparison?

The most useful Stories invite a reply. A link that opens a comparison lets a friend tap their own countries and see both maps with the overlap counted. In Inkpass this works through Overlap links, and the friend needs no account.

Tell people what you want. A line such as Send me yours back works better than a bare link. Friends who answer with a map give you something to talk about, and the overlap card names the countries you share and the ones only one of you has seen.

For a group, use one link and let each person add theirs. The guide to comparing travel maps with friends covers the options.

What should I keep private?

A map with dates tells the world when you were away from home. Many people share a map of countries without years, which tells the same story without a timeline. Before you post, run through this short check:

Is there a date or a month on the card that I would not mention in a conversation with a stranger? Does the image show a home city, a street or a photo of my house? What does the QR code or link open? If the answer to the last one is a page that shows only countries and a name, you are in good shape. Inkpass friend links hold only the visited countries and an optional name of up to 16 characters, and never years, notes or your location. The privacy page lists what a link carries.

How often should I post?

Once or twice a year is plenty for a world map. People tire of a map that never changes. A good rhythm is a post when you cross a milestone, when you add a new continent, and in December as part of a year-in-travel recap.

Between those moments, use short arrival cards. Posting the postmark card from a new country shows the trip as it happens, and a single card does the job without repeating the whole map.