With over 1 billion users on Instagram, half of them are watching and using Instagram stories every day. Instagram stories have become both entertainment and have developed into an irreplaceable funnel for online businesses. They are stocked with a variety of creative features that users love to interact with. It’s a great time to consider Instagram stories as your next marketing destination.
So, what exactly is an Instagram story?
It’s visual content on Instagram that comes in the form of pictures, 10 second videos, orGIFs that disappear after 24 hours. People can utilize them to create business stories or draw immediate engagement with their followers. Instagram stories are accessible because they sit right at the top of a user’s feed. It’s the perfect opportunity to showcase your best pieces of content, precisely why stories tend to create a sense of urgency.
How to Create an Instagram Story (for beginners)
Making an Instagram story is as easy as 123. All you need to do is click the blue “+” in the top left corner of your Instagram homepage. Your camera will open up allowing you to take a picture or pull one from your photo gallery. This is where Instagram gives you features to demonstrate your creativity. [include a screenshot here]
Underneath the camera button, you have a few different options for the type of content you want to post.
- You can host a live video (which we highly recommend),
- create a picture from scratch,
- post a boomerang,
- put together a layout of pictures,
- or have the option to make a hands-free video
To the right of the camera button, there are numerous filters you can implement to make your stories unique. Once you have selected a picture, the options to add text and stickers will appear in the top of your screen. [include a screenhot]
Why use Instagram stories for business?
- The number of daily active Instagram story users is going up by the millions. That’s a lot of untapped potential to reach new people with your message
- Creating Instagram stories are efficient because it doesn’t take a lot of time to get them up. In just the tap of a few buttons, you can have live stories for the whole world to see.
- Since stories disappear after 24 hours, it’s a great opportunity to test content ideas. You’ll know you got good content when you receive more followers and engagement from your stories.
- Unlike normal posts, stories allow you to add links that can take users to a landing page or website. This is a huge traffic opportunity for new businesses.
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Best practices for making Instagram stories
To get exposure on Instagram, you need to post at least 2-3 times a day. It means you will need a robust idea list of content. Fortunately your stories are small snippets of larger content concepts, so you can feel free to break one bigger idea into smaller multiple stories.
Types of content that work well for Stories:
Tutorials and how-to’s:
Teaching people how you do things builds your expertise and gives you credibility among your followers. Think about what your audience is looking for and how you can teach them a process that will benefit them based on your niche.
Re-sharing content:
Yes, we’re talking about user-generated content. This is a great way to show your audience that you’re engaged with them. It’s also a good way to keep ideas flowing and it allows you to post content from another perspective.
Behind-the-scenes:
People love to see what’s going on backstage. Behind-the-scenes content puts a face on your business. It shows authenticity because your giving people an inside look on how you operate. Show a little bit of imperfection; it’s not a Hollywood movie.
Highlight sales and promotions:
Announcing deals, promotions, giveaways or offerings builds excitement and gives your audience something to look forward to.
Before you dive into Instagram marketing, do a little research to see if your audience is on Instagram. Search for products or services that you sell and see who else is selling them. Research hashtags based around searches for your industry’s products or services. And go where your audience is. If your audience spends their time on Facebook or Twitter, and does not spend much time on Instagram, use those other platforms first. If your audience is on Instagram, you should be, too.
With the right tools and strategy, Instagram – and Instagram Stories in particular – can transform your social media marketing. It has the potential to generate results unlike any other platform. If you’re not on Instagram already, create your account and get started. Stories are a low-risk way to learn how to engage with your audience on Instagram. If you have questions, we’re always available if you want guidance on getting started.
