In the early days of Whatsapp Stories, the platform’s stories turned many people off. How can people be interested in short-lived content that disappears in 24 hours? When they have such a short lifespan, why would brands want to create them?
They were wrong. It is no longer a secret that social media stories are popular, and have ranged from Instagram to Facebook, and now even to YouTube.
Stories can make a significant impact on a brand when used correctly, and they’re changing the face of social media. Check out what this means for marketers as we take a look at how it could be achieved.
How Do Social Media Stories Work?
Social media Stories are mobile, full-screen, vertical videos and images that show outside of your regular feed and extinguish after 24 hours. The only caveat is that some apps like Instagram allow you to organize your temporary images into collections for later viewing.
However, even though Stories are temporary, the sense of scarcity created by their absence makes viewers want to stay connected.
When you have engaged fans who love your content, Stories allow you to give them a chance to see more before it vanishes. If you have a loyal following who love your content, then Stories allow you to make sure they get to see it before it vanishes.
Your audience is immersed in the story not just because it’s full-screen, but also because it’s shared at the moment.
You can let your followers know what is happening right now in your life by posting Stories, especially impromptu images and videos. It gives them a glimpse into your day and allows them to feel like they are part of it because they are invited in.
What Makes Stories So Unique?
A story is a mobile-first feature that is designed for mobile devices as well as created via mobile devices. According to Techjury, there are over 500 million active daily Instagram Stories users. 70% of Instagram users watch stories daily. Instagram has 398 million followers.
Brands stand to gain a great deal of visibility through stories. There are more than 500 million daily Instagram Stories users out of over 1 billion monthly active Instagram users.
As the popularity of Stories grows, the number of brands’ Instagram impressions from Stories will likely rise.
Because they are immersive and interactive, stories are incredibly popular. By adding app-specific lenses, animations, stickers, and music, you can present the world with a glimpse of your personal life.
You can also interact with Instagram through lists, polls, surveys, and even a prompt that allows other users to ask you questions. You can use this to engage your audience in a wide variety of ways.
All in all, Stories enhance the brand experience online by adding transparency and authenticity – attributes that millennials and Gen Z users now demand from brands and influencers. Storytelling is very challenging, which encourages a relaxed style that reveals a lot more about the speaker.
Stories have a short, fast format that changes how we consume social media and how we consume video on social networks.
Thousands of people watch Stories each day, so including an extensive amount of content in them is perfectly acceptable. Creating tons of Stories content is the key to Stories success, so don’t be afraid to share often and regularly.
Because Stories are temporary and immediate, users are captivated by the opportunity to explore, engage, and witness a moment in time that won’t last forever. In light of this, viewers are more likely to view Social Media Stories and content from their favourite brands and influencers.
How To Keep Up With Social Media Stories
Be prepared to create more content than you do now to successfully integrate Stories into your social media marketing strategy.
Because Stories are in the moment and dynamic, adapt your storytelling method for scalable, individualized content. You can repurpose your Instagram Stories content into regular posts on Instagram and other platforms if it’s scalable. In the long run, this will save you time and money.
It’s best to upload a few at a time for maximum metrics when you’re posting Stories. Publish a ton of vertical videos and photos in advance, then post them slowly over time – whether you plan on creating content for a week or longer.
Editing doesn’t have to be perfect for your Stories. Story content can be produced at a low cost, but ensure that it is of high quality. You can always add music by using Instagram’s robust Stories tool if your content doesn’t have any audio. 60% of Stories are viewed with sound on.
Conclusion
Social media Stories are here to stay as they have gained strong adoption over the years. You must start incorporating fresh, scalable video into your strategy now, as they are actively becoming more and more important to both businesses and users. Without it, you will be left behind.
