Social Media Stories are here to stay. How will your business leverage them in 2019?
Unless you’ve been living in a hermitage, you have likely witnessed the meteoric rise of Social Media Stories. But what do social media stories mean for your business?
In this article, we will look at the rise of social media stories from the OG (Snapchat), Instagram Stories to Facebook stories. As a business, you will find out what you need to know and how you can effectively leverage stories and level up your visual storytelling game.
Stories, with a left-to-right story format, are a clear break from the traditional downward scroll from what we’ve become accustomed to on websites and blogs.
Even traditional purists have given way to the increasingly popular story format. Yes, things have changed. Smartphones are crucial to communicating with photos and videos and we are quickly becoming accustomed to viewing multi-media in this format.
The OG of stories, Snapchat, started stories in October of 2013. Since then other social media platforms followed suit. The first was Instagram in August of 2016 and Facebook in the spring of 2017. Most every platform have now followed Snapchat’s lead. Will your business follow their lead?
The ship has left the port and social media stories seem to be here to stay. Platforms are adding additional features regularly and our creative options are seemingly endless.
If you are a business owner, read on! Snapchat and Instagram stories now account for hundreds of millions of daily active users! Stories are no longer just the favorite of teens, stories are rising across all demographics! Instagram’s far-reaching popularity across dozens of industries shows business owners there is a little something for everyone. Whether you are a fitness trainer, restaurant owner, real estate agent, musician or technology expert….Instagram stories won’t disappoint.
Why do social media stories work?
Ten years ago, customers consumed information that took place in the past. They were just happy to get updates about the companies they loved, even if the information was days or even weeks old. Over the past ten years, consumers have become less patient and have come to expect updates daily if not hourly. Enter social media stories. They keep our content together in one place. This wouldn’t be possible in a traditional newsfeed. The story wouldn’t tell the same. The beauty of stories is the ability to add content to one singular story throughout the day, keeping it neat and tidy (Marie Kondo would be happy) in one space.
Statistics are being reported daily that support social media stories are here to stay. And why wouldn’t they? They are perfectly suited for our lifestyle and our need to share the next great CAT VIDEO!
Stories continue to evolve with every new feature or update. Stories on platforms like Instagram can consist of a single photo or video. Creators can weave their story over a 24-hour period. They can even archive their story or share it forever as a story highlight. The possibilities are endless for creators and business owners alike.
How should business owners get started with social media stories?
- You can’t do it all! So, start with Instagram Stories! They are the fastest growing platform and the easiest to understand especially if you are newer to the social media game. Once you’ve got your sea legs under you, branch out to SnapChat!
- Re-purpose content! Instagram Stories can be saved and make a terrific addition to your social media toolbox. Make your saved stories work for your business!
- Experiment with tools! Don’t be afraid to test out the tools available to you on Instagram. With each update, there are new additions that add another dimension to each Instagram story you post.
- Help, Solve and Entertain! Whether you are a preacher, a trainer or a musician Instagram stories can make the consumer feel like they are part of something special. If the consumer feels connected, they are more likely to click or swipe up when you them a CTA (call to action).
- Go Behind the Scenes! The best performing stories typically involve taking the consumer behind the scenes. Giving the consumer an “Inside Look” into your business is the #1 way to humanize the brand!
Don’t overlook the value of Social Media Stories. Stories are growing 15X faster than traditional newsfeed posts. Stories are easy to create and allow businesses to produce content quickly. Experiment with different tools and find out what works best for your business.
Grow your Instagram accounts fast with stories and these 4 easy steps or these Instagram hacks!
