Do you want to know the best practises for using Instagram Stories? Perhaps it’s time to take the Stories associated with your brand to the next level. Maybe you think a fresh social networking app should put a spotlight on Stories.
No of your goal, you’ll need to learn the ins and outs of Story writing to make the most of this content format.
That’s why we wrote this comprehensive introduction to Instagram Stories to answer all your questions.
You may enhance your productivity and your social media analytics by familiarising yourself with the fundamentals of Instagram Stories, learning how to create them, and using best practises.
Just how do you make an Instagram story?
Instagram Stories are temporary, fleeting pieces of material that only exist for a specific amount of time. When posted on Instagram, for how long does a story remain visible? While published stories are hidden from the public after 24 hours, you’ll always have access to the ones you’ve made public in your own Story Archive.
There’s no limit to the number of videos you may put in an Instagram Story. Instagram displays all of your photos and videos in a slideshow-like sequence, with each frame showing for up to 10 seconds. Users may also use manual controls, such as pressing to skip to the next video or swiping to move to the next user’s Stories.
Five Different Instagram Story Formats
Instagram Stories enable a wide range of expression due to their flexibility in accommodating many forms of material. The use of stickers and GIFs may make any of these Story formats more engaging and entertaining.
Text
Is there any important information or a personal message you need to convey? Instagram’s “create mode,” where you may add text to your posts, is a great place to make the announcement. Given that Instagram automatically advances to the next frame or Story after five seconds, you should use brief, engaging copy that people will want to read before Instagram moves on.
Photo
Rather than explaining, would you want to see it? You may use your own photographs in the image-based Stories you can create. Using Instagram’s in-built layout tool, you can create a grid structure to your content by adding up to six photographs to a single Story frame.
Video
If you feel like the static nature of photos limits your Story, you could always try using video. You’re free to either upload already recorded material or make a whole new video on the spot. Up to 15 seconds of video can be used in each frame for a Story. If yours is very lengthy, the programme will intelligently split it up into shorter chunks (no more than 15 seconds each) for you.
Closed captioning may be added mechanically to your video Stories. Captions may make your material more accessible and let more people to enjoy it, even if you expect most users to watch your video Stories with the sound on.
Materials that are commonly used
The material of a Story doesn’t necessarily have to be made from scratch. It is much simpler to just share items from your feed or the feeds of other users.
When viewing a post or Reel, tap the paper aircraft icon to send the material to your Instagram Story. Finally, click the Add to Your Story button. Add any of the available stickers or GIFs to your Story to make it more interesting to your audience.
Sponsored
A sponsored Story, which appears in between organic Stories, is a great way to engage with your target demographic and get your message out to a wider audience. There are a few different ways that business accounts may make money off of their Stories.
Using Instagram Stories and Why You Should
You have gained an understanding of Instagram Stories and its many formats. But what exactly are their uses, and why are they so crucial to your company’s success?
Some of the many benefits of Instagram Stories are listed below.
Build original pieces of writing
Followers of any brand on social media care much about authenticity. According to research, 90% of buyers place a high value on authenticity when deciding which companies to purchase.
Branded material, such as the glossy photoshoots you upload on Instagram, is widely panned by consumers for being artificial. Stories, however, have the opposite impact. About 40% of users were positively influenced by learning about a company or product via a Story, according to the research.
Create a feeling of missing out
Instagram Stories’ fleeting nature might really be an advantage for many companies. Users are aware that they only have so much time to spend on Stories. That might cause people to worry about missing out (FOMO), which in turn may make them rush to see the story before it disappears.
The transient aspect of Stories is not required, but it may be used to your advantage. You may increase the sense of urgency by releasing material in Stories that you know your followers would want to see, like a special deal.
Boost Participation
Instagram users may anticipate positive feedback when sharing pictures, videos, or Reels. People may be persuaded to save your post or press the link in your bio to check it out on a device other than Instagram. However, there aren’t many alternatives to this kind of commitment.
More alternatives for interaction with your audience are available when you use stories. Besides the usual likes and custom answers (which appear as DMs), emoji reactions may now be left on Stories posts. What this means is that viewers have access to a small selection of emojis, such as the thumbs up, fire, and heart eyes, with which they may convey more nuanced comments.
Join the conversation
Your interaction with Story readers isn’t limited to only replies. Instagram’s interactive stickers may be used to inspire new kinds of interaction.
It’s possible to conduct polls, emoji sliders, quizzes, and other interactive exercises. You may do informal market research, find out what your followers think, and see how your customers feel about your brand or a client’s brand by using these interactive stickers.