How to use Instagram stories for your business?

Since Instagram has launched its new feature, Instagram Stories, in 2016, the average time spend on Instagram increased significantly. Instagram users now have a new reason to use their app more often and spend more time on it.

Of course, it was inevitable for businesses to start promoting their brands, products and services on Instagram stories while in today’s business world, it is all about finding new channels to advertise.

Today, 1/3 Instagram stories are coming from businesses. But what is the best way to integrate Instagram stories to your business marketing plan and how can you use it effectively?

Things to consider while creating Instagram stories for your business As in every marketing action, first and foremost you need to consider your business and marketing objectives while creating an Instagram story for your brand.

Do you want to create more traffic to your Instagram account, or your website? Did you create a new app and want to promote it? Or do you want to generate more engagement with your audience? Or is lead generation or boosting up your sales is your primary target?

Depending on your business and marketing objectives, it is important to make sure that Instagram stories can get adapted to your marketing plan. As Instagram will only allow you to use a specific format for stories, it is also best to establish that your creative content is adaptable to the particular dimensions.

Any time is the best time to post While the timing of your post is usually one of the critical points to consider when it comes to Instagram, this issue appears differently on Instagram stories. The fact that Instagram Stories are only visible for a certain period of time is making the posting time optional.

The only thing to consider is, if you are using Instagram stories often, it is best to try to post content in every 10-12 hours, so your feed is never empty.

Instagram stories are a great feature for brands who have international audiences with a need for detailed strategy planning on when to share an Instagram post. Any time is the best time!

Be consistent with your brand images As your brand elements such as your brand colours, logo and perhaps your typeface are what is making you stand out of the crowd, make sure they are also visible on your Instagram stories to increase your brand recognition.

While users are viewing the Instagram stories from their feed, it is essential that they can recognise your brand. Making your logo visible on the images or videos, or

using your brand colours as a frame on each post will make your brand stand out on the continuous contents.

Be creative Even though Instagram stories became a big hit by the brands who are using them strategically, it is still a competitive marketing channel that needs to targeted tactically. Make sure when your audience sees your Instagram story, they come back for more.

Think more than just photos As one of the most loved feature, Instagram stories allow you to use different stickers and polls. You can create a single piece of art rather than an ordinary picture or can create the following series of continuing story with your different sticker and notes on your images.

A beautiful image will usually be attracting your followers on Instagram. But for Instagram Stories, audiences more likely to be interested in your videos than pictures. You can upload videos up to 15 seconds, which would allow you to talk about your latest product, make a demo, give a sneak peak in your office or even to promote your live event.

Make use of live videos Instagram stories are giving brands a big opportunity to broadcast to their audience anytime anywhere. If you are on an important event, you can share it at the same time with your audience. You can make live Q&A sessions and even do interesting interviews with inviting other users to your broadcast. Possibilities are limitless.

Add music You can always compliment your photo or video in your Instagram story with suitable music in the background. If your video is silent, or it has a very distracting background sound, exchanging it with nice music can make your post more attractive.

If you can’t decide which music to use or if you are worried about finding free legal music to put on your videos, you can search for the royalty free music sites that allows you to use lots of songs only with placing a credit within your video.

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