Launch Your Social Media Marketing Strategy with Instagram Stories

Over the last decade, social media has exploded, becoming a valuable tool for businesses. However, with that explosion, users are used to being constantly bombarded by advertising and marketing, resulting in a renewed desire for authenticity.

So, how do you rise above the noise and break through to your audience? How do you win customers’ attention when that attention is being pulled in infinite directions?

There are a few ways to start, but let’s discuss one great way to build that relationship, stay top of mind, and encourage your audience to keep coming back and making repeat conversions. Instagram Stories.

Instagram Stories: The Basics

Instagram has changed tremendously since its 2010 inception. In 2012, Facebook purchased Instagram for a whopping $1 billion, and the platform has only become more and more marketing-focused since.

One of the biggest changes to Instagram was timeline sorting. Previously, most recent posts appeared at the top of your feed. Now, posts are sorted by relevance to the user. If, for example, you interact with one business by frequently liking, sharing or commenting on its posts, that business’s posts appear at the top of your feed. Scroll down and you’ll see users and businesses with which you interact less, no matter whether those posts were created more recently or not.

That means engagement is paramount. The less engagement you receive, the fewer followers will see your posts. There’s still one way to stay at the top of news feeds, however. And by the top, we mean the very top. Instagram stories.

Instagram stories are image or video posts that appear at the very top of Instagram’s homepage for 24 hours before disappearing. They don’t clutter your feed and feature tons of tools and applications.

How to Level Up Your Marketing Strategy with Instagram Stories

So, you’re ready to take your social media marketing strategy to the next level with Instagram stories. But how do you implement stories in a way that complement your existing strategies? And how do you ensure your Instagram strategy is well informed?

Determine what you want to accomplish.

For example, you might want customers to purchase a new product, spread the news about a new promotion or give a behind-the-scenes look at your company.

Focus on your customers’ interests.

Second, think about your customers and what they want. If your audience engages most with posts about company events, take note. Or, put extra focus on your most popular product.

Create a call to action.

Instagram offers a host of tools through stories. If your account is verified or you have more than 10,000 followers, you can use the link tool. Push your followers to your website, products or blog at every opportunity you get. For example, a great call to action might be “Swipe up now to save 15% on Product X!”

Create an opportunity for engagement with every story.

Instagram stories have plenty of other ways to engage your users, even if you don’t have that blue checkmark or 10,000 followers. Use polls, quizzes, questionnaires, or even start a group chat and encourage donations through Instagram stickers. Then, share the results of those polls, quizzes or questionnaires in a new story the next day – any way to get your audience engaging with you and coming back for more.

Pro Tip: Use the location sticker on your Instagram story for increased discoverability. Tag relevant businesses or people in your stories to attract more attention and encourage connectivity!

Why You Should Be Using Instagram Stories

If you’re not using Instagram stories, you’re not getting the most out of your Instagram marketing strategy.

Not only do Instagram stories not clutter the timeline, which can annoy followers, stories feel authentic, as they’re a way to share news in real time. From sharing a photo of your office pet to spotlighting a new post on the news feed, every Instagram story post is a way for you to build your relationship with your audience.

Plus, because Instagram stories are always at the top of news feeds, they’re always visible, and your posts won’t become a casualty to the infinite scroll.

We Can Share Your Story

If you’re unsure where to start with your social media strategy, you’re ready to jump in to Instagram stories, or you just need a few pro tips, the Blue Laser Digital team is your local expert. We can guide your campaign and get you more conversions, more exposure and build a stronger relationship with your audience.