The Importance of Stories on Facebook & Instagram
Adventures Media Solutions
With millions posted per day, Stories on both Facebook and Instagram are one of the most popular features on their respective platforms. Nowadays, no one wants to comb through a large chunk of text for information, which is why Stories are so beneficial. The quick, typically visually appealing nature of them makes them easy for brands to convey information and even easier for followers to consume. No matter your business, the importance of stories on Facebook and Instagram can be a quick, effortless way to develop branding while also providing your target audience with crucial information to make informed following and buying decisions.
What are Stories and Why Should I Use Them?
Much like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook Stories work in an equivalent way. Stories are vertical photos, videos, or graphics that you post to your account. Unlike traditional posts, Stories disappear after 24 hours. They are displayed in a slideshow format, and multiple can be posted throughout the day. Users viewing a Story will have to tap to switch to the previous or next story or wait until the platform does it for them automatically. Both Instagram and Facebook display Stories separate from normal posting feeds at the top of your profile, making them easy access for both followers and potential followers who may stumble across your page.
Engage!
Alongside making them front-and-center, Stories also provide a terrific opportunity for engagement. Posters can add elements such as polls, stickers, music, and more to invite followers to interact with their page. Additionally, although Stories are set to disappear after they have been posted for 24 hours, Instagram accounts can save their favorite Stories as highlights above their regular feed for viewers to keep consuming. Saved Stories can be anything you would like, although business information may be one of the most important to keep at hand. Constantly publishing Stories keeps you on the mind of consumers. Those following your account will instantly see that you have published a Story, and it shows up across the top of their main feed dashboard without them having to find your account to look at it.
Sharing user-generated content and customer photos will help to promote more engagement, showing your followers that you care what they think. With Stories, user-generated content is a straightforward way to show off satisfied customers and get them excited to interact. Giveaways, specials, and teasers are also wonderful things to promote via Instagram stories due to the time-sensitive nature, all while giving followers a reason to care and take action.