How to Use Instagram Stories For Promotion

Contents:

Why use Instagram Stories for business?
How to use Instagram Stories for business
Brands on Instagram stories

When you pick up your phone, what do you check first? Chances are it’s either Facebook, Instagram or Youtube. Indeed, according to this study by We Are Social, these are the social media giants that most users are drawn to. Fewer people each day pay attention to the “traditional” media and prefer to consume the news, entertainment and, as a result, advertisements from social media.

So if you’re interested in effectively advertising your products to the wide audience, you’ve got to look in the direction of one of the biggest platforms. It comes as no surprise, but the app of choice for many businesses is Instagram. It performs strongly, growing its active user base by more than 4% in just 3 months to reach an advertising audience of 895 million active users in January of 2019. It’s highly visual and it draws the attention of potential clients quickly, especially if some hacks are utilized to develop and perform the advertisement campaign properly.

Now, we need to discuss an effective tool your business can use to promote on Instagram. It’s Insta Stories.

Why use Instagram Stories for business?

They are highly visible, appearing first at the top of your feed, they are addictive, making users tap forward almost automatically, and they are the best way to promote on Instagram. A study done by VidMob shows that 25% of Millennials and Gen Zs browse Instagram Stories while making a purchasing decision. Those are the generations that become the target demographic for the brands, and at the same time, they are most indifferent to the TV, magazines and other classic places of visual advertisement.

That’s why as much as 36% of all businesses use Stories for advertisement, and it is highly probable that the number will grow further up in the next few months.

How to use Instagram Stories for business

For a regular user, the wide array of marketing tools offered by Instagram can be overwhelming. Don't worry though, because WiserBrand got you covered - we’ve prepared a list of the most useful strategies for you to use and get exposure.

1. Make Instagram Stories that look good

While advertising on a highly visual platform, we must never underestimate the effects of a good image - or a bad one. Make sure your Story grabs attention from the get-go, and the quality of the finished content is high - no one wants to look at a shaky image of the product in a half-dark room. It’s best to provide the same professional touch for the story as for the regular Instagram post. Remember, it can be as effective for your business, so give it attention to details it deserves.

2. Apply regular social media marketing strategies to Instagram Stories

Engaging with your audience can much more easy and effective through Stories - it’s a perfect platform to post all kinds of announcements, discussions, polls, and quests to gather feedback. With just one tap, your potential clients can signal their thoughts, wants and needs - all of which can be used by your analysts to make the offer more appealing.

Hashtags, location stickers, and links work just as great (if not better) in Stories as in regular posts - just remember to make them subtle.

Do you prefer posting collaborations and promotions? Instagram stories are a great place to put them up! The "Swipe Up" feature will take your client right to the promotion page, and mentioning your collaborator will gain your user's attention.

However, as with regular Instagram content, there’s little you will be able to execute effectively without a content plan - and we’ve got some ideas for you.

3. Instagram Stories content ideas:

Let your clients know what you’ve got

It seems obvious, and it’s true - the majority of brands use Stories to showcase what products they have in their store or what services they have to offer. With the "Swipe Up" option it is even more effective because it allows users to act on impulse.

Sales, deals and promotions

Don’t we all just love a good deal? Aren’t we willing to pay more, just to get something since it's limited edition and feel like we own something "one of a kind"? A variety of studies show that the answer is yes. So give your clients a chance to catch a good deal, and feel like they've saved money.

Show them how your product is made

Everybody loves the "behind-the-scenes" videos, that’s why reality shows are so popular. But not only is it entertaining, but it will also capture the attention of potential buyers and make them feel like they've got an exclusive insight. Even more importantly, when people can see what goes into the making of a product or service, it elevates their trust and makes them feel included. It’s a very powerful way to promote on Instagram.

Host Q&A sessions

It’s a great and easy format of interacting with your potential customers and gaining feedback, acting as a promotion event. Answer those questions live to increase the trust of your clients. Take time to represent the brand during the Q&A in a subtle way - for example, showing makeup swatches or sneak peeks during a session for a cosmetics brand will boost your sales afterward.

Let them decide

Instagram Stories that feature polls and other means of expressing a vote are wonderful for business. If you let people participate directly in the making of a product or choosing a charity campaign to fund, they feel included and in control, which in turn increases their loyalty and engagement.

Brands on Instagram stories

Don’t take our word for it - check and see that big players are all switching to Instagram Stories for business promotion. From the beauty giant Sephora to one of the best educational channels National Geographic - most huge brands are using stories for their social media marketing campaigns to promote products and ideas. And they are not lazy about it either - as the number of daily posts falls, the number of stories recorded grows each day.

All of this clearly shows that Instagram Stories are essential for business promotion, especially to the younger audience, which is becoming the biggest buying demographic. Stories are easy to tailor to your brand’s unique aesthetic. They offer a wide range of possibilities for entrepreneurs on Instagram for advertising, receiving feedback and getting the most of your business. There’s no question as to why people use Instagram stories for business, and, hopefully, we’ve helped to answer how to properly use them. Apply this knowledge wisely, and you’ll get a social media marketing tool like no other.

And if you ever get lost in all the intricacies - remember that Wiserbrand SMM specialists will be happy to assist you in mastering Stories.

We will gladly show you the full potential for promoting your business and sales attraction that lies in the sensible advertising campaign for Instagram. We are prepared to offer guidance, assistance, content ideas and many more for your company to bloom.