Use IG Stories to Grow Your Instagram Engagement

Tecnoacquisti.com
E-commerce Marketing

Ig Stories were introduced in August 2016 and have since become one of Instagram's most popular features. We can define them as a collection of photo and video content that stimulates engagement with users. The Ig Stories view is extremely fast: content, in fact, appears on the screen for only a few seconds and disappears completely after 24 hours.

Instagram Stories are a separate tool from the news feed. Users choose to view them or not and, as a rule, they are intended to highlight spontaneous moments rather than studied and elaborate images. It is estimated that more than 30 percent of the most viewed Instagram Stories come from businesses: this figure underscores the importance of this tool for marketing purposes

What is an Instagram story

On Instagram, where the language is exclusively visual the feature most appreciated by users is undoubtedly the Story.

The principle on which Ig Stories are based , first initiated by Snapchat and then taken over by Instagram, consists of a simple idea: content is displayed for a few seconds and remains accessible for up to 24 hours, after which it disappears. An automatic backup option, however, allows circumventing this constraint.

Instagram Stories differ from traditional content in their limited duration, but also in their raison d'être. They aim to visually represent empathetic narratives that:

play on users' spontaneity and authenticity, emotion and interest;
are useful in stimulating creativity and interactivity (thanks to text, drawings, stickers, etc.);
allow building a more vivid and dynamic image.

How Instagram stories work

Ig Stories are displayed at the top of the screen in the form of circles showing the avatars of the authors' accounts. The name of the account is shown below. Only stories posted by the followed accounts are accessible. To scroll through them, just move on the screen to the left. Stories that have not yet been viewed are marked with a colored circle.

To view a Story, simply press the desired circle to activate the full-screen view of the content. The Instagram Story plays itself for a duration of a few seconds. Starting in 2023, videos in stories can last up to 60 seconds. If you record or upload a video longer than 60 seconds, it will automatically be split into several different stories.

The user can:

switch between content by swiping left or right on the screen,
freeze the story by holding his or her finger on the screen,
navigate through a video by holding the finger and moving it sideways,
run upward to return to the News section.

Until recently, Ig Stories, unlike regular posts, could not be liked with hearts, but one had to simply add a reaction (via an emoji) or send a message to its author (via private messaging) by swiping down on the screen. As of February 2022, however, this has become possible.

A Story can contain text and mention other clickable accounts (up to ten): a great way to bring relevant partners, influencers, or simply users to the forefront.

Instagram Stories can be accessed beyond the permitted 24 hours via the Stories Highlights tool: these featured stories are displayed in a dedicated section of the user profile, below the biography. This allows them to have permanent visibility and gain continuous traffic.

Creating an Ig story

Let's now see how to create a Story.

Once in the app, tap on thecamera icon in the top left of the screen, right next to the Instagram logo. Or click on the round Your Story icon located to the left of Stories posted by other accounts. Another option is to scroll the screen to the right from the news feed.
Then press the button to take a photo or hold it down to create a video. You can also use content stored in the gallery by pressing the dedicated icon or scrolling up the screen.
Select a function from the usage modes displayed in the lower horizontal menu and use the creativity options in the upper horizontal bar: adding stickers (location, mention, hashtag, etc.), using the brush to draw on the screen (marker, highlighter, neon brush, eraser...), etc.
Choose who the Story will be sent to and viewed by (all or only selected accounts).

Once the Story is published, you can check the number of views. This indication can be found at the bottom left of the Story. Scrolling up the screen will take you to the list of users who have viewed the content posted with this tool. Note that these statistics are only accessible for 24 hours.

What size for Instagram Stories

The size of the Instagram Story is 1080px by 1920px, which means the image or video must be 1080 pixels wide and 1920 pixels high. The aspect ratio is 9:16. It is good to keep these dimensions in mind when creating content. In fact, if you upload an image or video that does not fit within the dimensions provided, the content will be cropped or lose quality due to oversizing.

How stories can improve communication

Visual content has a very short shelf life of popularity on the Internet. A few hours after their publication, photos and videos become obsolete, and their incisiveness quickly diminishes. Ig Stories, due to their characteristics and quality, allow you to prolong the communicative effectiveness of this type of content.

Integrating stories into your social media marketing strategy is a good way to relaunch your content, reinvigorating your presence on the social network. In addition, storytelling within the Instagram Story is avery visual communication that arouses emotion and curiosity in the user. Stories enhance interaction with one's target audience by providing a valuable opportunity to converse with users who may also be potential customers.

How to create impactful stories

It is not always easy to come up with ideas for social network content, especially for Ig Stories. Our first advice is to start from your usual editorial line and not stray too far from it.

However, the strength of Stories is to show what is not usually in the public domain. Therefore, you must be original, authentic and spontaneous in your creation.

A compelling story must capture the user's attention. If you are unfamiliar with the medium, first explore all the features of Instagram stories: polls, GIFs, emoji, filters, music, mentions, hashtags, etc. All of these tools allow you to highlight your content more and grab the consumer's attention.

How to view IG stories anonymously

To view ig Stories anonymously on Android, you can use the Save Stories app The app is free, but removing banner ads requires the purchase of the paid version.

For the iPhone, you can, on the other hand, use the Storized for Instagram app that allows you to view ig stories anonymously. You can download this app for free from the iOS App Store, but removing ads requires a subscription.

After installing and launching Storized for Instagram on your device, search for @Username using the text field provided and select the profile you are interested in via the menu. Then select the Stories tab and, if there is content in that section, tap the 'preview to view it.

Why use Instagram stories for marketing?

Like any new feature, Instagram Stories have continued to evolve since their launch. While the basic premise (disappearance after 24 hours) remains the same, several new features have been added along the way.

The one thing that remains constant is that ig stories are one of the most popular pieces of content in the social networking world because of their spontaneity and authenticity.In fact, they have always been a way for Instagram users to go beyond the perfectly curated image and show something a little more real and less constructed.

This is true for both people and business profiles on Instagram. Forty-seven percent of users said that Instagram Stories help them be more authentic in their communication with friends and family.

For businesses and marketing strategies, the spontaneity of Stories can also be very useful. Stories help the brand show a real side and connect with its audience in an authentic way that is highly valued.

In addition to creating authentic connections with the target audience, making stories a key part of the social media marketing strategy can also be useful for other reasons. Let's see which ones.

Reaching more people

Whenever a new story is posted, the Instagram account is displayed above the followers' Instagram feed with a brightly colored ring around it. Followers can also receive unotifications alerting them to the publication.This makes it very difficult to miss a story, compared to posts, and it is possible to reach many more people (again compared to posts).

In addition, you can post multiple Stories in succession or at various times of the day, and further improve your reach on Instagram. Posting up to five stories a day, in fact, guarantees a retention rate of more than 70 percent, according to a study by SocialInsiders .

Finally, do not forget that stories, while lasting only 24 hours, have the potential to reach targets even outside of one's own follower base.

Interaction with your audience

Instagram Stories are designed to be interactive. Here are some quick ideas for soliciting interaction from your followers and users who are outside the circle of those who routinely follow the account.

Propose polls using the appropriate stickers.
Invite followers to send direct messages in response to questions.
Ask for feedback on a new product.
Host questions and answers from team members using the Questions sticker or via direct messages.

The more audiences interact, the higher the overall engagement rate on Instagram.

Attracting traffic to your site

Everyone knows that you cannot share clickable links on Instagram posts. Instead, you can do so in ig stories. Using links every time, in an appropriate and relevant way, will drive traffic to your site.

Posting ads on Instagram Stories

The estimated advertising reach for Instagram users is 1.22 billion. Instagram Stories are, therefore, very useful for advertising campaigns. Instagram Stories ads are integrated between regular Stories that make them look like regular Stories and can be very powerful for the purposes of generating leads, making sales and targeting traffic.

Increased follower engagement and beyond

Last (but not least) reason why it is important and effective to use Ig Stories for marketing is their ability to influence one of the most important metrics on Instagram: engagement. Stories are fun, interactive, and a great way to increase brand awareness and create engaging online communities.

Trends on Instagram are changing rapidly

Here is a summary of the major marketing trends on Instagram in 2023:

Photos will matter again: Instagram focused heavily on video in 2022, but photos are making a comeback. Despite the popularity of videos, photos continue to generate similar interaction.
Influencer marketing will change: Influencer marketing will not disappear, but it will evolve to focus on quality relationships rather than superficial numbers. Long-term collaborations based on shared values will become more important.
It will still and always be the year of video: Despite the renewed importance of photos, videos will continue to dominate on Instagram. Mobile enjoyment favors this format, so it is important to include mini-videos, Reels, and engaging stories in the editorial calendar.
Reels will be decisive: Competition with TikTok is driving Instagram's focus on Reels. By 2022, interest in Reels has surpassed interest in Stories, so including Reels in the marketing strategy is crucial.
Advertising could change: Due to possible regulatory changes, the way you advertise on Instagram could change. It is important to stay current and adapt advertising strategies accordingly.
Aim for live shopping: Live shows on Instagram are a great way to interact with your audience in real time. You can use live to introduce new products, show behind-the-scenes footage of your company, launch live events, and interact with your followers in an authentic way.

These trends are the most important ones to consider in 2023, but there may be other aspects to consider depending on your specific needs and marketing strategies.

Differences between Reels and Ig Stories

Current trends see the rise of Reels let's see dunqe de differences between Instagram Reels and Instagram Stories are two different features offered by Instagram, each with its own peculiarities:

Instagram Reels:

Duration: Reels can last up to 60 seconds.
Visibility: Reels can be shared both in the feed and in the Explore section of Instagram, making them visible to a wider audience.
Permanence: Unlike Stories, Reels do not disappear after 24 hours. They remain visible in your profile until you decide to remove them.
Editing: Reels offer more advanced editing options, including the ability to add AR effects, use Instagram music, and more.
Purpose: Reels are designed for creating and sharing short, fun video content, similar to what you see on TikTok.

Instagram Stories:

Duration: Stories can last up to 15 seconds per clip, but you can add more clips to create a longer story.
Visibility: Stories are visible only to your followers and appear at the top of your Instagram feed. You can also choose to share them with a smaller group of people using the "Close Friends" feature.
Permanence: Stories automatically disappear after 24 hours unless you add them to your profile "Highlights."
Editing: Stories offer easier editing options, including the ability to add text, stickers, GIFs and polls.
Purpose: Stories are ideal for sharing daily updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and other more casual or ephemeral content.

In summary, while Instagram Stories are more geared toward sharing daily moments and quick interactions with followers, Reels are designed for creating more engaging and creative video content that can reach a wider audience.

How to analyze the metrics of IG Stories

Analyzing your Instagram Stories metrics is critical to understanding how your audience interacts with your content and to optimizing your future stories. Here's how you can do it:

Open your Instagram Stories: To access your stories' metrics, you must first open the story whose statistics you want to see. You can do this by tapping on your profile picture in the top left of the Instagram app.
Swipeup on the story: When you view your story, swipe up on the screen to open the story statistics.
Review metrics: Here you will see several metrics related to your story, including:
- Impressions: The total number of times your story has been viewed.
- Reach: The number of unique accounts that have viewed your story.
- Responses: The number of times users have sent direct messages from your story.
- Taps Back: The number of times users have tapped to return to your previous story.
- TapsForward: The number of times users have tapped to go to your next story.
- Exits: The number of times users have left the story viewing mode after viewing your story.
- Link Swipe: If you included a link in your story and have access to this feature, here you will see the number of times users swiped up to visit the link.
Analyze metrics: Use these metrics to understand how your audience interacts with your stories. For example, if you notice that many people are tapping ahead or leaving your stories, it could mean that your content is not engaging your audience. Conversely, a high number of replies or swipes on links could indicate that your content is resonating with your audience.
Adapt your strategy: Use this information to adapt your Instagram Stories strategy. For example, you may want to test different content types, story lengths, or call-to-actions to see how they affect your metrics.

Remember, analyzing metrics should be an ongoing process. Keep monitoring your statistics over time to understand how they change and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusions

With more than 500 million daily users, Instagram Stories are a great way to reach potential new customers and create a stronger connection with existing ones. Ig Stories have continuously evolved in recent years, introducing other engagement-enhancing features that are great for starting conversations, humanizing brands and getting real-time feedback directly from target audiences.

Instagram Stories are ultimately about storytelling, and when thinking about how to use them for marketing, one should not forget that in any promotional tool, storytelling plays a crucial role.

Great storytelling in marketing is the enemy of mediocre content that is punctually penalized by audiences. To use Stories in business marketing one must use creativity and not just do what everyone does!

Tools and resources for creating ig stories

There are many tools and resources available that can help you create more engaging and professional Instagram Stories. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Canva: Canva is an online graphic design tool that offers a wide range of templates for Instagram Stories. You can customize the templates with your own images, text and brand colors.
InShot: InShot is a video editing app that allows you to add music, text, emoji and filters to your videos. It is especially useful for creating short, engaging videos for your Instagram Stories.
Adobe Spark: Adobe Spark is a design tool that allows you to create visually appealing stories with photos, videos, and text.
Unfold: Unfold offers a set of sleek, minimalist templates for creating Instagram Stories that look professional and consistent.
StoryArt: StoryArt offers a wide range of templates for Instagram Stories, as well as features for adding text and stickers.
Over: Over is a design app that offers a wide range of templates, graphics and fonts to create eye-catching Instagram Stories.
CutStory: CutStory is an app that allows you to split longer videos into shorter clips perfect for Instagram Stories.
Hype Type: Hype Type allows you to add animated text to your photos and videos, making your Instagram Stories more dynamic and engaging.

Remember, the best tool for you will depend on your specific needs, your design skills, and the type of content you want to create. Try different tools to see which one works best for you. Learn about other programs for editing photos.

Author: Loris Modena

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