What Is A Social Media Story?
A social media story is a 15-20 second video or photo that appears in a different place than people’s regular social media feed or timeline. It is generally less polished or “curated” than the rest of your social media feed and can be viewed by anyone as many times as they want before it disappears after 24 hours. However, some platforms have a spot where you can save your social media stories, so they can always be viewed on your profile.
Stories offer an effective way to post deals, new products, behind-the-scenes looks at your company and so much more. In this blog article, we will dive into why, when and how you should use social media stories in your content marketing strategy.
How Did The Social Media Story Come To Be?
Snapchat started the social media story trend in 2013. Instead of just being able to send pictures or videos to specific people that could only be seen for a short time, the idea of stories was that lots of people could view as much as they wanted for 24 hours until it disappeared.
Snapchat Stories allowed people to reach wider audiences with their content. Additionally, the feeling of connecting with friends and businesses in real time seemed to strike a chord with Snapchat users.
In 2016, Instagram introduced a stories option, with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn soon following suit. Google and Skype even have story options now.
But what is the benefit of using social media stories, and why are 1 billion Facebook Stories shared every day?
Why/When Should You Use Social Media Stories To Market Your Business?
Social media stories are a great way to upgrade your social media marketing plan.
Social media stories are best implemented when you want to interact in a more personal way with your audience. Specifically on Instagram, stories are a great way to engage with your followers. Polls give your followers the option to vote on different things, such as what color to paint your store or what new food item you should add to the menu. Followers and customers love to be involved in decision making for the brands they care about. Try asking a question on your brand story where followers can submit their answers. The other social media platforms have similar interaction options you can try out as well.
Stories can also be used to update your followers in real time. If you are having a special one-day sale, you can create a story to get everyone up to date. This gives your audience an insider peek at what’s going on with your business. Customers love the feeling of being in the know. This is also great when you want to quickly get a message out to as many people as possible, since more people view your stories.
Think of your social media stories as a form of storytelling.
Customers and supporters love to hear a story they can relate to or respect when choosing which companies to support. Using social media stories enables you to tell longer stories that don’t have to be as polished.
Another option for businesses is showcasing a recent post as a story. Some people may miss your posts, so reposting things onto your story will ensure more of your audience will see them.
Some organizations have also found success with “social media takeovers.” Whether you have one of your employees do a “day in the life” or have a customer give a review of one of your products, this is a great way to show the humans behind your company and engage your followers in a different way.
If you want to create a sense of urgency with your stories, you could also try out the countdown feature. Your followers will have the option to click on your countdown and follow along. Use this feature to host a giveaway or, depending on your business, share more of your products!
How To Post Stories On Each Platform
Now that you know why you should be posting stories, let’s dive into the steps to posting them.
Instagram:
- Go to your profile by clicking on the profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
- From here, there are two ways you can post your Story, whichever works best for you. One way is to click the plus sign in the top right corner on your profile page. Once you click, there will be a list of options. You will select the story option, which will take you to the story posting page. You can also get to this story posting page by clicking the plus sign on your profile picture in the upper-left corner.
- Once you are at the story posting page, you have the option of taking a photo or video.
- Once you capture your image, you can add music, drawings or text.
Facebook:
- To add a Facebook story, go to your timeline.
- Right underneath where you can post at the top, there will be a button that says “create a story.”
- Click on that, and from there the steps are similar to Instagram. Pick a photo from your camera roll or take a photo, and then you can add effects.
Click on this button to post your first LinkedIn Story!
LinkedIn:
- The process is also very similar on LinkedIn. On your home page, there is a button at the top left corner that says ‘your story’ with a plus sign.
- Once there, you will have the option to take or find a photo already on your camera roll.
- Then you can add a sticker or text and share your story!
How Often Should You Be Posting Your Stories On Social Media?
A general guideline you may have heard of for social media marketing is to post one to three times a day for most accounts on most platforms. However, stories are a bit different, because followers can choose not to click or tap through if they are uninterested.
While there is not a set number for how many times a day or week you should post to stories, you should be extra certain that each story you post has a reason and value for being posted.
Platform-Specific Features You Should Use
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Facebook stories appear at the top of your feed so they are easier to see.
Instagram: On Instagram Stories, you can add hashtags, locations and captions just as you would on a regular post. Instagram Stories also offer stickers and music. Another helpful feature for businesses is the highlighting ability. This feature lets you save your stories in an organized way underneath your Instagram profile. This gives your customers and followers a place to quickly learn more about your company without leaving your curated page.
- Facebook: Facebook stories appear like Instagram stories, showing up at the top of your timeline. Just like on Instagram, there are different types of story you can create, such as a photos, boomerangs or videos. Facebook Stories also offer stickers, polls, music and buttons as well – which are highly effective for social media marketing.
- LinkedIn: Again, overall, the story feature on LinkedIn is nearly the same as other platforms. LinkedIn Stories help businesses showcase their products and services in a more casual way. You can add stickers and mentions to your story.
Are You Ready To Work On Your First Story?
If you are ready to get started on creating the first story for your business, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Stop and ask yourself, “If I was clicking through stories on my feed, is this something I would stop and watch?”
- Keep it simple! 52 percent of people want to see stories that are easy to comprehend.
- Don’t just copy and paste your stories from one platform to the next. Just like with regular posting, each platform has its own audience and posting style.
- Start with a social media plan and goal setting before you start posting stories or fleets.
- If you post a video story, consider adding captions so people can watch without volume or so those who are hard of hearing can engage with your content.
Do You Need Help Creating A Social Media Story Plan?
Do you need help with your social media strategy? Our team of experienced marketers can help! We offer 30-minute, no-obligation and complimentary consultations with our CEO, Erika Taylor Montgomery! Contact us to learn more about how we can help you achieve your social media goals.
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