A creative Instagram story is sure to boost your brand awareness.
There are many benefits of Instagram stories and with a bit of creativity and a lot of fun, you can improve the reach of your brand with an original Instagram story.
Do Instagram stories increase followers? Well, it’s estimated that over 300 million users watch Instagram stories and businesses are beginning to realize this. In July 2017, Instagram had 15 million companies using the platform and it now has 25 million. The reason for this increase is because people are starting to spend more and more time on the platform to get away from the bombardment of discouraging news that is now flooding Twitter and Facebook’s platform. Instagram offers companies an easy way to boost their brand’s awareness because it is essentially a free marketing tool and the growth of the platform continues to explode.
Social media platforms are great ways for your company to boost its brand awareness. Many companies have used creative Instagram stories to boost their brand and you can too, with these Instagram stories best practices.
Ways to Use Instagram Stories to Promote your Business
Go Behind-The-Scenes
Going behind-the-scenes gives customers a deeper insight of your company and allows them to feel more connected to you. You can also show off exotic and unique locations or even show the process that goes into creating the still photos your audience loves so much. Going behind-the-scenes also allows your company to introduce key members of the staff to users, connecting them even more with your brand. This is one of the best Instagram story ideas because many brands have had success with this type of story, as it offers users a new type of intimacy with your brand.
Live Tutorials
One of the best Instagram stories for business is to create a live tutorial that emphasizes your product or service. Offering advice and a how-to step-by-step video can educate users on how to better care for the product, how to use the product in the best or even new, creative ways, and opens the door for your entire audience to join in and follow along. Live tutorials are immensely popular with beauty companies because they allow their customers to follow along with beauty tips to learn how to properly apply the product.
Instagram Takeover
This type of story is when brands hand over their accounts to someone else for a day. This allows users and the brand to gain a different perspective from one of the brand ambassadors or even just a member of the community. A takeover can even feature the CEO of the company to show that they’re down to earth and allow users to connect with the mastermind behind the brand they love so much. When employees of the company host takeovers, they allow customers to feel more connected with the faces behind the brand. When members of the community host takeovers, customers feel a sense of comradery to an individual who is just like them.
Collaborate with Similar Brands
It has been popular for many years for similar brands to collaborate to increase the sales of their products. This is because a collaboration not only promotes both brands and products but also because it exposes each brand to a new audience. Your company can pair with a like-minded company to showcase each other’s products in your stories or you can even feature an Instagram story ad of this company in the middle of your own Instagram story.
Add a Soundtrack
Instagram might be a visual platform, but statistics show that 60% of stories are viewed with the sound on. Try thinking outside the box and create a soundtrack that accurately represents your brand. Include creativity with your soundtrack by showing your employees or guests dance to it or sing along looking directly at the camera. Don’t be afraid to show your audience how fun and goofy your brand is to better relate and connect with your audience.