Forget Instagram posts — today it’s all about the Insta Stories:
images and videos taken within 24 hours, that disappear within 24 hours of posting.


Here, six reasons you should make them part of your marketing plan.

1. Everyone Else is Doing It.
With their quick, fun static image and 15-second video formats (with audio capabilities) that give users a feel for your brand’s personality, Insta Stories have become so popular that they’ve beat out the original “story” platform, Snapchat. In August 2017
Instagram reported it had 250 million daily users of Stories, versus 166 million for Snapchat.

2. Brand Visibility.
Because stories appear along the top horizontal bar of the Instagram app, posting them will help you get valuable face time with your followers.

3. Speaking of Followers …
Fact: One in five Insta Stories posted by a brand gets a direct message from a follower. In July 2017 more than 50 per of business accounts created a story. Brands like Teen Vogue have used Insta stories to fuel their growth.

4. Engagement, Baby.
Whether you’re posting a live broadcast where users can comment via direct message, or a static image with a Yes/No poll, Insta Stories offers a ton of fun features that encourage your audience to engage with your brand.

5. Targeting.
Unlike regular posts, Insta Stories allow you to target content (including advertising within Stories) to specific groups. Brands such as AirBnb have had great success with targeted Insta Stories.
Says Eric Toda, Global Head of Social Marketing and Content:

We saw a double digit point increase in ad recall from our ‘Experiences on Airbnb’ campaign that further justifies our investment in ads within stories as they have made a measurable impact for us. Our ability to apply existing targeting and measurement in an experience to reach the right audience, in the right mindset, with the right story at scale has allowed us to achieve the results we were hoping for in a partnership with Instagram.”

6. Measurement Tools.
Though some may balk at the fleeting nature of Insta Stories, which disappear within 24 hours of posting, the good news is the analytic reports which measure the engagement of every post will remain long after the story is gone.
Instagram offers detailed analytics for business accounts for the most recent 24 hours, 7 days and 14 days of activity. To see them, simply tap on your analytics icon, or go to your story and tap the number of viewers or the names of viewers at the bottom.

Ready to promote your brand using Insta Stories? Click here to learn how to create content uses won’t want to stay watching.

 

For more information, visit https://business.instagram.com/blog/instagram-stories-available-globally