The Power of The Instagram Story

Instagram is widely known as an image sharing social media platform. However, there are so many other things you can do with it. One of the most amazing features of Instagram is Instagram Stories. 

This feature allows users to broadcast multiple photos and videos taken throughout the day. This reel will automatically disappear after a span of 24 hours. This feature can not only be used by normal users for fun, but brands can also use Instagram Stories to increase their reach, engagement, and return on investment from their campaign.

Though Instagram may not have the huge user base of Facebook, active users on this social media platform are growing rapidly. In fact, the platform has recently surpassed 700 million users. With its active users spending so much time on the platform, this provides a huge opportunity for brands to capitalize on it. Here are some of the best ways that brands can harness the power of Instagram Stories in their social media marketing strategies.

1. Deliver Special Offers

One of the best ways to promote your offers via Instagram Stories is to provide a coupon with an expiry period. By doing this, you can get a better result from your Instagram marketing campaign. The time-critical factor will create a sense of urgency among your target audience. 

Another way to make users take action is through direct messaging. To clinch the special offer that you are providing, ask your followers to send you a direct message to get a coupon.

2. Redirect Followers to Your Website

It’s obvious that you have much more to show to your followers on your website in comparison to your Instagram profile. The use of Instagram Stories can help redirect followers to your website in a matter of a click, which will allow them to see all your content, products, offers, and more on your website. Instagram users like over 4 billion posts in a day, which shows what kind of engagement you can expect with Instagram.

3. Showcase Your Products or Services

Instagram Stories is an amazing feature that can help you to showcase your products or services in an eye-catching manner. If you have a new product or service to demonstrate to your followers, then Instagram Stories is the way to go. It will help you to show your products or services in action, which helps in creating an excitement among the people who view it. If you want to further increase your reach, then you can also ask social media influencers to promote your new products or services.

4. Share an Informal Glimpse of Your Business

You must keep in mind that real people with real emotions follow you on Instagram. They do not always want to see you promoting your products and services. Show something behind the scenes like a birthday party, your team members, and so on. Try to demonstrate that there are real humans behind the page by sharing informal glimpses of your business. The great thing about Instagram Stories is that they are temporary, but they can have a long-lasting impact on your brand. 

5. Experiment with an Instagram Stories Takeover

An Instagram “takeover” is one of the best ways to grow your account. An Instagram Stories takeover allows you to broadcast from another Instagram account, usually for 24 hours. With the help of an Instagram Stories takeover, you can reach out to new audiences, which can be a lot of fun. It is like partnering with other businesses for mutual benefits or exchanges of value. 

6. Share Clips of Your Longer-form Content

You must have various types of content on your website or blog. If you are having a difficulty in sharing them in an effective manner with your followers, then you can make use of Instagram Stories to share it in an effective manner with them. Instagram Stories can act like a teaser to entice your followers to read the full content. It will help you in providing them with good reasons to read your content. 

Remember that you only have a limited time, so try to provide them with the reasons to read your content within a few precious seconds. You should also make use of hashtags to increase your engagement. Studies show that posts with hashtags have an average of 12.6% more engagement than those without hashtags.

#7 Reasons Your Business Needs Strong Social Media Presence

Good social media presence is not just merely an option, it is necessary for brands nowadays.

Search Engine Visibility 

Every business wants to increase traffic and user engagement but will it be possible if your prospects are not able to find you over the internet? Social media profiles help you dominate first search result page in a more natural way, which further increases profits. Consider the fact that millennials spent large amount of time on social platforms, and their value will increase further.

Moreover, presence on social media channels will not only generate business for you but also stop brand negativity to reach top positions.

Company Mouthpiece 

Whether you are new to the industry or have been a part of it for many years, a positive word-of-mouth will always help you gain customers. Social media marketing help business owners keep their clients updated about new launches, company policies and also team activities.

Online social networking gives you a chance to build narration to capture your customers' interest. Each Facebook post and tweet can share company values, ethics, and much more. But don’t flood your followers with N number of updates every day. Make sure that everything is relevant.

Trust-building Channels

Social media presence has become vital to earn customers’ trust. You can survive without a physical store but not having a social presence will be scorned at. Be it online stores or startups, this is true for all online businesses. If you don’t have active presence on social media channels, then, you are missing out on brand critical profiles.

Competitive Advantage 

Do you think your competitors also don’t care about social media presence? You may be wrong. There are high chances that they are investing their time and money into building a positive online social presence to gain business.

Not having a social media presence will derive you of all its benefits and they will be automatically passed on to your competitor. So, take a good look around and see what they have been doing.           

Virtual Connect with Customers 

It is critical for virtual companies to prove their credibility and gain customer confidence. Social media platforms give you the opportunity to create a bond with your customers. As a brand you have to know that it is important to engage your customers and thus uses different social media networks to promote your services. For instance, Creative Facebook posts can be used to interact with customers and give them a chance to engage with your business.

Sales &Business Leads

Social media is immensely useful in generating leads. With modern social channels like Pinterest and YouTube that allow direct purchases, social media has become even more powerful. Instagram, too, launched a call to action button that helps its audience to shop and install applications.

Social media is evolving very fast and it will very soon drive sales in a big way. And if you will not be there when it happens, well, you will the losing party.

Marketing Channels

Driving sales is seen as one of the biggest merits of social networking sites. All the social media channels have well-defined marketing machineries in place to help brands connect with their target audience. Facebook’s Sponsored Posts and Twitter’s Marketing Campaigns are two of the most popular ways to market your products and services.

Every social media channel has unique marketing channels. Though you don’t necessarily need to have a social media presence to use these channels, having the same will multiply the gains. Global brands link their marketing campaigns with their social profiles to increase likes and followers.

The power of social media is huge, and it can open the doors of success for your business when used in the right manner. Benefits generated by social media channels are measurable and there is no reason why you shouldn’t be using them.