Ever since Instagram launched their Story feature in 2016, brands and influencers have been all in, but like any other social trend, there’s a learning curve to posting the perfect Story. Unlike a normal social post, an Instagram Story only lives 24-hours and then it's gone, so we've pulled together four tips on how to make your next Story count.
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Create a Narrative: They call it a story for a reason. Instead of stringing together photos that don’t go together, try telling a story throughout a few posts. Whether it’s a four-post Story showing a step-by-step cocktail recipe or a day in the life of someone on your team, you want each post to lead to the next.
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The Cliffhanger Set Up: Grab their attention right from the get-go. Use the first post to set up the Story so viewers know what to expect. It could be a teaser like “The perfect recipe for the ultimate weekend” or a countdown approach - “Three coffee options you can't live without," either way, the sooner you grab their attention, the better shot you have at keeping them engaged throughout the entire Story.
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Go Behind the Scenes: The best part about the Story feature is that it allows you to interact differently with fans - less polished and more real. Go behind the scenes to capture the viewer's attention with a mix of photos and video. If we know anything about people, it’s that they’re nosey, so use Instagram Stories to give them what they want.
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Take Advantage of Engagement: Not a surprise, an Instagram account that has an audience who engages with their “normal” posts also sees more engagement on their stories. If people love what you’re posting on Instagram, bring your most popular content themes to life via a Story. If not, try working towards increased engagement on Instagram in general so it leads to more engagement on your Story.
Whose Instagram Stories are you loving? Share your favorites in the comments below.