500 million Instagram accounts use stories every day. With the flexibility of the feature for users to post photos, comments and videos for a 24-hour period. Not to mention its creative filters and customizable editing tools that can make the story become whatever the user wants.
But, an Instagram story can go much further than just the personal highlight and entertainment qualities it has. In fact, businesses all over the world have taken this light-hearted feature, and have adapted it to work as a brand-enhancing tool, perfect for marketing or advertising, and it has definitely proven to do so over the past years.
Because of this, the Instagram story feature can be used in many ways in a company’s digital marketing strategy to help boost sales and create profitable content. So, in this article we will be discussing just this; the top 5 ways Instagram stories can help boost business awareness.
Increasing Engagement
A very popular feature that can be used within an Instagram story, is by creating engaging polls. For a brand, this is a great way to boost engagement rates, by asking relatable or current questions, that they can simply choose an answer to enter the poll.
The questions and answers can be customisable and can work to aid a brand within the next projects, product releases, or simply to find out the likes and dislikes of their audience, proving they are a trusted brand who put their customers wants first – a perfect trait for boosting brand awareness.
The research qualities it offers businesses is invaluable. Many customers cannot be bothered to fill out a questionnaire or write a review. But, with millions of active Instagram users, simply clicking one poll button is no hassle, and will help any brand better themselves to become much more appealing.
Boosting Sales Rates
Instagram has released the ability for users and brands to post direct links into their story. The way in which it works is by using a redirect ‘swipe up’ instruction, that will take the audience straight to the sales page linked.
This is a great promotion technique, as some audience may be attracted to a product or service being advertised on a story, but not have the time to scroll through the internet to find the website. So, by offering the link to them instantly, will persuade them to take a further look due to the simplicity of just swiping up, and therefore increase the chances of the product being purchased. Then, followers can instantly be converted into buyers.
The links do not only have to be for sale in fact. While this is definitely beneficial, the account can also add links to previous posts or blogs, that may correlate with promotional content. From here, more people will be driven to the website to boost traffic too.
Easy to Find
Another feature that can be added into an Instagram story, is the use of hashtags and location tags. By posting each story with a hashtag that relates to the topic or what the story is about if it is a trending subject at the time, then users can very easily find the story, by searching the used hashtag, or their interests within the explore page.
Similarly, a story can allow a location to be tagged into it too. By putting the sticker on top of a photo or video allows people to see where the business is located, again taking away any need for them to do their own research which could take a lot of time.
By pinning the story to a location too, will allow it to be placed within a specific area on the explore page. Anyone around the area or with interest in the brand will have the story offered to them within their explore feed, increasing brand awareness drastically, due to the millions of people subject to the explore page.
Creating Personality
There is no limit to how many stories can be posted at one time, which is particularly beneficial for the businesses who want to increase brand awareness, by creating personality through their Instagram posts. The best-suggested way to do this (and why the number of stories available matter) is by sharing personal experiences after using the brands proposing products.
These will act as a great way to promote products, but on a level, that is realistic, and therefore more trustworthy. Having real people speak through their experiences through the use of Instagram stories will ensure that it is seen and read by a huge amount of followers, that will hopefully be persuaded to take action, and turn themselves into customers too.
Not only this but promoting through storytelling is a unique and creative way to kickstart sales, without forcing it into people’s feeds. It will come across far more like a conversation rather than a sales pitch, and this is a style people are more inclined to enjoy.
Sponsored Instagram Stories
Another way Instagram stories can be used to increase business awareness is through the use of sponsored ones. This is a very promising investment aside from using hashtags, geotags and content, due to their compatibility on the Instagram feed.
The way in which they work is by instantly appearing between stories, on the accounts that would be suggested as the chosen target audience. For example, if it is a women’s clothing brand, the post will likely situate itself on as many female accounts as possible. It’s almost like a direct form of advertising, that doesn’t ask anything of the users and only a small task and payment from the business to create these story ads.
The content that will pop up is created in the form of a poster like an image, or in some cases a moving advert, but each work in a way to increase brand awareness on the accounts that may have no idea of the brand, but will take a liking to it.
Summary
Instagram is quickly becoming much more than a social media platform for flaunting holidays, sharing memories, or posting pictures of pets. Businesses globally are using its extensive account sizes and usability, to promote products and services of every kind; and, it is working.
Using Instagram to build brand awareness is a great idea for businesses both big and small, and doing it through the use of stories is even better. Being able to create personable, visible and in some cases, entertaining forms of promotion will allow a business to begin building their audience base rather quickly.
By focusing on getting the Instagram users engaged in conversation through polls and personal stories, a brand can be sure that their audience members will increase. This is through using a trustworthy form of advertising products, that is not overpowering or money-grabbing and lets the potential customers make their own decisions, whether they will take part or not. Instagram is a must for businesses who are looking to expand their content marketing strategy.
