When Instagram was first launched in 2010, it was merely a photo sharing app whose server used to crash very often. However, today it is an app with over 700 million users with around 400 million active users every day.
It is a highly successful social media network that is now also being used by businesses to promote what they have to offer.
There are over 15 million businesses registered on Instagram and the introduction of Instagram Stories in August 2016, has only given businesses another way to reach their audience.
While the feature might be controversial, as many say it is highly inspired by Snapchat, there is no denying that it has been successful and has already surpassed Snapchat.
Instagram Stories is all about sharing videos and photos that stay live for a period of 24 hours, giving your followers a chance to see what you’re up to.
According to CNBC reports, Instagram Stories feature gets over 250 million daily viewers. This means that a single product can be viewed by 250 million people every day. Now, imagine the sales!
If you aren’t already using Instagram Stories, it is time to start doing so. Here is how businesses can use Instagram Stories to advertise:
If you have a new offer or deal, you want more and more people to know about it. Most businesses come up with deals in order to increase sales or get rid of their inventory.
A deal or sale would be useless if it doesn’t attract enough buyers. For this purpose, businesses can use the advertising feature on Instagram Stories.
Businesses like Airbnb seem to have used this feature and with good results. Click here to see how you can also get your ads up and running. They can be in the form of photos or even videos, and the amount you pay depends on several factors.
With a great audience and the ability to target exactly who you want, the ROI can be very high.
As mentioned earlier, Instagram Stories show people what you are up to at any given time, and the stories stay live for 24 hours only. This can be a great way to evoke curiosity for an event.
For example, if you are planning on launching a product, you can start a countdown using the story feature with each day showing how many more days to go till the official launch while covering the build-up.
This will not only act as a great reminder, but also help you generate curiosity, so that more people are interested in your product when it officially launches. You do not even have to pay to enjoy the benefits here.
Instagram Stories can greatly help you increase engagement. You can have competitions and general stories that push users to engage.
A very good way is to push users to submit their own content. This will not only make users take part, but will also provide you with good content to share later. You may also use other tactics to generate engagement via stories.
You can post reviews and testimonials from your clients to let others know what your clients think of your business. Since such posts cannot be shared on the official Instagram page, they can be shared via videos as they will eventually disappear.
This can be a great way to build trust and also make your customers feel special. However, make sure you have permission to share the content before you do so.
Instagram Stories allows you to tag others in your story. This can be a great way to build connections and promote other pages.
If you have links with other pages, you may ask them to tag you on their story. This way their followers would get a chance to hear about you, and you may even be able to get more followers as well.
Instagram now allows you to go live and share with your followers. The live video disappears once it ends, unless you wish to share it as a story.
Since only a percentage of your followers are able to enjoy a live video, posting it on your story can be a great way to get more audience. This way all your followers will be able to know what you’re up to and miss out on nothing.
Instagram Story feature has revolutionized the world of advertisement. If you’re looking to expand your reach and attract new customers then you should definitely try the feature. However, choose the video or image carefully. The user may not be able to see the ad again, so you need to be clear regarding your message. Stay away from clutter and be to the point.
