Stories have become one of the most popular and effective formats on social networks, radically changing the way people interact with and consume content. Since Snapchat introduced them and they have been rapidly adopted on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, Stories have transformed the rules of the game for companies and brands, providing new ways to interact with audiences.
In this article, we’ll explore how Stories have revolutionized the use of social media and how you can leverage them to drive your business forward.
What are “Stories” on Social Networks?
Stories are temporary publications that usually last 24 hours and are composed of photos, videos, or even text. Unlike traditional publications, these appearances are fleeting and are displayed vertically, optimized for viewing on mobile devices. They can include filters, effects, interactive stickers, polls, questions, and links, making them a dynamic and fun way to capture users’ attention.
How Stories Have Changed the Way We View Social Networks
- Fast and Temporary Consumption: Stories appeal to the need to consume content quickly and easily. The temporary nature of the publications generates urgency in users, motivating them to interact with the content before it disappears. This change has encouraged a more constant and casual consumption of content.
- Real-Time Content: Stories have allowed brands and users to share content in real-time, generating a sense of authenticity. This has transformed how companies communicate with their audience, showing live events, product launches, and important updates as they happen.
- Active Engagement and Interaction: Stories include interactive features such as polls, questions, and emoji sliders, allowing users to actively participate. This direct interaction fosters a closer relationship between brands and their followers, improving retention and loyalty.
- Greater Organic Visibility: On platforms such as Instagram, “Stories” appear at the top of the homepage, ensuring greater visibility versus traditional posts in the feed. This privileged position makes “Stories” an ideal format to capture attention quickly.
Benefits of Using “Stories” to Boost Your Business
- Brand Humanization: Stories allow brands to share more authentic content, showing the human side of the business. You can share behind-the-scenes, creative processes, or even employee testimonials, which generates a more emotional connection with your audience.
- Increased Interaction and Engagement: The interactive nature of Stories makes them a perfect channel to increase engagement. Use polls, questions, and calls to action (CTAs) to encourage your followers to participate and get valuable feedback.
- Promotions and Exclusive Offers: Take advantage of “Stories” to offer discounts or time-limited promotions. The temporality of the content generates a sense of urgency, which can motivate users to act quickly so as not to miss out on the offer.
- Product Launches and News: Stories are ideal for launching new products or services. You can create a series of posts that show every detail, from the initial teaser to the final launch, keeping your audience expectant and engaged.
- Real-Time Analytics: Platforms that offer “Stories” include analytical tools that allow you to see who has seen your posts and how they have interacted with them. This data is essential to adjust your marketing strategies and improve the effectiveness of your content.
How to Leverage Stories to Boost Your Business
- Plan your Content: Although Stories seem spontaneous, it’s important to plan the type of content you’ll share. Create an editorial calendar that balances promotional content with more casual and fun posts.
- Create Visually Engaging Stories: Use Story editing tools to create visually engaging content. Add filters, stickers, and special effects to grab users’ attention and keep them engaged.
- Incorporate Clear CTAs: Include direct calls to action in your Stories. If you have more than 10,000 followers on Instagram, take advantage of the “Swipe Up” feature to take users directly to your website or online store.
- Use Interactive Features: Take advantage of interactive features like polls, sliders, and questions to keep your audience engaged. These tools not only increase engagement but also provide valuable information about your audience’s preferences.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Collaborations with influencers are an effective way to increase your brand’s visibility through Stories. Influencers can create authentic content about your products and services, helping you reach a wider audience.
- Promote Events and Limited Time Offers: Stories are perfect for generating excitement and urgency around events and limited-time offers. Use a countdown timer or “Countdown” sticker to remind your followers about the event.
Successful Examples of the Use of Stories
- Starbucks: Starbucks uses “Stories” to create an engaging visual experience, sharing drink recipes, interactive contests, and new seasonal product promotions.
- Nike: Nike has used Stories to show behind-the-scenes previews of its advertising campaigns, athlete interviews, and product launches in real-time, keeping its audience engaged and building anticipation.
- Sephora: Sephora uses polls and interactive questions on Stories to receive feedback on its products and share makeup tutorials, creating a relationship of trust and closeness with its followers.
Conclusion
Stories have revolutionized the way people interact with social networks, giving companies a unique opportunity to connect with their audience authentically and directly. Being ephemeral, visual, and highly interactive, Stories have become a powerful tool to drive engagement, increase visibility, and strengthen customer relationships.
If you haven’t yet incorporated Stories into your digital marketing strategy, now is the perfect time to do so. With the right planning and a customer-centric approach, stories can transform your business and take it to new levels of success.
Digital Technology Consultant | Digital Project Manager | Consulting and Training | Gamification and Advergaming project design.
He has 16 years of experience in marketing, administration, and project management for the design and development of websites, custom web systems, mobile apps, advergaming, and gamification. Course facilitator and university professor, in subjects, focused on web design and development.