5 Extremely Simple Ways to Use Instagram Stories Like A Pro Marketer & Strengthen Your Brand
brand direction & styling by us for Dana Jo. | photo by Comeplum
If you are on Instagram but haven’t been showing up on stories, you are probably not maximizing your marketing potential. Besides your posts, Instagram stories are another opportunity for you to show up and engage with your audience. Plus, it’s way more interactive. Through stories, you also get to deliver concise messages, increase people’s familiarity with you, and build trust on an ongoing basis - all extremely crucial in marketing, increasing conversion and making the sale.
Then there is the problem with not knowing what to post on your stories. How much is too much and too personal? And what content would actually add value to your brand?
Here are 5 effective content ideas for your Instagram stories:
#1 Update
Keep your audience updated on what’s going today and this week, and all the exciting things that are coming up soon. Build up the excitement around what you are working on for your audience. If you have a promotion, use stories to increase exposure besides just in Instagram posts.
#2 Behind The Scenes
People connect with people, not with businesses and corporations. Show up for your audience and show them who is behind the band, which may be just you if you are a solopreneur or you and your team. The more people see someone, they feel more familiar and closer to the person, and the more likely they trust that person. So, show up for your brand and your audience, and let them get to know you more!
Here’s good news for you who worry about oversharing, you are the boss and you set the boundary. You don’t need to share your personal life, your friends, or your family if you don’t want to.
#3 Testimonials
Share social proof by sharing screenshots or videos of people’s great reviews and testimonials. This isn’t limited to only formal reviews on a review page. Include screenshots of an email, social media comment, or direct message that shows all the wonderful things others are saying about your work!
#4 How-To’s
Add value first and build trust before you ask people to pay for your offer. If you are a knowledge expert, share tips that are simple and executable to boost your credibility. If you sell products, how-to’s and tips related to your products and what you do help enhance people’s experience with you.
#5 Engage With Built-in Features
Use Instagram stories’ built-in polling and questions features to interact with your audience. Get their feedback on your products or services, and include them in your creation process. This is another great way to enhance people’s brand experience with you as they can participate and be part of your brand and tribe.
I know that showing up in videos and speaking to the camera is a major fear for many people. Trust me, I know, because my fist Instagram LIVE was literally less 2 minutes with 2 viewers. Here’s a quick tip for you. Start with prerecorded videos first before you get more familiar with LIVE videos. Our favorite app to edit videos easily on our phones is Inshot.
Lastly, schedule 5 to 10 minutes a day and start making publishing stories a daily routine!
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