As story-based sharing becomes more prevalent (growing up to 15x faster) than newsfeed sharing, social media stories have surpassed social media news feed as the primary way users share content with their friends. With social media designed initially as a text-based platform for desktop use, having transitioned to mobile-only platforms allow users to capture their in-the-moment experiences instantly.
Stories last for 24 hours and are created and digested easily. Hence, they do not require high-production-value for that raw, intimate feel.
As a business owner or marketer, the ability to utilize social media stories to their full capacity has never been more important. With that said, here are some basic tips on how you start using social media stories to your advantage.
Live and unedited
Tailor-fitting content into your stories is of utmost importance to connect and give that story-friendly vibe. It’s the raw, almost unedited vibe aesthetic that most people are used to seeing on stories that’s why live-action videos perform a lot better in terms of engagement than heavily edited videos with a not-so-subtle call to action.
Make it a creative and collaborative effort
From still images to videos, to graphic designs and creative text images, social media stories work best when a collaborative effort from your creative arsenal is put together to tell a story.
Use highlights
With the highlight feature, you will make sure that your stories remain on your page even after their 24-hour lifespan.
We understand that sometimes, it may take a lot of time to create and share your stories. The highlight feature allows you to display stories as long as you want on your social media profile together with a specific cover image. It’s great for displaying high-production videos as well as for unique campaigns and promotions.
Use UTM codes to track success
By adding Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) codes to the URLs you put in stories, you can track where your followers are going and see what content they prefer. It’s beneficial for business accounts with over 10k followers that can add a Swipe Up feature and redirect their followers to a landing page or another website.
Experiment with structures
The fact that stories allow you to produce material quickly makes things easier. For example, you can run a Q&A session, host a takeover, allow your followers to take a peek behind the scenes, or create tutorials to show people how to use your product.
Test different social media story structures to find the top-performing ones that suit your brand.
Play with custom GIFs and ARs
Experiment with GIFs and augmented reality features in your storytelling. The AR experiences are available as features of the social media stories cameras on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
As for GIFs, you can use them to grab your viewers’ attention and direct it to a Swipe Up or a call-to-action (CTA). Add a GIF or two to enhance your images and videos.
It’s high time you start using social media stories
Social media stories can be utilized to authentically reveal glimpses into your company culture, highlight relevant things in your day, and diversify promotion by using a different brand voice than the one used in usual branding.
Marketers that haven’t jumped on this trend need to create a plan to gain an edge over their competitors. It just takes minimal creative skills and equipment!
Get started with stories today. We look forward to hearing about your successes here at Motion Cabin. For the latest facts and information in the world of digital marketing, check out our social media pages for updates!
