Social media has changed the way we communicate with each other. With options such as ‘liking’ and ‘reacting’ to posts on different platforms, there is barely a need for individuals to state in words how they feel about posts they see.
Even when it does come to commenting, one trend that has been observed is people using emoticons to express their emotions. These little pictorial representations truly seem to have taken the place of lengthy text.
Of course, this is only one side of communication. Depending on the topic of conversation, you may find yourself furiously writing out a comment, especially if it is a point of disagreement.
These may be areas where a simple emoji may not do justice to what you are trying to communicate. What we are seeing then is an expansion and change in the way we express our thoughts and opinions to those in our social circles.
This is supplemented by the constant evolution of social media platforms themselves. Taking Instagram, for example, the introduction of face filters and stories really changed the game for users.
The Instagram Story:
Launched in 2016, Instagram stories have transformed the way individuals on the platform share their content. From your favorite celebrities to your closest friends, stories are a peek into their lives.
Since they are in real-time, stories also have the perk of giving your followers a glimpse into what is happening in the present moment.
An additional feature, and one that has been present since the beginning, is that stories disappear after 24 hours. This allows people to share more “real” content because of the small-time period for which it is visible.
Let us try to explain this with a slightly personal example. If you wanted to share a funny moment, perhaps someone pranking you, you would not want to share it as a post that is up there for eternity.
On the other hand, you may be okay with posting the clip as your story, where it disappears from your profile completely after 24 hours. By doing this, you have given your audience an authentic view into your life, that they wouldn’t have otherwise.
It is not just for individuals like you and me that this insight holds importance. Brands and companies have realized the benefits of advertising on Instagram and other social media platforms.
Promoted posts on social media platforms are one way to advertise a brand’s offerings. These promoted posts or sponsored posts as they are otherwise known are posted by targeting a specific audience by looking at specific parameters.
Demographically, these parameters include age, sex, and place of living. Other parameters that you can choose from include interests and behaviors. For example, you could target females between the ages of 15-25 living in New York who are interested in travel and have medium spending behavior.
Every brand’s social media campaign differs based on the goals that are set by the company. While one may want to increase brand recall and awareness in the minds of customers, another may want to increase sales.
In addition to posts that promote your brand’s products and services, Instagram stories can also be leveraged for this same purpose.
Leveraging Instagram Stories For Business:
Stories can be used by brands and businesses to fulfill a number of goals. The primary and most common way is to make existing and potential customers aware of a specific message or the launch of a new product.
This can be done by uploading short snippets of text or clear images that explain what the viewer is seeing. If you are someone who owns a business and is using Instagram for advertising, you do not want to leave your audience second-guessing what you are saying.
Another goal that could be accomplished through the story format is audience engagement. Here, using Instagram stories’ other features such as question stickers and polls can be handy.
For example, you could show your followers two images of a particular product in different colors and ask them to vote for which they prefer. In this manner, you could gain an insight into the thinking of your customers and use this information to modify your product or add to it.
It is important for you to use these stories to give your consumers a personal look at the brand, and maybe even who is behind it. This way, you give them the opportunity to form a more concrete connection, which in turn could lead to them wanting to interact with you more.
One way to do this is through images. You can use photos from everyday life at the organization, or put up announcements using photos of your team members in this way. With a photo, you can also add gifs and music to make it more eye-catching and unique.
Another way to go about this is through the video format. A short clip of the founder of your brand speaking or a behind-the-scenes shot of an upcoming event could excite the audience and make them more invested in your work.
Make sure that your video is personalized and offers a perspective that they would otherwise not be able to get. By doing this, you are making maximum use of the offerings Instagram stories have to offer.
Advertising on social media is a great way to boost your business if you leverage your platform correctly. In recent times, it has been found that Instagram showcases content based on how many users interact with it.
This means that for your content to be seen more, your followers should be interacting with it regularly. The only way this will happen is if you keep them interested and curious about what is happening with your business and what is coming next!
In Conclusion:
You can create your videos yourself at home with ease if you are a small business. Make sure to keep in mind the Instagram story template size which is vertically aligned, and different from the usual square post size.
Although we have discussed how stories can be leveraged for businesses, you can also apply what has been discussed here to your personal account if you are looking to increase your follower base!
