Instagram Stories are a great way to interact with your audience in a quick and easy way, without having to sacrifice the quality of your material. You can use it to post raw, in-the-moment photographs and videos, but that may grow old really fast. You’ll need some forethought and imagination if you want to keep your Instagram followers interested in your Stories.
Keeping the material itself entertaining, new, and engaging is just as important as making visually appealing Instagram Stories.
The Best 9 Instagram Story Concepts
Stickers are a great way to advertise a sale
Instagram Stories are a terrific location for firms and entrepreneurs to announce a sale or discount. You could be doing this already, but adding a quirky sticker would really make the deal stand out. Discounts are highlighted with animated stickers that stand out.
The official Ghibli Premium Store account is often tweeting about the latest deals with cute stickers.
Include a timer sticker that specifies how much longer your sale will last. Add a sense of urgency to your Story and encourage readers to take advantage of the deal quickly.
Make new team members feel welcome
Because of the unscripted nature of Instagram Stories, you may get to know people on a deeper level. To do so requires highlighting the individuals who make up the company (or the social media team). Businesses aren’t the only ones that can benefit from this; freelancers and entrepreneurs may as well.
Introduce new team members or share an employee success story using an Instagram Story. Start a “day in the life of” series where different employees take over the company’s social media for a day. This facilitates a more personal connection between your brand and its target market.
Develop Feature Articles Around Specific Topics
You may get closer to your audience by telling stories about things that are important to them. Black History Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Pride Month, and so on are just a few examples of the kind of monthly observances that can be highlighted on Instagram Stories.
Apartment Therapy utilised Instagram Stories to feature local, black-owned businesses during the month of February in honour of Black History Month.
Highlight your clientele
The purpose of Instagram Stories is to facilitate communication with followers. What better approach to get to know someone than to highlight them? Use Stories to broadcast the glowing testimonials of your satisfied clients. Include testimonials from satisfied customers and before-and-after images in your Stories. This form of user-generated material not only makes current customers feel valued, but it also serves as further social proof to convince sceptical potential consumers to make a purchase.
For instance, Drunk Elephant has been using Stories to publish customer-submitted pictures of its wares.
Spice Up Your Polls
Polls, in which users choose between two possible answers, are a fun way to interact with your audience. Use polls in inventive ways to learn more about your target demographic.
If you’re at a loss for what to post but know your audience will enjoy it, have them vote on several options. Take a cue from polling companies and find out what your audience wants from you. Another option is to have them vote on whether or not they enjoy a certain form of experimental material.
Countdown to a Momentous Occasion
Use the countdown sticker to generate excitement for your upcoming product launch, Instagram Live broadcast, or sale. Your followers may set a reminder by clicking the timer, and they’ll be alerted as soon as the event begins. If you want your audience to be more engaged in your event, this is the way to do it.
For instance, Fenty Beauty publicised a countdown clock in anticipation of the release of their new Fenty Icon lipstick collection.
Showcase Stories and Posts that Mention You
Your credibility and social proof will increase when another account recommends you. This will demonstrate to your followers that you are well-known and appreciated by others. Some individuals may be persuaded to trust you more if they see that others endorse you. You should consider adding it to your Story if a client, influencer, or other company mentions you.
Stories in which influential users thanked Onitsuka Tiger for Lunar New Year presents were shared on the brand’s Facebook.
Depict the Manufacturing Process
To be honest is admired by many. Instagram Stories are a great opportunity to show your audience the inner workings of your business and earn their trust. If you’re a content producer, you may also share the steps you take to make your content, such as where you find inspiration, how you capture images, and what kind of editing you do.
The popular artist @titsayy documented her creative process and the materials she utilised on Instagram Stories. Whether you’re a company or a content producer, this is a fantastic method for recruiting supporters to accompany you on your path.
Make Engaging Visuals with Helpful Advice
Making useful Instagram stories is essential if you want to keep people interested in what you have to say. This entails giving them something they can use in their personal or professional life. If you want to add some flair to these suggestions, publish them with visuals that are both unique and entertaining while also fitting in with the overall aesthetic of your company.
Pattern firms, for instance, offered helpful advice for direct-to-consumer firms in the form of innovative infographics. The advice is concise while still providing a wealth of useful information for the target audience.