Instagram Stories – a feature on Instagram that allows users to compile pictures and videos in a slide show format that can be seen publicly for 24 hours before disappearing forever. Users can get creative with stickers, filters, boomerang video, engaging polls and much more; making it the perfect platform to promote your brand, your products and your services.
Here are 5 creative ways to start using Instagram to promote your business today!
1. Make Your Followers Feel Like Insiders
The perfect way to get your followers involved is to take them behind the scenes. Have you ever been curious about how a company manufactures a product or creates a commercial? Your followers have too! Show them snippets of your production process or the team working behind the scenes to make them feel like they are right there with you.
2. Go LIVE
Just like Facebook, Instagram also has the option to go Live! Jump in front of the camera with your CEO and have a Q/A session or film a company event as it is actually happening. The key to a successful LIVE video is to let your followers know in advance the date and time you will be on the screen so that they can be prepared to watch! This is a great way to humanize your brand and create engagement.
3. Promote New Products and Upcoming Events
Have an exciting new product coming out? Or maybe even a fun event your followers can attend? Post teasers and captivating videos to get your followers excited and ready to spread the word! The more buzz, the better!
4. Reach a Bigger Audience with Hashtags and Location tags
IG stories allows their users to get creative with stickers and filters but if you want to reach more people, you better incorporate tags! Hashtags are basically searchable words that others will use to find content that is interesting to them, while location tags will help your content show up on the feeds of users in the surrounding area. If you’re feeling really creative, you could even create a branded hashtag specific to your company!
5. Pin Story Highlights to Your Profile
This is a relatively new feature that allows you to save your stories and pin them to your profile. The stories stay pinned as “highlights” for as long as you like, and most brands use them to show important announcements, events, and products or services.
Instagram Stories is about having fun and getting creative so don’t stress! Just remember to provide value and try new things to see what works best for your business.
