Stories are massively popular on Instagram, and more and more brands are now getting in on the action. Currently, over 1.7 billion Instagram users post stories each day, and 15-25% use that swipe up feature when they see something they like.
Brands targeting millennials and Generation Z can’t afford to miss out on the reach that Instagram stories provide. These simple snaps and short video clips are now an essential part of any good social strategy, and the results they bring are mind blowing.
Get ahead of the competition by planning your instagram story content in advance, and you’ll soon be the account that users can’t resist tapping on when they see a new story pop up. Here are a few simple tips to help you plan your story content.
Create a Social Calendar
Organisation is key in social strategy. There should be a degree of spontaneity with Instagram stories, but having plenty of pre planned content really helps to take a weight off your shoulders whenever you’re struggling to think of something to say. Create a detailed social calendar and fill it with ideas on story content for the year. Mark special events and occasions that might be relevant to your customers, from seasonal holidays to unmissable fashion shows, and think about topical story ideas that would appeal to your followers.
Try Story Templates
A series of story templates that adhere to your existing brand identity will give your instagram stories a polished, professional look. There are plenty of free templates available, but if you’re looking for something unique you could enlist the help of a graphic designer. Once your templates are ready, you can use them to create inspiring content that’s immediately recognisable for your customers. For inspiration, look at brands using templates in their stories already. Good examples include The White Company, JoJo Maman Bebe and ASOS.
Testing Testing 1, 2, 3…
Sometimes brands spend huge amounts of time creating interesting stories, only to be disappointed at how those stories appear when users actually view them. To avoid any unfortunate cropping mistakes, create a test account that only you can see. You can then post stories on this account in the order you’d like them to appear in, to double check the flow and appearance of your content before making it live for all your real followers to see.
Schedule Stories
Whilst instagram stories are an important aspect of any marketing strategy, they’re unlikely to be anyone’s sole responsibility. So, it makes sense to schedule any content that isn’t time-sensitive or spontaneous. By scheduling stories, you’ll ensure that your account has fresh, exciting content going live all the time. There are several online tools available which help brands to schedule instagram content. Try tools like Later, which enables you to plan stories, schedule content, resize images and much more.
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Instagram stories enable brands to unleash their creativity, and speak to customers in a personable, effective way that really helps to build loyalty and create real brand advocates. If you’re not yet using stories to promote your brand, you definitely should be. Plan content in advance and create detailed social strategy campaigns in order to ensure that you get the best results from your storytelling efforts. Before long you’ll be an Instagram story pro.
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