Instagram stories and Reels: Steps to success
Since its inception in 2010, Instagram has been a useful tool for businesses.Due to its visual nature, the platform helps to market products and services and boost brand content.
Throughout its existence, instagram has added many new features to expand their platform and keep up with its competitors - the most notable of which being stories and reels. Luckily for us, if used in the right way, these features can be useful tools in marketing. By the end of this article you will hopefully know what each is, and which one to choose when producing your content.
To begin with, it's important to know exactly what each does
Stories are short (15 seconds max) clips posted by users that can be viewed via their profiles, or in the story feed at the top of the home page. These clips can be posted either standing alone or sequentially, but each will disappear after 24 hours unless the user makes them a highlight, in which case they will remain pinned on the user’s profile until they are removed.
Much like Tik Toks, reels are videos of up to 60 seconds featuring music, visual effects, on-screen text and more. Like traditional posts, users can interact with reels by leaving likes and comments. Reels can be found either in the home feed, or in the “reels” tab in the bottom navigation bar.
Now that we’ve differentiated the two, let's take a look at some tips for using each.
Tips for using Stories:
Keep it real - Instagram stories are typically used in a casual setting to engage with people and accounts who are already familiar with your content. Because of this, it's a good idea to keep your stories unscripted, informal, and even spontaneous at times.
Inspire engagement - Take advantage of various features within stories. Built in interactive elements like polls, questions, sliders, and stickers help to stimulate engagement with your followers.
Time sensitivity - Due to the fact that they are temporary, stories can be used in situations where time is a factor - for instance when announcing new products, countdowns, or one off events, stories are the best option. Such posts would quickly become outdated on a profile if they were shared via reels or traditional posts.
Use Highlights - as previously mentioned, story highlights can be pinned to your profile even after their 24-hour lifespan. They are a great way to immortalize content which you feel best represents your brand. It's a good idea to separate these stories into categories in order to help users better navigate your profile and view your content. As an example, an account for a sports team may have highlights that include: “game day results”, “wallpapers”, “tickets” or “events” to name a few.
Take a look at these accounts for inspiration on how to use stories correctly:
Tips for using reels:
Outreach - On most occasions Reels are used to reach followers who aren't familiar with your brand. They help to grow your business and attract new followers - It is important to keep this in mind when using this feature.
Entertainment is Key - because Reels are relatively short and users scroll through them quickly, it is important that they are engaging. Some good ways to stand out include keeping your content informal, telling stories that relate to your business, and sharing info that your target market might find useful. These practices go a long way in increasing brand loyalty.
Pay attention to trends - Although it is important to stand out in this social environment, it's also beneficial to help establish a sense of familiarity and connect with your audience. The use of popular sounds and visuals help users think of your content more as casual engagement as opposed to an advertisement or forced form of connection.
Use Analytics - Understanding who your audience is and what they value is a key factor when it comes to marketing on any social media platform. For professional accounts, Instagram has built in analytics to help keep track of the performance of your reels. Some of these metrics include: accounts reached, plays, comments, saves and shares. Using these statistics that are at your fingertips can help you figure out what works, what doesn't and how to produce content that best resonates with your audience.
Take a look at these accounts for inspiration on how to use stories correctly:
Instagram is a powerful marketing tool that, if used correctly, can help elevate your brand. Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to being a successful Instagram marketer.