Many businesses are on Instagram posting photos to their feed, but many still aren’t posting stories to maximize engagement. Instagram describes Stories as something that lets you “share all the moments of your day, not just the ones you want to keep on your profile”. The feature enables you to share multiple photos and videos, and they appear together in a slideshow format. And, of course, these photos and videos will disappear after 24 hours.
If you’re not regularly utilizing Instagram Stories for your business, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to interact directly with your customers and boost your profile’s metrics. Here are a few easy ways to get started with Instagram Stories that will get your customers engaging with you in no time.
Share Your Posts to Your Story
Did you post something to your feed but it’s not getting as many likes as you thought it would? Sharing your posts to your Story is an easy way to maximize the number of eyes on your post. Not all people visit profiles, but stories are easier to access and recent uploads show up prominently on top of your followers’ feeds. You can add fun stickers and gifs, like a “new post” sticker, over your posts to entice viewers to click and engage on your feed.
Make a Highlight Reel
Ever post a great story and wish it wouldn’t disappear after 24 hours? Make a highlight reel and your followers can access your story anytime. The best part is that it redirects to similar posts within your highlight reel. This is the perfect way to share your products, services, customer testimonials, and other great content in an organized way.
Share Your Customer’s Posts to Your Story
Who needs influencers when you have followers? When your customers tag you in their posts, share it to your story and turn your customers into loyal fans. Brands that engage with their customers maintain a better reputation online and are more likely to be trusted by new followers (and potential customers). Word of mouth is still one of the best marketing tools you can use to build your brand.
Poll Stickers
Everyone has a preference. Now instead of guessing what your customers want, you can flat out ask them. Polls are a simple way to drive engagement by asking your audience and either-or question. This not only creates interactions but it helps you learn more about who your customer is and their preferences. You can use this information to create products and experiences your customers want. Some example of popular poll questions:
- Chocolate or vanilla?
- Beer or wine?
- Window or aisle?
- Brunch or dinner?
- Massage or facial?
Question Stickers
If you would ask your customer anything, what would it be? Well, now you don’t have to wonder. You can ask them directly using Question Stickers. This is perfect for open-ended questions where the Poll Question Sticker isn’t enough. Some examples of questions you could ask are:
- Ask us anything
- Tell us your favorite cocktail
- What’s your favorite movie?
- What’s your go-to beauty product?
- Favorite local brewery
- What’s your favorite
Like with the Poll Stickers, you can use this information to customize your products and content for your followers.
Links or Link in Bio
You featured an upcoming event, now what? It’s unlikely your followers will leave Instagram to type in your URL in their browser. So how do you capture your followers while you have their attention? Offer a direct link for customers to register immediately. A clear call to action while you have your customers’ attention is so important because once they are onto the next story, it is unlikely they will follow up with yours again. If you find yourself having redirects to multiple links having to do with your profile, consider creating a free LinkTree account to help with this. LinkTree allows you to link several pages of your choosing under one URL that you can put in your IG bio. The simpler the process is for your followers, the more likely they are to buy your product or visit your site again.
Using Instagram Stories is a fun engaging way to interact with your customers directly. If you need any additional support with Instagram Stories or any social media, reach out to the CONRIC digital marketing team. Our experts are standing by to help you with all your marketing needs. Schedule a free consultation today by calling (239) 690-9840 ext 1001 or email info@conricpr.com.
