Image edited in Canva credits: bitLanders Society via Facebook
Video credits: Long Doggers via YouTube
Today's generation has an addiction to electronics, digital stories, and even social media. There are hundreds if not thousands of social media platforms all over the web. You'll find them anywhere, on the web, in the mobile phones, in tablets and desktop applications. They send notifications, they allow connections and more.
It is evident that wherever we may be, socializing is a part of life. No man is an island as the cliche quote says and thus, that became the social media craze everyone who is on the internet is a part of. You and I, and all of those who are bending down into their phones, eyes wide opened and turned into that light-emitting screen.
Image edited in Canva credits: bitLanders Society via Facebook
Aside from the birth of these social media sites and platforms, comes the evolution of them all. Facebook was not that same when we started using it a decade ago. It had evolved into its different forms from timelines to friends suggestions and a lot more. Included on that is the birth of stories. Instagram and Facebook have it. Today's blog will all be about the beauty of these Social Media stories. Let's delve into what this is about and how to start using it.
Presenting Instagram and Facebook Stories!
Image credits: crowdfireapp
Except if you are in China, you must have known these two social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. Instagram being owned now by Facebook has been rolling out some features which are also available in the latter's application, this includes Stories.
According to bufferapp.com:
Stories are short user-generated photo and video collections that can be viewed up to two times and disappear after 24 hours.
Video credits: Allison Schaper via YouTube
And while a lot of negative commentary about how they are able to make use of posting short media collections only for them to disappear after a day isn't very encouraging, there are still a lot of users all over the world who are into it. Most of them are those influencers and even the commoners.
More importantly, there's always a negative and a positive side of the coin. Just be sure to commit into the positive one.
Where to Find Stories?
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On your mobile devices, these stories appear at the top of the application. They are in circular forms and will be updated every time a new story is posted. There's no limit to adding stories though which is cool but having too many bars that play around for some time may become a little boring unless you post really quality and interesting content.
Stories can be viewed twice as a maximum per user and will then disappear after a day. There are other inclusions now when posting stories such as adding filters just like how the original maker Snapchat did it as well as adding links and surveys or questions where the viewers can participate.
Image credits: engadget
From being a text-based era, this current generation had become media-based and texts are used now to only support the media that is being presented like adding a little title or description to point viewers on what to do next.
How to Create Stories?
It is very easy to post one. If you are a long time Facebook or Instagram user, this comes very familiarly to you and you might also have been posting constantly.
Image credits: digitaltrends
For the benefit of those who had never tried it, here's how!
On either the Facebook's mobile application, swipe right to launch the built-in camera that has the options available such as filters as well which is far more options compared to Instagram, certain films had partnered with Facebook too to incorporate their movie into social media.
Image credits: imore
While on Instagram, tap the camera icon on the top left-hand side of the application. This includes the availability of posting simple texts, live, the normal video or photo, a boomerang which is also a cool feature, superzoom which is fun, focus, rewind which plays videos in reverse and finally hands-free. But also, one can add filters which sometimes are a little scary and fun at the same time.
How Stories Help Promote Business?
More than just for personal advantage, businesses are also getting into Instagram Stories. With the significantly hike in terms of usage and embraces for Stories, more and more businesses had delve into the said function, making their brands more known to the new generation and influence the other ones to also be involved into this new marketing strategy.
Why is Instagram Stories crucial in increasing market audience? There are certain reasons and I would like to talk about just three.
1. Take Advantage of the 24 Hours Duration
Image credits: blog.desygner
Because posts can only last for a day, posted videos or photo contents can be informal. While most marketing videos are very well thought of because these can be shared, can be viewed several times and can even be archived for the future, with Stories, it can't be except if you keep a copy of it in your archive section.
Going back to our first point, the 24-hour duration may be a short time, it can also be used to stimulate the audience, make experiments and take advantage of what your audience is looking into.
Businesses can post behind the scenes of a product made, the simple functionalities that are okay to be shared can be posted in a little preview. These small clips and photos will give a business brand a hint on what your audiences are really looking into your business.
2. Communicate With Your Audience
Image credits: androidcentral
Consumers, that's you and I are humans that want to be handled by business in a more personal way. There are several businesses out there that had somehow lost their customers because they just don't feel that they are being heard of.
With Stories, a brand can surely post little talks, some updates, hello's and certain greetings to their customers. Perhaps if there updates, adding links on Stories will provide more information to the consumers.
Activity and constant updates will ensure the audience that your business is always eager to provide the latest happenings about the product.
The Instagram Business Analytics will surely be helpful!
3. A Venture to Increase Viewers and Following
Image credits: mobilemarketingmagazine
With Instagram's new Stories feed algorithm, that is how the stories are being shown in a certain user's feed or when they are searching for tags or locations or even just keywords, even those who are not following your business on the said platform can actually view your postings.
All mix of fun promotional contents on your business stories will be a huge boost to your business model. In fact, all options to really promote your business should be used most especially that in this generation, people are now turning away from the old television, magazine type of promoting brands to the online and digital avenue.
Businesses must also keep up and get themselves involved in this era.
That's it! Had you tried using the Instagram or Facebook Stories? Let me know your personal experience!
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Thanks for reading!
About the author:
Jean Beltran-Figues is a photography enthusiast.
A traveler who wants to promote her beloved country, the Philippines.
