Instagram-Stories’ new tools and features won’t only make your story more fun; it will also help you market your brand better.
Instagram, a community of over 500 million active users, already became the home of a variety of visual storytellers including celebrities, personalities, brands, musicians, artists, photographers, etc. Last August, Instagram launched a Snapchat-like narrative photo and video story feature that disappears after 24 hours which is now popularly known as Instagram Stories.
But unlike Snapchat, Instagram Stories has a wider reach due to its scale. With 300 million people who use Instagram daily, as compared to Snapchat’s 150 million daily users, brands can reach a larger market. Nike, for example, its most popular Snapchat Story only acquired 66,000 views while its first Instagram Story generated 800,000 views within the 24-hour period.
Just a few months after its launch, Instagram Stories now boasts of new features which include:
Boomerang Mode
Boomerang is no longer a separate Instagram video app. With the updated features of Instagram Stories, the Boomerang functionality is now made available within Instagram itself. You can now swap between ‘Normal’ and ‘Boomerang’ mode in recording your IG Stories. With this new update, you can now easily create more fun and engaging videos to share online.
The Boomerang mode automatically creates a mini video that plays forward and backward. So far, this is the first Instagram-launched app that’s available right inside Instagram.
Other User Mentions
Mentioning or tagging other users aren’t only limited to the videos and photos uploaded in your Instagram feed. Instagram Stories’ new mention feature now allows its users to mention other users in their stories as well. To mention someone, just add ‘@’ symbol before their username. Then, your mentioned username will appear underlined in your Instagram story.
This new mention feature will help you connect with other Instagram users, thus, increasing your chances of discovery and engagement. With ‘mentions,’ a wider audience awaits.
‘See More’ Links
‘See More’ links can now be added within Instagram Stories. These links can be used to attribute direct traffic from your Instagram marketing efforts. You can now easily attach a ‘See More’ link in your IG story that will directly lead to your blog, website, online shop, etc. through Instagram’s in-app browser. With this feature, it’ll be easier to generate traffic to your website.
However, this feature is only applicable for verified profiles. At present, verification is limited to public brands and figures chosen by Instagram to receive the little blue checkmark.
To make your Instagram Stories more appealing to your audience, here are a few guidelines:
Shoot your videos with a phone.
Videos shot just using a phone, instead of high-production-value equipment, appear to be more authentic and relatable. More than that, your videos will look less like an advertisement. People are more drawn to videos that are real, simple, and direct to the point.
Go vertical and narrow your focus.
In creating your Instagram Stories, let go of the 16:9 or horizontal video format. When confined to a mobile screen, horizontal videos can’t be much appreciated. But with vertical videos, you can introduce your brand’s videos even to the smallest mobile screens.
Keep your copy sweet and simple.
The same in shooting videos, in writing the video copies, you must be direct. Write copies that are sweet, simple, yet catchy. Consider the 10-seconds an Instagram story can be viewed. If your copy is too long, your viewers might not be able to read your message.
Take advantage of Instagram Stories‘ new functions and features, and practice the above tips in creating effective mobile videos to market your brand even better!
