When Instagram first launched Instagram Stories, a lot of marketers immediately stated it was a rip-off of the popular Snapchat feature. Instagram Stories launched August 2 and while a lot of marketers weren’t behind it at first, they are now. Instagram already holds a special place in the social media world (and my heart, if I’m being honest).

The launch of Stories has given the app a whole new usability that it was clearly lacking before. Stories provide Instagram users a place to share posts at a higher frequency while still maintaining their perfect feeds with composed shots.

In a world where everyone wants to have a beautiful, picture-esk feed, with an Instagram grid that is color coordinated, stories are the perfect way to remain authentic both as an individual and as a small business owner. Instagram is positioning the new feature as a solution to over posting.

 

How to use Instagram Stories:

This seems awfully similar to Snapchat…

Okay,  yes – Instagram Stories is definitely a competitor to Snapchat. The similarities are pretty obvious so I won’t list them. Snapchat does have unique features that are lacking in Instagram Stories. For example, Snapchat has the facial recognition lenses that are addicting. Snapchat also offers notifications when someone takes a screenshot of your snap.

Instagram Stories has one huge advantage over Snapchat which makes this a real contender: Instagram is part of Facebook which means right out of the gate, they are already up in the race. Instagram has a captive audience and many users have a well-established following.

To the important stuff:

How to use Stories for your personal brand or small business:

Since Instagram has been around for a while, you probably have an established audience. If you do, jump on Stories like yesterday. If not, it’s no big deal! The combination of posting more frequently on Instagram and integrating Stories into your routine will help you build your following and influence in no time. Instagram offers hashtags, geotags, and the Discover section all of which increase your chances to be found. Snapchat content can disappear without a trace unless someone knows exactly what (and who) to look for. Here are some basic tips to excel on Stories:

• Post what you are doing today: I post what tasks I am working on for the day. Since I am a marketer, everything relates back to marketing. For example, Monday I posted a video of my completed content calendar celebrating that I finished it. Wednesday, I posted a picture of my brain-dump while I was brainstorming something for one of my Social Media Management clients. Both of these got a lot of great engagement! On Monday, one of my followers reached out commenting on how I was using Hootsuite and asked a question about the platform. On Wednesday, I had someone message me back with an idea that related to the topic. This also applies if you have a product or a store. You can post how you are arranging your displays or the process of taking pictures for your online store.
• Behind the scenes: This goes hand in hand with what you are doing today. Post how you are working on a project or your methodology behind a specific decision. If you are a small business owner, post about the changes you are making to your website or to a client project.
• Share advice: Have a special tip? Share it on your Story! Learn something new? Share it on your Story!
• Share experiences: Over 80% of respondents from a consumer study, done by Edelman, admitted to wanting shared brand experiences. If you are a beauty blogger, share your experience with a new product. If you’re a business coach who just discovered a new tool that will help your audience and clients share it in Stories!
• NEW FEATURE – Story Highlights: That’s right! Instagram recently let you SAVE your favorite stories on your profile. This is a great way to build an authentic relationship with clients and followers without destroying your grid that you’ve worked so hard to create and maintain! I’m so excited about this feature, I’ve created some ideas to help you use it:
  • Do an introduction in Instagram Stories and save it to your Story Highlights. You can see mine here.
  • Feature a new product or service and how you developed it
  • Talk up your latest promotion or sale
  • Highlight your travel adventures

Snapchat has its place but I gotta say, move over! Instagram is crushing Snapchat in users! I still use both Instagram and Snapchat but I have found I get much more engagement on Instagram than I do with Snapchat making Instagram Stories my go-to.

Instagram has become a powerhouse for your personal brand and your small business strategies.

Are you on Instagram? Let’s connect!