Stories: How to Use This Tool in Marketing
In 2013, Snapchat introduced a new format for publishing content — stories. It was uncertain at the time if this innovation would become popular. However, ten years later, stories remain one of the top marketing tools. Users of Instagram* have appreciated this "quick" content format. Stories were introduced to Instagram* in 2016 and remain relevant to this day.
In this article, we will explain what stories are, their types, how they work, and why businesses need them.
Stories: what they are and why they're needed
There are also dedicated apps for creating stories with extended features, offering a variety of fonts, templates, and other tools. The idea behind stories is to create easy and native content, where perfection isn't mandatory. Aesthetic pictures and videos are more suited for posts that don't disappear from the feed — this is an unspoken rule of social media.
Stories can be found on Instagram*, VK, and other mobile apps, messengers, and even websites. The themes and formats of stories are similar to other publications: from direct advertising, case studies, and tips to polls and reposts of posts and videos.
Advantages of online stories for business
Social media stories feature tagging tools that users love to use for brands. For instance, when they visit a restaurant and then share about it on their page. Encouraging the audience to create such stories and then reposting their stories increases brand awareness and provides free user-generated content.
Types of stories
Based on goals, there are several types of stories, which align with the types of other social media posts:
- Informative and educational — communicate brand news, new products, changes, and product features.
- Selling — lead to conversion: the purchase of a product or service.
- Engaging — motivate the user to interact with the brand's content.
- Entertaining — lift the audience's mood, convey company values through humor, and tell about the product.
Based on formats, the following types of stories are distinguished:
Rules for creating effective stories
Stories are more native content compared to other posts, and creating them doesn't take much time. However, to make the format effective, you should follow these rules:
- Create a unified style for your stories that will be associated with your brand: think about colors, fonts, and the style of images. Avoid turning your storytelling into a "mess."
- Keep your stories simple and clear. Don’t overload them with text and philosophical themes that require thoughtful study of the content.
- Don’t stretch a single thought across too many stories. Users will get bored and might not finish watching.
- Add variety. Use different formats, not just one: images, videos, polls, etc.
- Check the story for spelling errors, design correctness, and afterwards, for the functionality of links and other tools before publishing.
- Motivate users to interact or take a specific action, rather than waiting for them to take the initiative themselves.
- Create interesting plots so that the audience watches your stories to the end. Use storytelling tools that engage viewers in the narrative.
How to promote your products and services through stories
Bloggers particularly excel in selling through stories, using various scenarios for product presentations and calls to action. Brands also adapt their techniques and collaborate with influencers for integrations. There are no strict boundaries here; methods depend on the authors' creativity. However, some popular promotion types exist.
Stories on different platforms
Instagram*
The concept of "stories" became popular thanks to this social network (although it was originally created by Snapchat). Instagram offers a wide range of features in its editor. You can use various fonts, draw, create polls, set timers, ask questions, participate in challenges, add animated stickers, include music, mention other users, use hashtags, and add links to other resources. You can choose to publish your stories for everyone or for a specific list of followers.
VK
VK stories offer background templates, stickers, GIFs, a text editor, drawing tools, and the option to set the availability time for stories: one hour, 12, 24, or 48 hours. Music can be added from the catalog, and there are mentions, polls, and themed hashtags.
Telegram
Stories on Telegram appeared relatively recently and are available to users and channels (but only if they receive enough boosts) from Telegram Premium subscribers. They can be posted for a duration of six to 48 hours. The built-in editor includes features for adding text, filters, stickers, reactions, drawing, and privacy settings.
WhatsApp*
Stories on WhatsApp are called "Status" and disappear after 24 hours. Users can post photos, videos, GIFs, add text, and even voice messages. Reactions to stories are available, as well as the ability to choose the audience who can see them.
Stories on apps and websites
Brands actively use the stories format not only on third-party platforms but also on their own. This way, they announce promotions, talk about products, and deliver useful information to users.
Also, stories here come personalized.
Interactive stories work in the apps. For example, polls are conducted or you are offered to add a product to your cart at once.
In another example, a customer is asked to evaluate his most recent purchase.
Stories on websites serve the same function as they do on other platforms.
Summary
Stories are a vertical content format that disappears after a few hours or days. Stories in the form of images, videos, and text are supplemented with stickers, animations, links, interactive elements, and other features in platform editors. The functionality across different platforms is similar.
Stories are used in marketing to communicate with customers, increase engagement, enhance brand recognition, and even for personalization. They inform, entertain, sell, and motivate users to interact with the brand. Storytelling, direct and native advertising, and warm-ups work well here.
Today, stories are supported by Instagram* (owned by Meta, banned in Russia), VK, Telegram, and WhatsApp* messengers. Companies also add stories to their websites and apps.
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