Tips on creating Striking Instagram Stories
This means you have the opportunity to communicate with your Instagram audience in two distinct places on the app, and you don’t want to waste it with boring Stories and graphics.
What are IG stories?
Instagram Stories, commonly known as Insta Stories or IG Stories, is a tool that allows users to upload photographs and videos that are deleted after 24 hours.
In addition, Instagram reported that Stories have encouraged users to stay on the platform for longer and use it more frequently.
Because Instagram Stories expire after 24 hours, there is a sense of urgency that many other forms of social sharing do not have. This is a fantastic opportunity to grab people’s attention.
However, as Gary Vaynerchuk explains, “It’s not how many followers you have, it’s how many care. It’s not width, it’s depth. It’s not how many impressions you get, it’s how much attention you get.”
And it is here that Instagram Stories truly shines.
The medium is ideal for transparent, honest, and real-time material — in other words, content with power. The best thing is that it is entirely free, unlike many marketing tools in 2022.
IG Stories Tips
Use quick cuts and motions to hold interest
Stories display images for 5 seconds and videos for up to 15 seconds. But how often do you look at a still picture in Stories for more than five seconds? I’m guessing not too often. That also applies to your followers.
Facebook, Instagram’s parent company, discovered that top-performing Stories advertisements have an average scene duration of only 2.8 seconds. Use quick cuts to keep things moving in videos.
You may add motion to them for still photos by utilising stickers such as animated GIFs or the animated text sticker.
Maximize the first three seconds
The most effective Stories get their main point over in the first three seconds. That may sound quick, but think about it: it allows you plenty of time to get to the point.
Consistent, branded visuals with a clear unique selling proposition right away will give viewers a reason to keep watching your Story or, better yet, swipe up to learn more.
Matt & Nat’s ad says it all straight away: the name and brand promise are obvious, the offer is prominent, and there’s a simple call to action.
Make use of the pen
Add embellishment, symbols, or extra text to your Story with the pen. Once you’ve shot a photo or video, hit the pen symbol in the top right-hand corner of your screen to access your options.
You may then vary the width of your pen strokes or the colour with which you’re writing.
I prefer to use the highlighter pen to emphasise text — or even to draw attention to a photo or video.
Use stickers
After taking a beautiful shot or video, it’s time to add some fun stickers to it. You can get to them by hitting “Create” and then touching the smiling sticker icon in the top right-hand corner of your screen after taking a photo or video.
Following the selection of a sticker, below are several excellent practices
Use new and unique stickers every day
Instagram frequently releases new Story stickers, whether for a weekday, a holiday, or a season. Every day, check this section for fresh and timely stickers to add to your Story.
Add location, hashtag, poll, and selfies.
Increase engagement on your Instagram Story by allowing others to do the same things you are. To personalise your Story, open the stickers section and press any of the following buttons:
Create backgrounds and overlays
The drawing tool may do more than just highlight or colour content in your tale. It may also assist you in the creation of backdrops and colour overlays.
To post an announcement on your story without having to find a photo, open the pen tool, choose your backdrop colour, then tap and hold until your entire screen changes that colour.
You may also make a translucent colour overlay by repeating the technique with the highlighter tool – select a colour, then press and hold the screen.
You can also make sneak peeks by placing a background colour overtop your image and then using the eraser tool to remove some of the colour. This feature can be used to tease blog content, new products, and more.
Conclusion
We hope these tips help you post killer Instagram Stories your audience won’t be able to stop following. There are many hidden ways to take your Stories to the next level — some we may not even have covered here. Our best advice? Keep clicking around and see what you can do with the latest updates from the app.
