How To Use Instagram Stories To Boost Sales

Since its launch in August 2016, Instagram Stories have become the one of the most popular ways to share content in social media. As of November 2017, there are over 300 million users actively posting and viewing Stories each day, covering 60% of Instagram’s 500 million daily users. The appeal of Instagram Stories is its “unscripted” and “un-staged” nature: users are able to snap real-time photos and videos to share with their followers.

Instagram Stories doesn’t just appeal to normal users and social media addicts. Because of its widespread use, Stories have become a powerful marketing tool as it promotes digital storytelling. Brands, companies, and influencers are getting in on the trend of posting promotional content via Stories to reach more people and boost sales. Here are a couple of ways on how to utilize Stories to have better returns.

Create appealing Instagram Stories like a pro

First, it is important to know the ins and outs of creating Instagram Stories. Tap the circular icon with the “+” symbol on the top left of your feed. Tap the record icon to take a photo, and hold it to take a video. Instagram’s in-app features allow photos and videos to be edited with some filters, as well as with a multi-pen and brush draw tool, and a text tool. Utilize these features to suit your brand or company’s advertising style and you’ll notice a higher engagement rate with your posts. Post sneak peeks of upcoming products to give the “exclusivity” appeal to your followers, or behind-the-scenes action on events. You can also use Instagram Stories to post sales, or limited offers that they won’t get in any other social media platform.

Learn Instagram Story hacks for better ads

When designing ads meant for Instagram Stories, it is important to catch the attention of your followers quickly. Aside from Instagram’s in-app features, there are many other ways to create appealing content. You can easily do this by downloading a powerful photo-editing app that has features meant for Instagram Stories, such as the new version of Instasize. Instasize has more than 50 stunning filters that make visually appealing images, and an impressive text tool that can be useful in creating promos and call-to-action posts. The app also has a Text Styles tool that transforms simple text into typography-style design that could be useful for big announcements or when making call-to-action (CTA) posts. These features are perfect to create ads to boost sales and hype for your products or services that you offer.

Use polls to increase engagement and gain consumer insight

Instagram Stories has a poll feature and it is a helpful tool to get your consumers’ opinions so you can adjust accordingly. To determine your followers’ buying behavior, use the poll feature before launching a new product to find out if users like it or not. These results and metrics become valuable information that you can use in future marketing plans, and it also gives your consumers the feeling being “important” if you consistently ask for their opinions. In return, your followers will trust you and remain loyal to your company or brand.

Use geotags, hashtags, and external links

Geotags do more than just indicate where you are, but it also advertises your brand or company’s location, in case you have a physical store. Putting geotags on your Stories also puts your content in a collection of posts gathered from a certain place, so it adds more exposure as much as hashtags do. Speaking of hashtags, it is already known how they can boost exposures as it puts your content on related searches. Use a unique and personalized branded hashtag for your company to increase brand awareness, and research the most used related hashtags perfect for your business. For example, if you are selling cosmetics, use hashtags such as #wakeupandmakeup, #beautygram, #motd, or #liveglam on your Stories. Throw in heavily used general hashtags to increase exposure even more such as #tbt or #latergram. Links can also be included in Stories, and put your store’s “shop now” or “add to cart” links for instant returns.

Invest in sponsored Instagram Stories posts

Sponsored Instagram stories will push your ads further, as it will appear on the feeds of consumers who haven’t followed your account yet. If your Stories are sponsored, it appears to the millions of users who actively use the app, even if they haven’t followed your account yet.

Use the repetition technique

There’s a principle in advertising called the “repetition” technique, which basically means exposing the product multiple times in order to put the brand in the focus of the consumers’ minds. Repetitive advertisements usually gain positive results, as consumers tend to buy the product if they see it over and over again.  You can easily apply this technique by carefully crafting multiple Instagram Stories posted after the other, but be careful not to overdo the technique, as consumers might also get “fatigued” with seeing same posts. Apply mild or subtle difference with each post you makes, whether it is on the text, a different photo of the same product, or in the color mood you’re using.

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