Are you looking to join the story-telling fun on Instagram? Have you been wondering how to start an Instagram story of your own? Never fear, for the perfect introduction to Instagram stories is here! With this guide, you’ll learn all the basics and get your feet wet in no time! So let’s get started below!
1. What Is An Instagram Story?
An Instagram Story is a feature of the photo and video-sharing platform Instagram which allows its users to create a multimedia slideshow that temporally displays photos or videos as a series of connected stories.
The images and videos you used to post separately in Instagram feed, now can be viewed in a series of connected photos or videos by the people that follow your account. If you choose to add text or pen, type or draw, you can do it easily. Stickers, filters, and augmented reality are also popular Instagram Story features.
Benefits of Instagram Story
- Engage with your followers, telling a story about your business.
- It helps to create brand awareness.
- You can improve the visibility of your profile.
- if you use the right hashtags, you can reach a wide variety of people.
- It provides a great platform to showcase your products or services.
Using Instagram Story, you can make your profile attractive, share your interests, showcase your products or services, interact with your followers, and establish your brand. So give it a try, and take advantage of this powerful social media feature!
2. Setting Up Your Instagram Story Right
Now that you know the necessity of having an Instagram Story, it’s time to start setting up your own and make sure you do it right. Here are a few pointers and tips to help you get started.
- Choose a vibrant and eye-catching template. It should be easily recognisable and should draw attention, so consider using bright colours, catchy fonts and graphics.
- Keep the design consistent throughout your story. Choosing one central theme and sticking to it will help you to easily create a cohesive story.
- Be mindful of the length of each post. Instagram Stories can only be viewed for 24 hours, so you want it to be as attention-grabbing as possible. This means being both succinct and compelling at the same time.
Include a Call-To-Action, this will motivate your followers to take action, completely changing the way your story is absorbed. Giving people specific tasks, like filling out a survey or watching a video, will get them more engaged with your content and make them more likely to share.
3. Getting Creative With Your Instagram Story
Adding some creativity to your Instagram Story will not only draw attention from your followers, but also make it more enjoyable for them to watch. Here are a few creative ideas to get you started:
- Choose an interesting backdrop for your story. Whether it’s a romantic walk in the park, a stunning landscape, or an urban skyline, pick a place that sets the mood for your story.
- Explore new and creative ways of displaying text and graphics in your story. You can add large block fonts, creative font-styles, sketches, and animations.
- Use color accents to bring more attention to your story. If a post includes text, choose a font that stands out and enhance the post with a contrasting background.
Go ahead and get creative with Instagram story to capture your audience’s attention. Social media is always evolving, so don’t limit your creativity too much. You can also check out other users’ stories to get some inspiration. Give it a shot and enjoy playing with the creative tools that Instagram provides. Your creative experimentations will have a significant impact to the engagement of your stories.
4. How to Engage and Make an Impact on Your Audience
Engaging your audience is the key to making an impact and driving your message home.
Start with Authenticity: As tempting as it is to edit and polish your words, don’t shy away from simply speaking from the heart and being yourself. The connection between you and your audience is what ensures all of your efforts land with the desired effect. Your audience can spot a forgery from a mile away, so let your genuine passion and emotions come through loud and clear.
Share Personal Stories: Establish an emotional link with your audience by sharing stories of your own experiences. Testimonials and case studies carry immense power and you’d be surprised at the emotional resonance they can evoke in the crowd. Stories make what you’re trying to communicate relatable to the people in attendance, making it that much easier to convert them into strong and engaged allies.
Diversify Your Content: Don’t be afraid to break up your presentation with dynamic elements such as videos and interactive exercises. Infuse humor and showmanship into your talks for maximum impact. Aim to educate, entertain and energize your audience at once. If you can have your audience feel something during your speech, you can be sure you have captivated them.
- Debate relevant hot topics
- Talk about current issues in your industry
- Include interactive exercises
- Add visual or audial elements
5. Tips for Creating Successful Instagram Story Content
To get the most out of Instagram Stories and delight your followers, here are 5 tips to help you create successful content.
- Be creative and stand out. Variety will keep your followers engaged and give them something new to look out for every time.
- Focus on quality. Make sure the stories you post have crisp visuals and interesting captions.
- Plan ahead. Brainstorm ideas, create templates and storyboard ahead of time.
To make your content more accessible, utilize Stories Highlights. This feature can help you showcase your best content or organize stories into collections, giving them extended life. You can also use these to draw followers to other parts of your Instagram profile.
When creating stories, think about how to create a sense of connection between them. This could mean creating stories that continue from each other or themes that wrap around your content.
Now that you’re an Instagram Stories pro, you’re ready to share your daily life, special moments, and brand with the world! With the help of this article, you have all the tools you need to make sure your stories shine! So, go forth and show the world your story!