If you’re an Instagram user, then you’re likely already aware of the potential to make money on Instagram. You may not know, however, that you can actually earn money through your Instagram Story. If you’re looking to monetize your social media following and make a dollar or two on the side, here are some tips on how to make money from your Instagram Story.
1. Understanding Instagram & Story Ads
How do Instagram & Story Ads work?
Ads on Instagram and Instagram Stories are photos and videos, that can feature up to three image or video cards connected with a single message. Ads will appear mixed in with organic content between posts, in ‘Stories’ and, in some cases, in the Explore section or on profile feeds. Companies can target users who best fit their desired audience and even retarget people who have already visited their company website.
Ad Platforms
The best platform and strategy to use when promoting ads depends on the product or service which is being advertised. Instagram and Instagram Stories often have different audiences and different types of content which play a large role in determining the development and execution of an effective ad campaign.
Instagram is great for brand awareness, driving traffic and app downloads. Instagram Stories are currently the best platform for promoting special events, offers, product launches and exclusive content.
Creating Ads
Creating effective Instagram and Story Ads requires a thorough understanding of the different ad formats, objectives, campaigns and audience segmentation options. It requires a good image, one which will stand out from the organic content, as well as good copywriting skills. The goal is to craft powerful visual and written stories that attract the viewer’s attention and encourage them to take the next step.
To create effective ads, companies have to think beyond the creative and consider their message, objectives, audience, ad formats and budget. Companies with limited ad budgets should start with simple strategies and optimization techniques before advancing to more complex campaigns.
2. Tailoring Your Instagram Story Ads Campaign
Creating Your Ad
When creating an Instagram Story ad, you will need to consider the following factors:
- Who you want to target
- What type of creative you want to use
- Which CTA you want to feature
- Any messaging you want to include
Be sure to create an ad that is relevant to your target audience, eye-catching, and clearly conveys the message you are trying to communicate. Make sure to include a CTA button to encourage your viewers to take action such as clicking through to a website or signing up for a service.
Testing Your Ads
Once you have created your ad, it is important to test it to ensure it looks good, performs well, and gets the desired results. You can test your ad on a variety of platforms, such as via Shareable Ads or with A/B testing. This will help you identify what is working and what needs to be improved so that your ad will be as successful as possible.
Optimizing Your Ads
Once your ad has been tested, you should optimize it to get the best results. This include tweaking your targeting, creating different versions of the ad, and testing different headlines. You can also try different ad formats, such as carousels or videos, to maximize your reach and engagement.
3. Creating Eye-Catching Ads in Your Story
If you’re looking to grab attention and drive interaction with your story posts, creating eye-catching ads is the way to go. Here’s what you should keep in mind when crafting your ads:
Layout
Instead of your standard landscape messages, try making your ad more visually appealing with picture-and-text combinations. Here are some great layout ideas:
- Square and rectangular shapes
- Vibrant and contrasting colors
- Optimized text placement
Call-To-Action
Your ad should feature a clear call-to-action (CTA) that captures the user’s attention. Choose one of the following popular CTAs:
- Sign Up Now
- Learn More
- Get Started
Imagery
High quality and unique visuals will help your ad stand out from the crowd. Where possible, use images that relate to the CTA and include any relevant branding. Make sure to include clear captions as this will draw attention to the advertisement.
4. Applying Best Practices for Monetizing Your Instagram Story Ads
When it comes to monetizing your Instagram story ads, there are certain best practices that you need to keep in mind. By following these best practices, you can maximize the return on your ad investments and get the best results.
Timeline: plan your timelines carefully so that your ad has enough time to be effective. Try to reach a peak early then reduce the frequency as the ad progresses in order to capitalize on the initial reactions to your ad.
- Post the content over a period of time
- Post at the same time everyday
- Use scheduling tools to maximize engagement
Creative: make sure that your ads have a clear call to action and are easy-to-understand. Your creative should be optimized for the platform and draw in viewers with compelling visuals.
- Choose creative that captures attention instantly
- Include visuals that are recognizable
- Put the most important information first
Engagement: encouraging viewers to take action on your ad will increase its chances of success. Think about how you can incentivize viewers to take action such as offering discounts, sweepstakes or giveaways.
- Encourage user interaction with your ad
- Promote special offers to incent viewers to engage
- Reward viewers for liking, commenting, or sharing your ad
5. Measuring Performance of Your Instagram Story Ads
Analyze Your Target Audience Reach
Instagram allows users to measure how many people their story ad is reaching. This metric outlines the number of unique accounts that your story ad has been seen by, and can help you understand if your investment is delivering results. To access this metric, click on the “Insights” button located on the Ads Manager page.
Track Growth in Followers & Engagement
You can track if your story ad has successfully impacted your follower growth and overall engagement with your account. To track these metrics, you’ll need to go to your Instagram profile page. Here, you can see a graph showing your growth in followers as well as detailed information about any new comments, likes, or shares you’ve received.
Check Click-Through & Conversion Rates
The ultimate goal of any ad campaign is to increase conversions. It’s important to measure the performance of your story ad in terms of click-through and conversion rates. To measure these metrics, you can use the ‘Link Clicks’ and ‘Conversion Events’ metrics located on the Ads Manager page.
- Track growth in followers & engagement
- Analyze target audience reach
- Check click-through & conversion rates
By following the advice above, you can start to maximize how to earn money from Instagram Story. With a bit of patience and a focused strategy, you can build a successful monetization model and a strong Instagram community. So don’t be afraid to take the first step and get started now!
