Launched in 2016, Instagram Stories are posts that are either short clips or photos, which disappear from public view after 24 hours. They are usually used to give a person’s followers a sneak peek into his or her life but over the years, it has evolved into a tool for businesses to boost their follower engagement and enhance their reach.

Because Stories are the first thing a user sees on his Instagram feed rather than the actual posts themselves, there’s a high possibility for your Stories to have higher engagement compared to a post on your feed.

If you want to learn how to utilise Stories and maximise its benefits for your brand, here are the things that you should take into account.

Post at your audience’s most active time.

While this is unique for every business, it is essential for you to know at which hours your target market frequents the platform. Are your customers active on Instagram at lunchtime, in the evening, or at specific times across the day?

You can take a look at the social insights for your Stories to get an idea when people view your posts and start your publishing strategy from there.

Take advantage of location tags and hashtags.

Aside from using stickers to animate your post, you should also consider adding location tags and hashtags in your Stories.

If you want to show up in a particular city or region’s searches within the platform, ensure that you include a location sticker in your Story. You can also widen your reach and ensure the discovery of your brand by using a series of hashtags. If you find these stickers annoying, you can always hide them behind your main video or photo or even camouflage them to match your branding.

Share Stories consistently.

Be noisy.

This you can do by sharing your Stories daily, between one to seven times in a span of 24 hours. By posting valuable Stories regularly, you can ensure that your customers stay engaged with your brand. Just make sure that they see an update before the last Story disappears.

Stay on-brand, but don’t forget to have fun.

Keep in mind that your social media posts are intended to grow your following and to have more people trust your brand. While there’s nothing wrong with getting the word about your products and services out there, you might be missing out on what matters most for your audience.

Ergo, ensure that your Stories provide value to your audience and that they can see the fun and human side of your business too. Once in a while, it’s good to share some “fill-in-the-blanks posts and “ask-me-a-question” Stories.

Instagram’s Story feature might appear narcissistic for individual users but for those running a business, it is an exceptional channel to be seen by your followers consistently. Just make sure that you follow our tips above to help increase your impressions, reach, and engagement.

If you need help with planning your social media strategy, consult the digital marketing experts at www.pinc360.com.