It's no secret: Instagram stories are the predominant way that people are learning and engaging with your brand. But for many, Instagram Stories are stressful, misused and in general, misunderstood. So today, we will talk about some opportunities for stories, and three actionable things you can do to make your stories better.
Instagram Stories are meant to be watched, duh. But Instagram Stories are meant to be watched from start to finish. This means the platform is prioritizing accounts and stories whose audiences watch all of their stories (or as much of their stories). If you have stories that drop off drastically, then Instagram's algorithm is going to push your content down.
TLDR: you need to create a story that keeps your audience's interest from start to finish.
This isn't to say that the number of views at the beginning of the story will be more than the end of the story - such is inevitable. But, there are SO MANY WAYS to retain an audience member - and today we will be talking about three tried and true ways to get more views on your story from start to finish.
One: Space out the Story
One of the easiest ways to get people to click out of a story is by having too many things, all at once. Space it out, friends. Post something once every hour or two. This will insure you several additional visibility opportunities throughout the day - because a new story is placed at the "top" of the story heap. If you do this too often, people will get annoyed and unfollow you. But if you do this *just* enough, it's going to get more eyes on your brand.
Two: Grab their Attention
We here in the content creation forest call this the HOOK. Basically, you have to grab attention for someone to pay attention, right? It's implicit. So - what are things that do that? Visually striking content, questions, your beautiful face, something that seems out of place...think about something simple and eye catching. to begin your story. Make a list and revisit it whenever you can.
Three: Encourage Engagement
Another phrase: a Call to Action. Basically, encourage people to DM you or comment on which x y or z they prefer. Do they have questions? What is their favorite place to relax? Favorite coffee beverage? People have a lot of opinions and personal preferences, find something that resonates with both you and your audience within and outside of your brand/business, and start a conversation.
I really hope these ideas and suggestions are helpful to you as you create Instagram Stories. Pretty please Instagram message me or email me - hello@sigilmarketing.com - with how these have helped you!