If you’re still dipping your toe in the water when it comes to using Instagram Stories for your business, I’m here to remind you that Instagram Stories are the most powerful format for connecting with your existing community.
I know time is always an issue when you’re running a business, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to ensure you include time in your content schedule for your Stories.
Here’s why you need to use Instagram Stories for your business
1. To deepen connections with your existing followers
Instagram Stories are a great place for your existing followers to get to know more about you and your business – helping you to build familiarity, trust and likeability over time. Remember that people buy from people, so if you show your face occasionally too, this can really help them connect.
2. Businesses who post Instagram Stories lose less followers
Yep that’s right! The accounts that utilise Instagram Stories tend to lose less followers – and this was actually confirmed by Instagram. It makes total sense too, as if you’re using Stories to deepen those connections, then people are more likely to want to stick around.
3. Instagram Stories can help you interact further with your community
With an array of interactive stickers to choose from, you can create Stories that spark conversations and encourage reactions. I like to use the poll, question and slider stickers to encourage interactions from my audience. You can be tactical with these too…
4. Learn more about your followers
You can use these interactive stickers for research! Want to know what content they love most? What products they’re interested in? Or how they feel about a new idea? Use the poll or question sticker to find out. You can gather feedback, test new concepts and create content that actually resonates, by listening to what your community is telling you.
5. Boost visibility of your feed content
Did you know that when someone engages with your Stories, they’re more likely to see your posts in their feed too? So when a follower taps, replies or reacts to your Stories, the algorithm sees that as a sign of interest, so is more likely to show them your future posts and reels.
6. Drive traffic to your website
Gone are the days when you had to have 10,000 followers to use the swipe up feature – do you remember this?! You can now add a link sticker to your Stories that links directly to your website. You can use this to drive people to your blog or sales pages.
7. To SELL to your warmest audience
And this really is the main reason why, as a business, you need to be using Instagram Stories. Your Stories are watched by your existing followers, but also your warmest followers. This means the ones who are interested in you and your business and who are most likely to buy. So Instagram Stories are actually the best place to sell (if you’re unsure how this will help).
So if you recognise that you tend to neglect your Stories, I hope this has given you some encouragement to prioritise them more. The other reason I love Instagram Stories for my business, is that they’re quick to create! So when you’re busy they’re the best way to stay top of mind with your community.
I hope this was useful. Make sure you’re following me on Instagram @slice.of.social if you need more help with your Instagram content. I share regular tips that help you get seen and drive sales for your business.
And PS… If you’re unsure what to post to on Instagram Stories as a business, or how to actually sell on Instagram Stories then dive in to my course Connect & Sell On Stories. In addition to over two hours of video training you actually get plug-and-play content prompts so you know what to say when you sell, which takes away the guesswork!