Whether you’re a 15-year-old girl or a 35-year-old father, we are willing to bet that when you get on Instagram, you watch at least some of the stories posted by those you follow. It doesn’t matter if it’s for the simple update you hope to see or the enjoyment you get from polls, there’s something interesting about Instagram stories.
As a social media marketing company, we can tell you that we LOVE Instagram Stories, but our reasons might be different from the typical Instagram users. More than showing followers what we’ve been up to, we like using stories because of the increased visibility, linkability, creativity and lack of penalty that comes with posting a story for 24-hours.
Increased Visibility
From the companies or influencers you follow, have you noticed the consistency in which they post content to their stories? There is a reason for this. As you may well know, the most recently published stories usually show up at the top of your timeline — there is an algorithm that affects whose story you will see, but we won’t get into that. In other words, by post periodically throughout the day, the more people will see your content.
It may be difficult to understand, but think about it… If you post stories at 2:13, 2:45, 2:47, and then at 7:07, the story posted at 7:07 will make your day’s ENTIRE story more relevant. Let us explain: when you post at 2:13, maybe a handful of people on the app around that time will see your story, but they will miss the next two if they get off before you start posting. However, if those same individuals get back on around 7:30, they will likely see your two earlier posts from 2:45 and 2:47, AND THEN your 7:07 post. Additionally, if someone gets on at 6:20 and then again an hour later, they might miss your first three stories because they are not as relevant, but once they get back on the next hour, your story becomes relevant again, and they might see all four stories.
Social media marketing companies understand this and will advise individual companies to post throughout the day for more visibility.
Linkability
Beyond what posting throughout the day can do for a company’s visibility, social media marketing companies also love Instagram Stories for their linkability. An excellent feature that Instagram recently added to their arsenal of features for their stories is linking the story to a website. Companies selling shoes, t-shirts, headphones, home decor, etc., can get people to their catalog by merely sliding upon an embedded story that features their product. Not only will a story navigate the viewer to a website, but it can also take them to a post within their Instagram account. And the more eyes you get on your product or account, the better the branding.
No Penalty for Posting
Last of all, when you post stories, they are no repercussions. Yes, you might need to be careful not to post so much that your followers get annoyed with you, but, unlike regular posts, posting a lot of stories won’t affect the algorithm. Social media marketing companies see Instagram Stories as a threat-free way to help get more eyes on their clients’ products and webpages.
To get help from a reliable social media marketing company, contact us at Fusion 360 agency.