Stories are now taking over the digital world. If you aren’t familiar with stories, it’s time for your brand to become more social media-savvy. Stories are a collection of rotating videos and/or photos that stay on your social media news feed for 24 hours. They’re featured above your news feed, and they’re attracting more attention from users. Snapchat may have introduced the stories feature, but Facebook and Instagram are using it more successfully. In a market that’s oversaturated with ads, people like to see stories because they make brands look more authentic. This can be the best way to reach your target audience. We predict that these stories will be the most powerful form of social interaction in 2019.

Here you will find out what you need to know about using stories to engage with your audience.

Create a Social Media Strategy to Increase Customer Engagement
Knowing which type of stories to share can be difficult without a social media strategy. You should have a content calendar dedicated to stories; according to Hootsuite, 64% of brands have either implemented Instagram stories into their social media strategy or plan to do so over the next year. The type of brand stories you should use depends on your industry

Use the tips below to get started:

1. Ask for feedback.
It’s time to start treating your customers as if their opinions matter. You can do so by asking them what types of content they want to see. When you listen to your audience, your brand will gain long-term customers.

2. Share your accomplishments.
Your accomplishments position you as an expert in your field, and that approach attracts more business. Being awarded shows that you work hard to provide your customers with top-quality products or services.

3. Share customer reviews.
Reviews are great because they are short snippets of text that work perfectly for social media. Sharing reviews can help you build trust and prove you have an amazing brand. Good reviews show that your brand has raving fans.

4. Share behind-the-scenes moments.
Offering glimpses of behind-the-scenes moments shows that you are real and there is a process behind running a successful brand. Capture what’s going on in your day-to-day routine to let your followers know that you can relate to them.

What’s New in the Digital Market?

Brands need to take advantage of using the fastest-growing social media features. Stories are now growing 15 times faster than feed-based sharing, according to consulting firm Block Party. It can be hard to predict what the newest marketing trends will be, but we have you covered.

Recent Releases

Countdown sticker
Instagram has released the countdown sticker; this sticker can be used to notify your followers of upcoming events or limited-time sales. The countdown sticker is a great reminder that can help you generate greater results. In 2019, you can expect Instagram to come out with more stickers like the countdown to help brands engage with their followers.

YouTube Stories
YouTube recently rolled out a story feature for its content creators. This feature is only available to users that have 10,000 subscribers or more. Stories can stay up for 7 days rather than 24 hours, and they allow their users to comment with images or videos.

We hope this information has helped you understand the importance of implementing stories into your marketing strategy.

If you need help with creating a social media strategy, contact us to get started!