As new content delivery methods become available and catch audience attention, small businesses need to pivot and adapt. Instagram Stories is one option that has been gaining a good amount of attention. To find out more about what kinds of approaches work, we asked entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:
“What is the best way for small businesses to use Instagram Stories?”
Instagram Stories Tips
Here’s what YEC community members had to say:
1. Show Your Human Side
“Marketing products and services is one of the top benefits of social media for small business owners. The other benefit of all social media is building a sense of community with customers and prospective customers. Instagram Stories are an opportunity to share your company’s more human side and allow for customers to build a sense of loyalty to your company while amplifying your brand awareness.” ~ Joey Kercher, Air Fresh Marketing
2. Drive More Engagement
“Consumers need relevant content and if you want positive engagement, you better deliver it. Stories are a great way to show unique aspects of your brand while also showing off your expertise. More importantly, you can use calls to action to drive engagement by asking questions or polls, or pushing content you’ve produced for IGTV. If you’re creating stories, make sure the brand is represented true to its style.” ~ Kasey Kaplan, KWK Studio
3. Create Special Moments
“It’s important not to overuse Stories. Creating them for what they were meant for will go a long way then using them for something else. Quick soundbites and videos, showing off product that you may be unboxing and things like this are good and exciting attention grabbers.” ~ Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting
4. Showcase Your Culture
“Instagram Stories are a great way small businesses can showcase their company culture. Your website may depict your business’s desired persona. However, Instagram Stories give potential clients and potential talent a far better idea of what they can expect when working with, or for, your company.” ~ Duran Inci, Optimum7
5. Allow Your Fans to ‘Take Over’ the Account
“There’s nothing more powerful than fans sharing authentic love for your brand and referring in others. You can schedule a “fan takeover” for a day at a time, where curated fans get to tell their story and why they love your business. While risky as you give up control, the ephemeral nature of Instagram Stories limits the actual risk you bear. And the upside of authentic fan engagement is immense.” ~ Aaron Schwartz, Passport
6. Get Feedback
“Use the questions and polling for the feedback! Don’t wait for reviews on your other pages (though of course encourage reviews) to learn about your customers. Go after those answers. People love to give their opinions. Also, use Stories consistently, so that you continually appear in their feed. Infrequent use is not rewarded by the algorithm.” ~ Patrick Barnhill, Specialist ID
7. Feature Your Users or Customers
“Everyone loves a good “report” on Instagram Stories! Exploit this new update by piggybacking on the following of your best customers/consumers. Reach out to those who shop your product online or frequent your store and ask if you can repost their content or send them additional product/services for their feedback to feature. Everyone loves to feel like an online star for a day!” ~ Kim Kaupe, The Superfan Company
8. Showcase Authentic Emotional Moments
“We’re human and we’re drawn in by authenticity and real stories that convey emotion. These can be moments with your team, volunteering in your community, your product or service and the real impact it has in people’s lives, as well as real customer stories where they’re sharing their experiences. Showcase short stories that convey your values and elicit emotion, and watch your engagement grow.” ~ Kevin Getch, Webfor
9. Create Short, Meaningful Content
“The best way to use Instagram Stories is to create short, meaningful content around your message. People want to see the problem your product tackles and the solution. You can use IG Stories to create informative tutorials for your product or for recipes, you can use it to break news about new products/services you offer and/or you can do a “behind the scenes” feature for your business as well.” ~ Jared Weitz, United Capital Source
10. Do Something Unique
“Everyone does the same BTS footage or Q&As, which can be really fun, but I like to try to think of a unique way of taking advantage of Instagram Stories. It could be telling the stories of how your service saved someone or making short films using your product or interviewing people on the street to get their thoughts on what you do — anything. Think outside the box and you may strike gold.” ~ Zach Binder, Bell + Ivy
11. Showcase Experiences
“Social media “story” features are designed to offer a peek into the action, so to speak. Therefore, it’s important to actually showcase something fun! Stories that capture a special or exciting experience provide real insight into what your company or brand is about from the point of view of an employee or customer. That’s the kind of information other formats just can’t communicate as directly.” ~ Ryan Wilson, FiveFifty
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