Instagram Stories counts more than 400 million daily users compared to Snapchat’s 191 million. In the last few years, Instagram has been building Stories with in-product features designed to help increase engagement.

We recommend IG Stories to all of our clients, as it is a great way to interact with their customer base, create engagement and foster a community at a raw level.

Here are a few tips from the Socialfly Team:

Use Stickers:

Angela Trotti, Associate Account Manager is all about using GIF Stickers. GIF Stickers allow you to add character to your stories. Branded GIF stickers are also a fun way to engage your brand loyalists. Some of the other stickers your brand can use to increase engagement are:

• • Question Stickers allow for you to ask your audience questions and answer them in your own story! This is a great way to speak directly to your consumer.
  • Poll Stickers will help understand your audiences’ preference! Let them help you decide: Pizza or Pasta for dinner? Red or Blue tie to work? Grande or Venti order at Starbucks
  • Countdown Sticker can help notify your audience on when something BIG is going to happen. Do you have a product launch? Influencer Activation? Album drop? Use Countdown Stickers to build up the hype!

There are so many creative ways to use Instagram Story Features. So, take advantage of all the sticker rollouts Instagram Stories has to offer!

Use Captions:

Caitlin Stower, Account Supervisor says that “Most Instagram users do not watch stories with the sound on. It’s very important keeping that in mind. I had a friend who created her own caption feature on her stories so that people could read along. I thought it was very smart!”

It is important to think about how Instagram users are engaging with the platform. If most users aren’t listening to your videos, make sure that you have text to complement your photos and videos to get your point across. You can also use stickers like ‘Sound On’ to notify your users.

Promote your Posts:

Our Paid Analyst, Kevin Johnson says, “One of my favorite things on IG story is to let your followers know you have a new post. You share your most recent post to your story and then utilize a ‘GIF Sticker’ that says ‘Tap Here or ‘New Post’ with some arrows to get people to click through to your profile.” This tactic is a great way to drive users to your profile!

Use Prompts:

Lindsey Tullman, Director of Brand Partnerships advises to “Create content that prompts feedback and conversation with your audiences.” Using a call to action can help direct your followers on what to do next. Sometimes users might need a nudge. Prompts like ‘Tap Here’ or ‘Swipe Up’ are great ways to push traffic to a particular place! You can build the story across multiple frames! Caitlin also suggests, ‘DM for more detail.’ Direct Messaging can open up a line of communication directly to your consumers. It is definitely worth noting!

Use Instagram Live:

Lindsey recommends using IG Live features can bring your viewers along with you to exclusive experiences and host intimate Q&A sessions with your community! She suggests to, “monitor your analytics to determine what type of content performs best and what is the best time to post and schedule your future Stories accordingly!”

Last but not least: Be Original and Have Fun! Lindsey says to “treat your followers like your friends. Show people you are real through behind-the-scenes, unedited content!”

If you are looking for more tips, check out Social Media Today for additional information. Also, feel free to check out the Socialfly Instagram Story to see how we implement these features day to day!