Ryan LeeHumans are naturally curious and have a rich inner life, thus stories fascinate us.
In fact, research shows that over 65% of all public discourse is generated via social storytelling. HubSpot claims that more of our brain is engaged when we are told a story rather than just given information. This light serves as a reminder of a fact we all know deep down: people are swayed by stories they find fascinating.
Because of this, advertising and narrative go hand in hand. Humans have an insatiable need for stories, whether they come from famous authors, interesting relatives, blockbuster films, or shocking headlines.
Create a compelling or moving brand narrative to increase brand awareness and consumer loyalty.
In the past, word-of-mouth advertising was the most effective method. But social media is the lifeblood of 21st-century content promotion. And nowadays, Instagram and Instagram Stories are the best instruments for advertising.
The Application of the Instagram Story-Sharing Function
Instagram has more than 25 million business users, and its business profiles are visited by more than 200 million people every day. Instagram stories have grow more popular, with 500 million daily active users, in tandem with the rise of video marketing.
The most typical use of Instagram Stories are:
Tutorials and How-Tos
Special Announcements User-Generated Content from Behind the Scenes
Limited-Time Discounts, Sales, and Promotions
The notion of storytelling, and with it its capacity to connect via deep emotion and intuitive understanding, is lost, despite the fact that there are chances to bring story-like aspects into various uses.
Instagram stories, however, are expanding at a rate 15 times faster than Instagram’s newsfeeds.
With a swipe-through rate of between 15 and 25 percent since its inception, this story-sharing platform is obviously effective. However, greater audience participation can only improve these figures.
This is when good, old-fashioned storytelling comes in handy.
Five Strategies for Including Stories in Instagram Posts
Initiate an Effect
A person will respond to one exceptional story among a sea of others.
Curiousity is a great response to elicit when promoting anything.
Readers experience suspense and click for additional information when there are blanks in the story, according to research.
Do you need a picture? Consider the Alexander McQueen fashion house for example. The absence of context in its Instagram stories gives them an air of creative mystery, as if they were teasers for a larger, more dramatic narrative.
2.Combine your enthusiasm with a sense of reality.
Great storytelling is more important than ever in the digital marketing sector, since only 5 percent of branded content generates 90 percent of overall interaction.
Great narrative, however, does not need much narration. Quality above quantity should always be the goal, but in today’s fast-paced world, readers need to be able to digest great tales quickly.
Although Gary Vaynerchuk recommends posting often on Instagram, users should focus on capturing their lives rather than producing original content.
3. Merge your brand’s history with the tales you tell on social media.
A tale is the foundation of each successful brand’s story.
Let’s take a look at Shinola, a luxury goods company that has successfully brought its brand narrative on Instagram, for some ideas.
They place a premium on quality and attention to detail, and they highlight their roots in Detroit, a historic centre of American industry. The hotel’s grand opening was recently announced on Instagram, where a video showed the hotel’s lights shining brightly over the streets of Detroit.
This video is consistent with the company’s overall marketing story, which portrays them as “a symbol of skill, built by teamwork.”
4. Be Honest
Social media marketing isn’t only about making a sale, as we saw with Shinola; it’s about telling your brand’s narrative. If your tales sound gimmicky or not genuine, users/viewers will quickly realise that you are just utilising them to generate money. Telling a story is a way to let people know what you believe in. It implies making an impact on people’s feelings and adding something of worth to their everyday lives.
With campaigns permeating every aspect of your strategy, social media may be the one outlet where you can truly let go creatively, being as open and honest as possible with your followers.
Read up on it in National Geographic. NatGeo uses Instagram Stories to inform the public and rally support for conservation initiatives throughout the world. They just launched the “Planet or Plastic?” call to action, which asks viewers to commit to cutting back on their own plastic use and then urges them to spread the word about it.
This is an example of a compelling and original social media tale.
5. Make an Inspiring Video
BarkBox is a company that provides monthly subscription boxes for your furry family members.
Taking advantage of the specificity of its offering, the company has developed a body of work that speaks specifically to its dog-loving demographic through aspirational tales that enlighten, educate, and delight.
This is the case since their staff members are authentic in their work as well.
Beyond mundane everyday tidbits, their real-life dog stories and how-to films illustrate their mutual affection for dogs.
BarkBox has some lessons for you when it comes to telling tales on Instagram:
Turn your readers into active participants rather than passive consumers.
Allow your readers to post comments.
Making people laugh is essential because it increases the followers that they will remember what you say.
Demonstrate that your company stands for more than just a sale.