Instagram has become a trendsetter for many products among the masses, especially the young generation. It is found out that most of the time people get encouraged to buy a product after seeing it on Instagram. In the success of Instagram, stories play a crucial part.
The story on Instagram is like a post that is visible for a day only. You can only record up to 15 seconds in one go. Therefore, there are more chances that a person will watch a complete story because of less time. On the other hand, stories offer different features and tools that make them more interesting. This, in turn, keeps the audience engaged.
So without further ado, let’s start the complete guide to using Instagram stories for business in 2021.
Using stories to increase engagement
When you have a large number of followers but with low engagement, your business will not be successful. Engagement of followers means that people are taking interest and there is a higher chance of conversions. There are many ways in which you can make your stories to encourage people to engage.
In this regard, stickers can help you a lot. Some of the stickers include:
Quiz sticker
You can use a quiz sticker on your story that allows you to ask a question and give options to choose from. The question can be of anything from general knowledge to facts about your business. If you cannot come up with a question, Instagram will generate a random one. The purpose here is to interact with your followers to break the ice.
To spice things up, you can announce a giveaway or reward to people who got them right. The only thing to remember is that do not give too expensive a reward. This will attract people who might be not living in your area or do not have any interest in your business. On the contrary, the reward should be personalized and reflects your business idea.
Question sticker
Here, you give a chance to your followers to ask a question. A tab will be formed on your story that will take questions directly. After that, you can answer them one by one. You can also hide their names for privacy.
This sticker gives the initiative at the hand of the followers. There might be some confusion that is stopping them from buying your product or service. Similarly, you can also answer their queries about the process of the making of your product. This will make them more aware of the product as a whole.
Poll sticker
Poll stickers are different from quiz stickers because in the poll there are no right or wrong answers. To use the poll option, you just have to go to the stickers section and select the poll sticker. After that, you can ask a question and give the option of yes or no only. However, it is not mandatory to use Yes or No only. You can use any option but it has to be two only.
To increase the engagement through polls, for example, you can ask people at what time you should upload the next post. Other than that, you can also ask them when they are free so you can come live. Lastly, you can take their opinion about your service or design to improve it.
Music sticker
Everybody knows that music can get people hooked and engaged. If you will try to use any music in your stories, there will be issues of copyright. Through the music sticker, you can use music without any fear. However, the music will be just for some seconds. Nonetheless, it is enough to get your work done.
Using stories to increase sales
Once you have an engagement, the next obvious step is to convert those engagements into sales. After all, the whole idea of a business Instagram account is to sell more. Just like engagement, there are also features available to help you boost sales. They are :
Swipe up feature
The swipe-up feature allows you to take your followers to the other page where you want them to go. For example, you can post a story about your product and how that solves a certain problem. Afterward, you can tell them if they want similar results, they can get these products by swiping up. That will take them to your E-commerce website or to the platform where your products are listed.
However, the swipe-up feature does not unlock until and unless you have 10,000 followers on a business profile. If you have not reached there yet, do not worry. Boost social media will help you get there in no time. You can buy social media followers from there to meet this requirement. Apart from that, you can also buy insta story views.
Ads on the story
To get maximum reach, you can run ads on your Instagram stories for business. According to a survey, Instagram stories for business ads are more effective than other types of ads. There is a maximum chance of getting enough sales that cover your expense on ads. Keep one thing in mind, always make your ad mobile-friendly. Plus, do add subtitles to get your message to silent viewers who do not turn on the volume.
Using stories to do market analysis
As mentioned above, you can use different stickers to increase your engagement. Similarly, those same stickers can help you do a market analysis. For instance, you can use poll stickers to know the feedback and demand of a certain product. Question stickers will let you know whether your message is on point. Through quiz stickers, you can know how much people are aware of your business. If a majority of people get your quiz about your business wrong, it is time to change your strategy.
Using stories to tell your story
To retain your customers and make them loyal to your business, it is important to have an emotional touch with them. When they see a human side of your business that they can relate to, they will stick by. Therefore, use stories to show the making of the product. In addition, you can also announce employee of the month or just have a candid conversation with your followers.
Conclusion
If you follow the above guide, you can easily master the art of Instagram stories for business. Keep in mind that they play a huge role in defining the success of your business.