{"id":1870,"date":"2017-11-17T16:36:49","date_gmt":"2017-11-17T22:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.headwaycapital.com\/blog\/?p=1870"},"modified":"2020-10-05T16:33:25","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T21:33:25","slug":"small-business-guide-instagram-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.headwaycapital.com\/blog\/small-business-guide-instagram-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"A Small Business Guide to Instagram Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Instagram Stories are quick, simple and inexpensive \u2013 it\u2019s easy to see why they are an excellent way for small businesses to engage with followers and attract new leads. Whether you already use Instagram for your marketing or not, the stats show that Instagram Stories are worth focusing on.<\/p>\n

With 250 million daily users<\/a> and 20% of businesses<\/a> receiving direct messages as a result of Stories, Instagram is a social media channel with huge potential for your business. Though the Stories last 15 seconds each and remain viewable for just 24 hours, they provide an opportunity to showcase your organization\u2019s personality and subtly push your products.<\/p>\n

Get your Instagram Story started by tapping the camera button on the top left of your screen, and add other content by swiping up\u00a0 from the bottom of the screen. That\u2019s the simple part. But to make your Story as effective as possible, there are lots of other tricks you should know.<\/p>\n

Adding a geotag to your post will increase your reach by including you in the relevant Stories for that area, while including a link has been shown to get up to 25% follow-through<\/a> to your site or landing page. If you want to post content lasting more than 15 seconds, use an app like CutStory<\/em> to break longer videos into shorter segments and post them together as consecutive Stories.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest advantages of Instagram Stories is the ability to connect with your audience on a more personal level. \u201cTakeovers\u201d by employees or influencers generate high levels of engagement, while offering your followers exclusive access or opportunities strengthens your community. You can also add a poll to your Story to collect feedback or simply start a conversation.<\/p>\n

Instagram Stories has grown substantially since its launch in August 2016, and discovering how to make the most of it will be a huge benefit to your social media marketing efforts. What are you waiting for? Start telling your Story now.<\/p>\n

\"infographic\"<\/p>\n

If your Instagram stories need a little extra allure, a line of credit<\/a> can give you the funding you need to make an impact on your followers.<\/p>\n

Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n

A new way to bring your business story to life on Instagram. business.instagram.com<\/strong>
\nCastillo, M. 2017. Instagram Stories passes 250 million DAUs<\/a>. cnbc.com<\/strong>
\nChaykowski, K. 2017. Instagram Debuts Full-Screen Ads In Stories, Reaches 150 Million Daily Users<\/a>. forbes.com<\/strong>
\nThe Top Instagram Stories Statistics<\/a>. mediakix.com<\/strong>
\nConstine, J. 2017. Instagram Stories turns 1 as daily use surpasses Snapchat<\/a>. techcrunch.com<\/strong>
\nPage, S. 2016. How to add photos and videos from your camera roll to your Instagram story<\/a>. idownloadblog.com<\/strong>
\nHines, K. 2016. How To Create Instagram Stories<\/a>. socialmediaexaminer.com<\/strong>
\nHasnain, Z. 2017. How to use Instagram Stories like a pro<\/a>. theverge.com<\/strong>
\nWalters, K. 2017. How to Use Instagram Stories: The Complete Guide for Business<\/a>. hootsuite.com<\/strong>
\nSydney. 2017. The Statistical Best Time to Post on Instagram<\/a>. techjunkie.com<\/strong>
\nJulian, J. 2017. Instagram Stories: Five Things Marketers Need to Know<\/a>. socialbakers.com <\/strong>
\n2014.\u00a0<\/strong>Mobile Overview Report<\/a>. scientiamobile<\/strong>
\nInstagram Study 2014<\/a>. Simply Measured<\/strong>
\nElliott, M. 2017. How to use location and hashtag Stories on Instagram<\/a>. cnet.com<\/strong>
\nKolowich, L. 48 Instagram Stats That’ll Help You Improve Your Posting Strategy<\/a>. hubspot.com<\/strong>
\nCutStory<\/a>
\nGotter, A. 2017. How to Create Instagram Stories Ads for Traffic and Conversions<\/a>. socialmediaexaminer.com<\/strong>
\nLua, A. 2017. All You Need to Know About Instagram Takeovers: How to Host a Takeover in 6 Simple Steps<\/a>. bufferapp.com <\/strong>
\n2017.\u00a0<\/strong>Q2 2017 Sprout Social Index<\/a>. sproutsocial.com<\/strong>
\nWylde, K. 2017. How To Make A Poll On Your Instagram Story With The App\u2019s Coolest New Feature<\/a>. bustle.com<\/strong>
\nMyers, J. 2017. Eight Ways to Use Polls in Instagram Stories. jaimeemyers.com<\/strong>
\nLydon, E. 2017. We Tested Instagram Stories Polls: Here\u2019s What the Results Looked Like<\/a>. iconosquare.com<\/strong>
\nPeterson, T. 2016. Instagram Story links get 15\u201325% swipe-through rates for brands, publishers<\/a>. marketingland.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Instagram Stories are quick, simple and inexpensive \u2013 it\u2019s easy to see why they are an excellent way for small …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[614],"tags":[298,113,161],"class_list":["post-1870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-infographics","tag-instagram","tag-marketing","tag-social-media"],"yoast_head":"\nA Small Business Guide to Instagram Stories - Headway Capital Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Instagram can be a valuable marketing tool for your business. 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