Should your business be using Instagram’s new Stories feature?

In August, Instagram rolled out a dynamic new feature called Instagram Stories. Insta-stories are ultimately a copy of Snapchat’s “here today, gone tomorrow” interface, but without quite as many bells and filters as its ghostly friend.

This new feature may be a game-changer for small businesses. Here’s why:

Instagram vs. Snapchat

Gone are the days when Instagram was the spontaneous social platform. Instagram is a lot of things, but instant is no longer one of them.

Instagram is polished.

Successful Instagrammers know that their profile needs to have top-notch photography and expert editing. Insta-profiles are carefully curated portfolios, showcasing the best of the best of your brand. Business accounts on Instagram have to stay cohesive and never go off theme. Crafting an impeccable account involves an excessive amount of work and hours can go into perfecting a single picture.

Snapchat is messy.

Snapchat is sloppy in the best sense of the word. Its casual and behind-the-scenes atmosphere lends a sorely-missing sense of authenticity to the world of social media. Snapchat is the opposite of Instagram. It’s off-the-cuff, unfiltered, and doesn’t need the approving double tap of strangers. However, its careless and impermanent nature has kept many business owners from investing the time and energy into embracing the popular app.

The Benefits of Using Instagram Stories for Business

Instagram stories are the breath of fresh air that Instagram has needed for a long time. Its allows businesses to harness the power of both worlds, the spontaneous and the professional.

A Personal Touch

Stories allow you to introduce followers to a more intimate and casual encounter with your product or team while keeping your account refined and specialized. Whereas your profile may have glam images with flawless lighting of your finished product, your story can be a bit grittier, giving your customers a glimpse behind-the-scenes at a work in progress.

Share more

One of the cardinal sins of Instagram is oversharing. Stories let you share a great deal more content with your followers without cluttering their feed and annoying potential customers. This is a big deal, as abiding by normal social media etiquette can be hindering.

Stay on top

When Instagram’s new algorithm was announced in early 2016, users were not happy. One of the redeeming qualities of Instagram, previously, was that your posts weren’t lost in an incomprehensible popularity equation. Thankfully, Stories offers a new solution to this dilemma. All Stories are positioned above the normal insta-feed, bringing some of that missing visibility back to your business.

Try Instagram Stories for Your Business

There’s really no downside to utilizing Instagram’s new Stories feature for your business and if you haven’t begun exploring the new feature, you really should. Sharing candid, unfiltered pics of your process and workspace humanizes your business. Sharing more often and taking advantage of Story feeds displaying at the top of Instagram gives your brand more exposure.

Get out there and share your Stories! Questions about how to use Instagram for Business? Call our office today to speak with an Instagram expert: (321) 574-3854 or email us: social@thesocialcampfire.com.

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