Instagram Stories are one of Instagram’s most used and best features, with over 70% of users watching stories daily and 25% of Gen Z and Millennial audiences using the feature to find new products and services.
Stories are a great way to connect with your audience and show an authentic, unfiltered side of your brand or business. They’re also a great tool to drive higher engagement, expand your audience and achieve your marketing goals.
In fact, many brands are using Instagram Stories to do just that, with some of the most active brands posting 17 stories per month.
But, that doesn’t mean you have to be posting five times a day. The secret is this: you’ve got to use Stories effectively to build relationships with your target audience and drive engagement to help you create a loyal and engaged community, boost traffic and drive sales.
Ready to learn how you can boost the organic reach of your Instagram Stories? Let’s dive in!
Tip 1. Harness location stickers
We’re sure you’ve browsed through your follower’s Stories and seen the location sticker used a bunch of times. That’s because location stickers are a great way to boost the organic reach and visibility of your content and brand.
There are so many ways you can harness location stickers, from giving your audience a behind-the-scenes look at where you’re going, what you’re doing, and even where you’re eating.
Not only will it satisfy people’s curiosity about the location of your next team dinner, but using the location sticker to tag a specific location will help the people searching for the same place see your content.
That means they might head to your profile or you may even get a repost if you’re tagging a specific store or restaurant, which ultimately gets even more eyes onto your content – without paying a cent on paid advertising either!
Tip 2. Leverage hashtag stickers
We all know how important hashtags are on social media. Hashtags help to boost the reach of your content across every major social media platform. But did you know that are just as important on Instagram Stories too?
Adding relevant hashtags by using the hashtag sticker will boost the discoverability of your Stories content. When other users search for or click on a specific hashtag, your Stories will appear in the results.
Remember that while you can include a bunch of hashtag stickers, it’s a general rule of thumb to use a few targeted and meaningful hashtags rather than overcrowding your Story slides with too many hashtags.
Our tips? Include a mix of popular hashtags related to your niche and some more broader, generic hashtags for the best results.
Bonus tip! Make sure to place your hashtags strategically in the corner or in less important parts of your Stories so they’re not distracting from the main content but still helping you boost your reach.
Tip 3. Engage your audience with interactive stickers
One of the best parts of Instagram Stories is the ability to harness interactive stickers which help you create more engaging content that requires audience participation.
You can utilize a bunch of different interactive stickers, including polls, quizzes, and question stickers, to boost your reach and engagement.
By encouraging your audience to participate and respond to your polls and quizzes, you can increase the visibility of your Stories. It also means you can use these interactive features to gather feedback, gauge customer opinions, and spark conversations.
Not only does this boost the reach and engagement of your Stories but helps your brand and business get to know your audience even better.
Just make sure to respond to answers and share the results in future Stories to create a sense of community and encourage further engagement.
Tip 4. Shoutout your customers and reshare user-generated content (UGC)
Spotlighting your customers and regularly resharing UGC is a sure way to boost the organic reach and engagement of your Instagram Stories.
By recognizing and showcasing your customer’s content, you can foster a sense of community, encourage brand loyalty and ultimately improve your organic reach. This means people will regularly keep an eye on your Stories to see if they’ve made an appearance.
Why not make an Instagram Stories content series with a branded hashtag that encourages your audience to showcase how they interact with your brand and products?
You can easily reshare this content either by reposting their posts on your Story, sharing their testimonials, or simply acknowledging their support. This will make your community feel valued and also encourages them to engage with your content and share it with their own followers.
Resharing UGC in your Stories has a similar effect and not only showcases real-life experiences with your brand but also serves as social proof, showcasing the value and satisfaction people have had with your product or service offerings.
Just remember to tag each creator or customer when you’re resharing their content or shouting them out to not only give them credit but ensure they’re notified when you post so they can reshare your Stories too.
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From easily curating captivating content, to scheduling posts across multiple platforms, to harnessing an effective hashtag bank, Plann provides the tools and insights you need to succeed.
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