“Please, just one more time! The last one was blurry!” your friend shouts as you eagerly wait to devour the sushi you ordered 45 minutes ago. Let's face it - we have all been through something similar to this. A brief period in your life where you had to redo a picture multiple times or reenact something for someone to take a video. Either way, this was probably to be posted on someone's social media story. But what exactly are social media stories?

What Is a Story on Social Media?

A social media story is a photo or video clip that can be anywhere from 10 seconds to one minute long, usually around 10-15 seconds. These stories provide followers a glance into daily life, whether personal or business-related. These posts disappear within 24 hours and tend to be more spontaneous and entertaining than your typical post on a feed.

The ability to post stories was traditionally only on Snapchat. But, ever since 2016, other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and even LinkedIn have introduced the ability for users to post stories on their profiles. However, each platform's story feature serves a different purpose based on the audience and platform.

Now that you know what social media stories are. Let’s dive deeper into how your business can effectively use them & stay up to date with social media trends!

Share New Content

It is unlikely for your followers to check your website to find new content. Therefore, having the option to post a link on your story to invite followers to check out your new content, such as blogs, podcasts, videos, or company updates, is very convenient for you and your followers.

Provide Tips & Hacks

Sharing tips and hacks through your social media stories can show your followers that you see value in helping them and are active on social media. Doing so will also encourage other users to follow you who are eager to learn more tips or hacks.

Create Short Video Stories 

Creating short videos is one of the popular features of social media stories because it gives the opportunity for businesses to create engaging videos that will assist in telling your story on social media. Some short video examples are interview snippets, customer reaction videos, behind-the-scenes clips, glimpses of upcoming products/features, and how-to videos.

Poll Your Followers

Posting stories gives you the ability to poll your followers. Asking questions on your story allows you to receive direct feedback or opinions about the products/services your business provides. In addition, you can run a contest or giveaway on your story where followers have to answer a series of questions for a reward (we all know everyone loves a chance to receive a discount). Overall this is a great tactic to interact with your followers and boost engagement.

Live Stories

Another spectacular feature about social media stories is that you can do live broadcasts. This feature allows your followers to watch, like, and comment in real-time. Doing so will promote engagement and interaction with your brand while creating a better sense of community, authenticity, and belonging for your community. 

Social media stories are new for many businesses, but the correct implementation can have impressive results on engagement levels with your audience. Because it may take some experimenting before you become an expert, download our free Social Media Posting Checklist, which includes everything you need to know to boost engagement for your social media! With this, you can have cutting-edge stories that will paint a picture of your brand and allow those who view your social media stories to understand your business better. 

Need help creating stories that will resonate with your audience? Greyphin has experts ready to generate more traffic and convert more leads for your business. Check out how our Social Media Management Service can assist your business needs, or contact us now and learn how we can help you today!