Instagram Stories Ads are getting crazy popular! And for good reason: They’re engaging, fun to watch, easy to interact and effective. Need I say more?
Here are the key Instagram Stories stats you need to know:
Though Instagram introduced Stories back in 2016, the feature has quickly become one of the most popular tool for sharing social media content. Right now, Instagram Stories have over 500 mil monthly active users, doubling its user count from 2018 to 2019. Below is a graph that illustrates just how much Stories have grown since 2016.
Also, if you are a savvy business owner – which I know you are – you’re already familiar with using Instagram stories. Not only they are fun to film, but they have become a great tool for building close relationships with your audience.
Fantastic! What else could you wish for? Right? Actually, there IS MORE!
Did you know you can use Instagram Stories ads to reach people beyond your followers?
How exactly? Read below.
Instagram allows businesses to create Stories ads as an extra way to boost brand awareness and drive sales through the platform. Stories ads are a good strategy for anyone trying to reach new customers who are already using the platform on a daily basis. Through Stories ads, potential customers can learn more about your offer, consume your content and interact with your other followers.
Need further evidence Instagram Stories ads work?
According to Instagram (2019), 30% of the most-viewed stories come from businesses, and 1 in 5 stories gets a direct message from its viewers.
So, how to make an Instagram Story ad fly? Here are 4 tips:
Tip# 1: Keep Them Short
Stories last for up to 15 sec., but you only have 3 sec. to capture your audience’s attention fast. Instagram advices using vertical images/ video with little or no text at all for best results.
Tip# 2: Don’t use GIFs & Stickers in Ads
Stories are so entertaining especially because Instagram allows you to use fun stickers, polls & GIFs for FREE. Yet, for your ads, you should stick to your original content only. Stickers on stories are not considered original, and IG will reject your ad.
Tip# 3: Do a Tutorial or Show a Behind the Scene
Stories ads don’t have to be screaming “Hey, buy my product!” or “Sale, Sale!”.
You can share a behind the scene video of you packaging the product, or do a tutorial on how to use it.
Remember to keep it fun, engaging and entertaining rather than promotion-driven.
Tip # 4: Have a Clear Call-to-Action
Now that you’ve captured viewers’ attention through your creative design, it’s important to direct them to take some kind of action. That’s where a CTA is essential.
Think of what action do you want your audience to take on your Instagram ad:
- Do you want them to swipe up and visit your website?
- Sign-up to your mail list?
- or Send you a DM?
- Download a Free guide?
- Get a FREE trial/sample?
Best is to keep it short and direct.
End of Story…
Think of Instagram Stories ads as watching a good movie trailer that convinces you to buy tickets to a movie. You only have 3 sec. to capture the attention of viewers, and to do that, you need to be bold, interesting & authentic. Also, don’t forget to be genuine, because people can smell “fake” brands from far.
Want to learn more about Instagram Reels? Check out this post.
Do you need help with planning your Instagram content?
I would love to help! Check out my list of services or get in touch via my email: axc99@yahoo.com. Want to learn my easy copywriting formula for writing social media posts that convert? Download this guide for FREE!
References for Instagram Story Ads:
Instagram (2019) “The Rise of Stories”. Online. Available from <https://business.instagram.com/a/stories/overview?ref=igb_blog>
Entrepreneur (2019) “What Makes an Instagram Stories Ad Fly? Answer: These 5 Elements”. Online. Available from <https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/331597>
MediaKix (2019) “How Many People Use Instagram Ads”. Online. Available from <https://mediakix.com/blog/how-many-people-use-instagram-stories/>
Note: This post was originally published on December 2019 and was updated with relevant info in April 2022.
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