Adding web stories to your website

With a seemingly endless number of available websites, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that website designers are always on the lookout for new ways to make theirs stand out. You can see this through slick design choices, interesting content options, or even minimalistic layouts. But, what if we told you that there is a surprisingly easy way to make your website more engaging, better looking, and far more alluring. What we are talking about is adding web stories to your website.

‍

The benefits of adding web stories to your website

‍

Even though web stories have been with us for quite a while, there is still a large number of people that are completely oblivious to the fact that you can add them to your website. For most, web stories are simple, often animated images that you post on your social media. Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat all provide intuitive tools for you to add web story content. And, while there is a certain benefit to using social media stories, you really don't get their full potential unless you involve them in your overall online presence. One of the best ways to do so is by incorporating web stories into your website and seeing how they work with your brand.

Capturing the viewer's attention

Arguably the biggest reason for adding web stories to your website is to have an easier time capturing the viewer's attention. The modern viewer doesn't have the time or the attention span to go over long-winded posts. Even if they are well designed and well written. Unless they are interested in what you have to say before they've even visited your website, they are unlikely to pay much attention to it. Well, here is where web stories come as a surprising game-changer.

‍

‍

Due to a multitude of reasons, we seem to pay far more attention to web stories than we would to written content or standard visual content. A well-crafted web story is bound to capture the viewer's attention, regardless of whether they are interested in the subject. By the time they decide they aren't, they've likely absorbed the entire story. Which, for most marketing managers, is more than enough to convey the core idea of their brand. As such, web stories serve as a tremendous way to introduce people to your website and give them a quick rundown of what your brand is all about.

Improved engagement rates

The second reason why introducing web stories to your website is beneficial is the increased engagement rates. Namely, due to similar reasons for paying attention, people are far more likely to engage with web stories than with standard content. Because you've captured their attention you can quickly put them in the right mindset for further engagement. This is especially useful for online stores as they thrive on keeping users engaged with their shop. Keep in mind that you can use various types of interactive elements in your web stories. Therefore, you can effectively use them to:

• Collect data about your users.
• Have your users visit a specific page on your website.
• Prepare your users for a CTA.
• Have them read more about the subject you've covered in the story.
• Outline a benefit they will have by engaging with your brand.

You can incorporate all of these quite easily especially if you use a platform like StorifyMe.

‍

Easier integration with other forms of marketing

The beauty of web stories is that they make transitioning between two pages seamless. With a click or a swipe, your viewers can check out what your brand is offering, and how they can benefit from your offer. Even if they don't directly make use of your offer, they will still engage with your brand, and educate themselves on what it is all about. So, if you were looking for a way to easily transition from a social media post to a website page. Or from an email offer to a more substantial piece of promotional content, web stories are the way to go.

‍

‍

Revitalizing your website

Finally, it shouldn't go without notice that web stories are still seen as a novel form of content. Yes, we are quite used to them within the social media landscape. But people are still surprised when they see them on a website. Especially if they are well integrated within the website and provide valuable information. As such, if you are looking for a way to revitalize your website, web stories can be a good choice.

Some websites are suitable for web stories as is. But, for most, you will likely have to rebuild them from the ground up. After all, you want to do whatever is necessary to ensure smooth transitions between stories and quick loading times of your web pages. Furthermore, if you wish to improve your SEO, you'd be smart to include web stories. And the only way to do so properly is to design your website with web stories in mind.

‍

Should every website add web stories?

If we were to end our article now, you might run off to your web developer and have them integrate web stories as soon as possible. And, while we would applaud your resolve, we would advise you to slow down. First, consider whether your website can make use of web stories. While there is no set rule, there are some guidelines to what makes a website (and the brand it represents) suitable for web story integration. It should be:

• Lighthearted with minimum professional content.
• Open to visual content (be it static or dynamic).
• Having a distinct visual feel (especially when it comes to brand design and logo).

These three are usually what determines whether a website is suitable for web stories. As you can imagine a professional, B2B website that relies mostly on written content won't get much mileage out of web stories. But, a leisurely website that already uses images for promotion stands to gain quite a lot from them. So, before you make any investments, try to see what web stories can look like, and how they would work within your website. Don't forget to consider mobile optimization and whether you stand to make use of vertical content.

‍

How to create and add web stories

‍

Web stories, as it turns out, are quite easy to create and add to a website. Through StorifyMe you can create whatever web story you like, and export it in the form of a widget. As such, it should be fairly easy to include within your website. Even with a basic set of skills, you make use of StorifyMe templates to create various web stories. What we would advise is to pay close attention to your brand and to the colors that you are already using with your website. Web stories should stand out from your everyday content, but shouldn't be the end-all of your website. Good web stories stand out just enough to capture your view but are not as notable to put the rest of the website in obscurity.

Hiring a professional designer

People often ask us whether hiring a professional designer is necessary for web stories. The answer is that it is by no means necessary. You can create web stories without any help from professional artists. But, it is useful to have one on board. At least at the beginning. At the end of the day, web stories are marketing content. And, as such the more you invest in them, the more you stand to gain.

‍

Professional designers will make sure that your web stories look well made. There are a lot of minute details that you, as an amateur, are simply unaware of. You may even feel that you have a knack for visual design. But, know that there are good reasons why designers spend years learning how to create logos, websites, and promotional content. If you wish to simply test out web stories you can look to hire a designer to create a couple of templates that you can later fill out. But, if you want to rely heavily on web stories for your marketing, we do suggest that you at least consider hiring a professional.

‍

Conclusion

‍

In our minds, adding web stories to your website is something that every website should consider. Most websites we see today could be made far more engaging and interesting with the right web stories. So much so that we consider web stories as a key trend in future marketing. But, while web stories are easy to create, they shouldn't be taken lightly. Just like you can easily write a blog post, it doesn't mean that it easily brings results. The more you invest in researching and designing your web stories, the more they will benefit your website. Before you make any permanent changes to your website, consult with a professional. That way you can at least rest easy that your web stories are in line with the website design.

‍