Web Stories: A Must-Have Trend for Your Brand

Finally used to feed-based posting and advertising, we've come to an extension of visual communicating through Stories. Invented by Snapchat but popularized by Instagram, Stories have become the number one format both influencers and "regular" crowd are using to put their thoughts (or products!) out there.

While feed-based sharing still has a showing, Stories are growing in popularity 15 times faster, with billions of users across all social networks – from Instagram and Snapchat to WhatsApp and Facebook - creating and consuming Stories daily. Even YouTube, Netflix and Airbnb launched Stories format, confirming this type of visual sharing is officially happening. Google also announced they will be leveraging Stories in search results, which only means one thing – if, in not-too-distant future, you don't advertise on Stories, you are invisible.

Is Creating a Story Easy?

If you are a regular user and have no business relation to what you are putting on the web, yes – it's easy. However, if you are running a business, you need your Stories thoughtfully created, planned out and posted in line with your business.

In case you are inexperienced in how to make a Story for your business or you feel like you need a nudge, Storifyme can help. We help design visually rich, tap-through web Stories helping you get a broader marketing strategy as you build your influencer program. Having a solid web Story presence will give you plenty of advertising opportunities to reach your intended audience on the web and create incredible experiences.  

How Can We Be Sure Story Content Is the Future?

Based on what every social media platform out there is doing, Story content is the future for sure.

Instagram is doing everything to fuel platform Story growth by actively releasing new Story tools and adjusting its feed; YouTube is building a "community-focused" initiative by having Stories that last up to 7 days. Snapchat is giving its best to filter up in grand style, and AMP Stories have an unlimited presence that can be viewed at any time. Convinced yet? No? Here's another piece of evidence - Instagram has released Stories Ads as fresh ways to monetize Stories, then Close Friends Stories that are a new way of sharing with specific people only. Music Sharing Options and Countdown Stickers were launched as Instagram's attempt to improve audience engagement. See?

What Can We Expect to Happen with Stories in the Future?

The general feeling is that things are just cooking up. Although we are all used to quick and candid alternatives to often-perfected feed-based posts, Stories are becoming way more polished than they used to be, taking up more time to create them. Consequently, those who have chosen Stories to be their primary or additional way of advertising have turned to tools like Unfold and various third-party apps to help them in their Story creation process.  

However, while Stories are perfect for momentum-sharing of content that's generally "unfit" for permanent chronicle for whichever reason, their disappearing nature could also lead to plenty of misinformation and misunderstanding. Still, if content sharing moves to Stories entirely, the hope may lie in long-lasting Story formats like those built by Storifyme. That way, you get the immediateness of content sharing the audience is used to but also the reliability of information available non-stop to avoid confusion.

Nevertheless, everything we know about Story sharing now is based on observation and supposition, so we can't be 100% sure things will develop in the way we expect them to. That's why it's important to start testing certain features with your audience to see where things are going from here.

How to Create a Good Story Message?

Stories are all about the visual representation of your brand and intent, so make sure you make them appealing. Here are a few pointers you want to pay attention to:

Mind Your Style

In the sea of competition, every brand should have a stand-out style that triggers visual recognition. Depending on what your brand stands for, choose fonts, colors and logo type that will stay with the audience. Although you may have tons of ideas, pick a few and work them. Be cohesive. Be memorable. Consumers respond positively to familiarity, which is why you want a style that speaks volumes about your brand but, at the same time, makes the audience feel good about what they are seeing.

Accentuate Substance

Although your brand's visual style should make up for the majority of your Story, there's something else you should pay attention to – the tone and attitude you speak in. Make sure your tone agrees with your brand's message because otherwise, you'll be confusing to the recipient of your message. For instance, if your visual identity is light and sweet but your content dark, and rude, that's not going to go well in the long run. So, choose a voice and a way you'll use to present your brand cohesively and stick with it.

Tell the right Story

The Story behind your brand is giving your business a uniqueness the audience will recognize and relate to. While your mission is to take your brand in a certain direction, the Story behind it is how you make that mission happen on a daily basis. Combine a great visual and tone with a narrative worth remembering, and you'll be good.

Always Have a CTA

Social Stories are random content put out there without any other purpose but fun; unlike social Stories, business Stories need to have a point. Film every Story with an idea in mind and a goal. End every Story with a CTA or include CTAs along with the content you are presenting. Instagram has a great "swipe up" feature that can be beneficial for getting that CTA across and driving traffic to your website.

Extend Your Story Shelf-life

If you want your Stories to last longer than 24 hours, go for something longer-lasting like YouTube Stories or Web Stories built by Storifyme. That way, you'll have your message up for longer, increasing opportunities for engagement. On Instagram, Story highlights are an excellent way to save your Story content for later viewing.

Story, Story, Story

Keeping your business up to date with trends is one of the crucial things to make it successful. Stories seem to be the "it" of branding now, so give them a look for a more profitable business-ing!

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