I recently attended Digital Summit Seattle and learned a ton about the future of digital marketing. And one of the best presentations was How Brands Can Harness the Power of Instagram Stories by digital strategist and design consultant Quinn Tempest. She shared these 10 helpful Instagram Stories tips for business.

Instagram Stories Tips for Business

Instagram Stories Tips for Business

Master the Art of Vertical Content

Sure, you have the option of posting traditional horizontal content on Instagram Stories…but according to Tempest, you shouldn’t. Stick to vertical content only.

Understand Insights and Analytics

When looking at your Instagram Stories insights, Forward and Back are positive categories to focus on. Those are a sign that people are engaged. A negative insight is Next Story. That means people skipped over your content completely.

Create a Visual Strategy

Don’t stress about what you post. Instead, focus on why you post Instagram Stories. Follow your brand guidelines and keep your stories consistent. That way people immediately know it’s you.

Use Stickers to Create Engagement

Engagement should be the goal for any social media campaign. Sliders, polls and other stickers will help engage your audience on Instagram Stories.

Let Your Stories Be Discovered

It’s one thing to have your followers see your Instagram Stories, but it’s another thing to draw organic traffic to your stories. You can do this with hashtags and location pins.

Create a Highlight Strategy

Instagram Stories highlights are pinned on your company profile page. 1) Make sure you utilize these and 2) have a strategy behind them. They’re called stories for a reason. Keep people interested, engaged and on your profile.

Mind the Guides

Tempest says this is one of those Instagram Stories tips she didn’t have to share. When you’re adding anything (stickers, etc.) to your stories, be sure to follow the framing guides. In other words, don’t put anything too high or low on the screen or it will get covered up.

Use a Dedicated Planning Tool

Tempest was very quick to say that HootSuite and other popular posting platforms aren’t meant for Instagram Stories. So, she instead recommends Later to help manage your content.

Bridge Your Followers off Instagram

Instagram Stories will help build your brand awareness, but if you do it right, you can turn followers into subscribers, leads and dedicated customers. A good way to do this is using a story to build up to your call to action in the final story.

Cut the Bullsh*t

Of all the Instagram Stories tips, this is the one that stands out most to me. Be real. Be authentic. Peel back the curtain. Let people see the inner workings. Go back to the root of your brand. No one likes fake.

Instagram Stories Tips for Business

On top of these Instagram Stories tips, you should know that one-third of all Instagram Stories are viewed on business accounts. Of the one billion Instagram users, only 500 million utilize Instagram Stories. In other words, it’s still early in the game and eyes are craving for content. Don’t miss the boat.

If you have Instagram Stories tips that you’d like to share, please leave a comment below. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Or, stop by Moarly.com to learn more about our Seattle video production and content creation company.