5 Practices to Avoid on Instagram Stories

In June of 2018, Instagram Stories had earned an estimated 400 million DAUs (daily active users), solidifying it as a top social marketing channel. Brands have taken notice of this, and often incorporate Instagram Stories as part of their Influencer Marketing strategies. And although many brands leverage Stories to create some awesome content, we’re not here to discuss that.

No, in fact, we’re here to discuss the exact opposite. Here are 5 practices you simply MUST AVOID if you want to create impactful Instagram Stories:

1)    Don’t Be Text-Heavy: Sometimes less is more, and that is certainly the case with text in Instagram stories. Given the attention span of the average user, as a brand you only have so much time to get your message across. Text that is concise, drives action, and is straightforward performs well on Instagram Stories. For a general rule of thumb, keep it to 20 words or less.

2)    Don’t Push Your Agenda: Nobody likes an overly pushy sales spiel, and certainly not through Instagram Stories. Brands should be aware of this fine line when working with Influencers. The key is to remain authentic, relatable, and educational/informative vs. projecting a corporate sales message. Keep Instagram Stories engaging to hold the interest of your audience. As Katherine Barchetti famously said, “Make a customer, not a sale”.

3)    Don’t Be Afraid to Hand Over Creative Control: Influencers get famous for a reason (no we’re not talking about those who buy their following. We at Captiv8 believe in 100% bot-free Influencers!), they have audiences who enjoy their content and generally what they have to say. Instagram Stories are an extension of the platform that allows audiences to have a personal, behind-the-scenes look at brands and creators. For this reason, let your Influencer drive ideation and messaging – they’re the ones who know how to best communicate to their adoring fans!

4)    Don’t Forget to Tag: There is a host of ways to spruce up your Instagram Stories – including tagging location, hashtags, or even people. One way to create engagement is to add this extra layer of tags so that you’re giving audiences key information in an easy format. Location and hashtag stories can also get picked up and added to a greater Instagram Story, if users are searching by location or hashtag, increasing exposure and awareness of your Instagram Story.

5)    Don’t Beat Around the Bush: Brands who are curious about their audience attributes, such as location, interests, or simple preferences – don’t beat around the bush. Leverage polls within Instagram Stories and ask a series of set questions. “Are you: 18-35, or 35-54?” “Where are you located: West Coast, or East Coast?” “Do you like content that shares: Beautiful Imagery, or Recipe Tips”. Sure, not everyone may participate, but with those who do – you will have some key market research data from people who matter the most – audiences who know and are interested in your brand.

Captiv8 helps brands create awesome content – including a ton of Instagram Stories. Reach out and let’s create something awesome together!