7 Tips to Creating an Amazing Instagram Story (with Examples!)

Instagram Story tool has become an essential feature since it was rolled out in 2016. These days, it’s impossible to enter into Instagram Marketing without considering using Instagram Stories. When you consider that they are being used by 500 million people every day, you understand that all businesses should be making the most of this incredible tool in their own marketing strategies. Already, most say that Instagram is the social network of the future. If you’re not already taking advantage of the huge capabilities and exciting tools the platform has to offer, then you really need to be. Already, most say that Instagram is the social network of the future. If you’re not already taking advantage of the huge capabilities and exciting tools the platform has to offer, then you really need to be.

How to run a successful Instagram Story Campaign

Some reports suggest that customer engagement can increase by 2 to 3 times more through the use of Instagram Stories in comparison to the use of regular content. It is clear that engagement is the key function of Stories, but how should you effectively engage with users? How do you convert them into prospective customers? In fact, how do you actually sell to them? Well, stay with us and we’ll cover our top 10 tips to make your Story campaign work. We’ll dive into the best and most successful campaigns out there for a comprehensive look at how you can make your own efforts just as successful. We will also include a step-by-step guide on how to build these campaigns, as well as proven strategies and intelligent ideas that you can use today, to engage your audience and grow your business.

#1 Video Ads are still Key for Instagram Story feature

First thing’s first. Videos can make you some serious money. In fact, video ads on Instagram Stories have been known to increase conversions by 80%! Videos, including slideshow formats, can get you far. Leads, traffic, and even sales. You need to get on this trend if you are to be successful. Strategically speaking, the use of text is crucial. But, even though 60% of the stories are actually viewed with sound off, audio is often just as relevant to achieving success using video format. One great example of an ad that makes good use of these concepts is this one from Pine-Sol. They produced an exciting ad with a catchy tune, that users actually wanted to hear and watch all the way through. When creating ads for an environment where the user might need to have their sound off, it’s crucial to create ads with strong and enticing visuals. They need to be enticing enough to convince the user to turn their sound on.

#2 Keep it Simple, Short and Sweet!

Daily Harvest is a brand that offers a delivery service for unprocessed foods conveniently frozen. They created campaigns during which they highlighted to their target audience the new possibilities of frozen foods, making use of a rapid series of exciting images: This is a very good example of a simple, yet great campaign. Remember, Instagram is a social platform and your advertising needs to adapt to this environment. This means creating and posting content that looks as natural and organic as possible.The brand emphasized the benefit of the services with a sharp, punchy headline, but also included a concise message that sticks to the formatting that users see on daily basis.You have 30 words or more to use in your copy.The tip here is: organize them in an easy-to-read, logical format and keep the user’s eye moving. Make it easy for them to understand your message!Another great example is this ad created by Mud WTR. Their audience sits right at the intersection of caffeine addicts and health nuts, so they ensure their ad appeals to both ends of the spectrum.Their Instagram Story ads use a sped-up slideshow format of fun-to-watch gifs, drawing in coffee drinkers and making them aware of their alternative products.

#3 Contests are still strong!

If you’re considering running a competition on Instagram, Stories are a great way to go. You can run a 24-hour contest from your Story using the ‘questions feature’ to collect entries. Use a tempting prompt to get users engaged.If you want, you can run a contest that lasts longer than 24 hours.The German car manufacturer Opel used carousel ads in its Instagram Stories, encouraging users to take a test and learn which model of Opel’s ADAM car best fits their personality.In just two weeks, they received more than 1,800 entries.

BONUS TIP: Don’t Underestimate the Call to Action

Far too often, we are faced with ads using either the wrong Call to Action or even with none at all.This is a big NO-NO for most forms of digital advertising, but for Instagram Stories Ads this a one-way ticket to wasting your money.The problem lies in the user’s incapability of clicking anywhere else on the screen. When they are viewing your story, everywhere they click will take them away from the ad (which is not our goal!). Therefore, you need to include a CTA such as “See More” or “Learn More” on your ads.Instagram allows you to use other headlines for your CTA, but be sure you use at least something!

#4 Master the Power of Silence!

Don’t forget that most users will see your Instagram Stories with no sound, therefore you need to figure out a way to deliver your message visually. Follain thought about this and created a very simple, yet powerful ad. More than simply describing their products and pricing, Follain starts this Story with an enticing question: “How Clean is Your Beauty Routine?”.Again, this ad uses text in strategic and interactive ways, which served to engage with their audience, and increase their traffic and drive sales on their website.Their “Swipe up to claim” CTA was a good solution to point the users in the direction of an enormous discount.Phrasing questions that accurately reflects your target audience and piques their curiosity is proven to drive clicks.

#5 Embrace the FOMO Experience

The temporary nature of Instagram Stories adds an extra level of excitement and urgency, prompting viewers to act before opportunities vanish.This is a unique chance for marketers to achieve their goals quickly!Postmates cashed in on this ‘urgency approach’ with its offer of delivery credit for seven days: This brand has also used the organic formatting approach, which makes it look more like an organic post rather than an ad. In addition, Postmates used FOMO techniques to present an enticing, short-lived opportunity. This is a particularly interesting (and effective) approach to engaging young audiences.
The idea behind FOMO is that you will increase the pressure to click (or swipe) by offering your target something irresistible, that will be gone in a short period of time!

#6 Do you have multiple products? Well, we have a solution!

If you are a Facebook marketeer, you already know about Product Catalog ads, which allow you to promote numerous products simultaneously.Stories are also a great channel for showcasing a series of products or one single product in a variety of ways.To achieve this, you need to use slideshow formatting for your ads. Shein is an e-commerce brand that sells a huge variety of clothes aimed at young women.Instead of making a user swipe through a carousel ad, or make them click from one image and then another, the brand utilised the slideshow format to showcase as many products as possible in 15 seconds.

BONUS TIP: Use Highlights to save your Instagram Story

Highlights for Stories is a great tool to save your stories and to keep them organised for your audience to view. Highlights don’t disappear in 24 hours and are a great way to nurture engaged users.

#7 Don’t be afraid to surprise them!

Surprising and eye-catching elements are key to keeping users engaged. The best way of including these is by catching your viewers off-guard with an initial story frame that is unexpected or out of place. No, a healthy lifestyle brand, made a good case study for this kind of advertising, by creating a short video that grabbed everyone’s attention. A woman about to crush a dozen eggs with a hammer, and is not something we expect to see every day. This strange, counterintuitive video approach made a huge impact and the brand saw really impressive engagement and revenue being driven to their door. The lesson here, is don’t be afraid to be creative and daring. Instagram stories are an innovative and creative format that and they’re constantly evolving. More than anything, as a tool it is always open to new approaches.

After all, what makes a good Instagram Story?

To sum it all up, what makes a good Story ad depends on how you compel the user to act quickly. With an incredible number of active users, Stories can give you that extra edge to seriously increase your ROI.To achieve that, just focus on creating compelling imagery or videos that speak to the user, and speaks to them quickly.

You can achieve this through clear text directions; slideshows that deliver a number of products quickly; creating a sense of urgency in your users; developing a sense of intrigue and mystery to elevate your brand; using keen narrative techniques; or simply making simple collages that speak to your customer.

If you need help with creating your stories ads, have a look at our How to use Instagram Stories Ads to Books your Facebook Marketing article.

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