If you’re not already using the Instagram Stories feature for your business, what are you doing? Compared with posting photos and videos, on IG and any other social media platforms, Stories are personal and interactive and creative, and it feels raw and genuine. As a business, you need to be taking advantage of this.
However, you need to be taking advantage of it in a way that’s right and works. There are plenty of people who use Stories, but so many of them fall into the trap of making the same mistakes that actually could be harming their business.
To ensure you don’t make the same mistakes, today, I’m going to talk you through the top five mistakes you need to avoid when using IG Stories.
1. Branding is Inconsistent
Whenever you’re posting on your Stories, it’s imperative to make sure your branding is exactly the same with the branding you’re already known for. If your target market is young and casual, and your CEO comes online with a ‘posh’ accent, people are not going to understand what’s going on whatsoever.
Typically, if you have multiple people running your social media accounts, this is where the problem will start, so make sure you have one person who can use their voice to remain the same across the board.
2. Not Using Diverse Media
“When it comes to Instagram Stories, you have plenty of options for the type of content you can upload. You can upload stills, you can share user-generated content, you can share posts from other accounts, you can upload videos, and you can go live. If you’re stacking stories (one after another), people will quickly get bored” shares Beth Taylor, a marketing blogger at Uktopwriters and Essayroo.
Instead, mix things up, add variety, and make things interesting. Use some video content. Go live. Always use a medium that’s going to catch and hold your viewer’s attention.
3. Not Making Clicks Easy
The chances are you’ve used some kind of interactive media that Instagram offers access too. This could include links to other pages, clickable hashtags, Q&A boxes, or location stamps. If you’re not positioning these assets on your screen in the right places or putting them the right size, people are just going to try one and move on.
Remember, when you post a story, there’s a bar at the bottom where people have the ability to reply or send a message or avoid putting clickable assets here. Also, avoid both the top left and right corners for the same reason. Try to keep things in the middle space.
4. Overloading Screens with Text
Instagram is a very visual platform, and most people will go on there to see pretty pictures and easily consumable content. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use a lot of text. Many businesses do, and it’s very successful when done properly.
“If you’re overloading people with unnecessary text content, they’ll get bored and will tap off your screen. Try to refine down your words as much as possible and aim to be as clear and as concise as you can be,” explains June Ferrinho, a business writer at Simplegrad and Academized.
5. Using the Instagram Camera
While the Camera setting of the Instagram app can be used if you’re using filters or going live when it comes to videos and still images, avoid it at all costs, especially if you’re using an iPhone device. The camera quality compared to the built-in iOS camera settings is absolutely terrible, and the resolution is so bad.
Instead, take your photos using your built-in phone app, or even an external camera, and then import them onto your phone and then upload them to Instagram. Of course, this is unavoidable when going live, but try to aim for the highest quality possible when and where you can.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a few key things you’ll want to look out for when it comes to using Instagram Stories, but the most important thing to remember is just to remain interesting. Be creative, think outside the box, and try to do things that will keep your audience interested in what you have to say.
About the Author
Molly Crockett is a dedicated marketing blogger for Paperfellows and Bigassignments, who’s proactive in using modern technology and strategies to get the best results. Molly also contributes to the online writing service Eliteassignmenthelp.
