10 Tips For Using Instagram Stories For Business

Last updated on 26 November 2024

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Do you want to use Instagram Stories for business, but don’t know how? Then this is for you!

Chances are if you’re working in social media and marketing, you probably are using some sort of social media platform. But if you aren’t on Instagram Stories, it might be time to check it out.

Instagram Stories are an amazing way to make your business stand out from the crowd. With over 450 million people watching stories every day, and with brands creating them, Instagram is one of the best platforms for businesses to reach new customers.

Instagram Stories lets users add text, photos, videos and more to the exact moment when they are experiencing it. Sometimes referred to just as “Stories”, these posts offer another great way for brands to connect with their fans and followers.

When you’re looking to spice up your Instagram game, using Stories might be a great way to do it. They let you show off the moments that matter most to your business and your followers. Plus, they let you connect on a more personal level since they’re tailored towards being used as an ongoing conversation, not just a quick announcement.

If you’re thinking of starting to use Instagram Stories for your business, but aren’t sure where to begin, or want to stick with the new photos or video option instead, I’ve got you covered!

Here are 10 different ways you can use Instagram Stories for your business.

10 Great Ways To Use Instagram Stories For Business

Polls
Promote your content
Engage With Your Followers
Add links in your Bio
Give sneak peeks of products or services
Show how people use your products or services in real life
Provide tips
Give Updates
Show Off New Photos
Include a Call-to-Action
BONUS!

Polls – run a poll and ask what your audience wants to see

Add polls or questions to Stories or direct messages to gain insight into what your followers are looking for and how they think about certain topics.

After creating a poll on Instagram, users can respond by simply tapping on the options provided by the creator. Once they’ve responded, their response will be shown anonymously to others who have participated in the poll. This is a great way to get feedback from your followers and see what type of content they enjoy reading on the platform.

Promote your content

People who have already followed you on Instagram will see the Story in their feeds. You can use this medium to promote your latest blog post or article by creating an interesting Story around it that piques their interest. After they watch the Story, they might click the link and visit your site.

Engage with your followers

Most customers today want quick responses to their queries. So, if you’ve been tagged in a picture or comment with a question-related hashtag, don’t ignore it! Reply ASAP and answer their queries as best as possible within 24 hours. Use emojis or relevant GIFs to make light-hearted conversations or highlight important points about your products/services.

Add links

You can already add links directly to your bio on Instagram, but you can also use the Instagram Stories Link Sticker. Use the Link Sticker in your Stories to direct people straight to your products or services, in a quick and easy way. This will help you stand out on Instagram.

Give sneak peeks of products or services

You could create Stories to show what goes on behind the scenes of your business, upload product photos of new items, give sneak peeks at upcoming events, or announce promotions and sales.

When you do this regularly, it builds anticipation and excitement among your followers. Your audience will appreciate the behind-the-scenes view of your business.

Show how people use your products or services in real life

Let your customers know how they can use your products or services in real-life situations.

For example, if you’re a local gym owner, create an Instagram Story showing someone working out with dumbbells, doing squats, playing basketball or something else that fits with what you do. This helps show people how they can incorporate your products into their daily lives.

Provide tips

People love getting advice from experts about how to do things better, faster or easier in their lives or businesses. You can give tips about how to design websites better, how to grow a social media following, how to make money online or even how to manage employees better.

People will flock to your business because they can use your advice and implement them to make their life easier. Check out these Instagram Story ideas.

Give updates

Give people a view of the Behind the Scenes and a look at what you do. Show them what your day looks like and what your life looks like. Your audience will want to know more about you, and they will love getting to know the person behind the business.

Show off new products

People love being the first ones to see new products or services that you offer. Show off that cool new shirt you designed or that awesome new product your company came out with by posting pictures of it in your Story. This creates excitement around your business and gets people talking about it.

Include a call-to-action

Your goal with Instagram Stories is different from regular posts – you want to keep users engaged for as long as possible. To do this, include a call-to-action so that your audience knows what you want them to do after watching and interacting with your Stories.

BONUS: Take a break

Yes, consistency is important, but it doesn’t mean you need to exhaust yourself and post content regularly. Whenever you feel that your Stories are not generating enough views, and you are not getting enough engagement, take a break for 24 hours and then post a poll or ask a question and then see your engagement rising.

You need to tell people what to do with your post and Stories for them to do it. You can’t expect engagement on your content if you don’t tell people. Unless and until you are an influencer or a big celebrity, you need to provide value and share your knowledge with the world. Growing a social media is hard, I get it… but social media is as much a part of your strategy as much as any other aspect like blogging or client meetings.

Using Instagram Stories is a great way to showcase what your business is about

You need to maintain your presence on social media for you to get clients, engagement, and followers. No one is telling you to post hundreds of Stories a day for you to be seen or heard, but you do need to start somewhere.

As you’ve learned, there are limitless opportunities for your business to utilise Instagram Stories. The most important step is to create a Story (or multiple Stories) that speaks to your ideal customer. That way, when you see someone “liking” or commenting on your stories, you’ll know it’s the kind of engagement you want and that those people are possible customers.

At the end of the day, it’s all about creating a valuable, memorable experience through your Instagram Story. You want people visiting your business to walk away feeling like they’ve learned something new and were allowed to let their guard down. And that’s exactly what you can do with Instagram Stories.

There are plenty of creative ways to leverage Instagram Stories to your marketing advantage. I’ve highlighted a few ways that you can use this fun feature to get your name out there and expand your reach. And the great thing about it is that anyone with an Instagram account can do this, so consider giving it a try.

Do you use Instagram Stories for your business? Let us know below!

Aditi Jain

Hi, I am Aditi. I help small businesses establish their brand online with the help of social media platforms, using the right content and marketing strategy that will boost their authority in the Digital Space.

DM me for social media and content creation services, and we can have a chat about it.