It’s 2020 and by now we all know Instagram is great for exposing your business to new clients while building relationships with your existing audience. The challenge is creating content that your audience is going to be interested in AND aligns with your brand.

Feed posts are awesome! Your feed is like your portfolio, if you will. Stories, on the other hand, are temporary segments, that get archived into your highlights (but let’s be honest: when do you ever really look at highlights?).

They are like the behind the scenes, the get-to-know-me-in-a-more-personal-setting type of thing. They are a place for you to show your audience the human, REAL part of your business.

It can get a little overwhelming for small business owners to juggle it all - especially with how quickly things change. But, lucky for you, we’ve rounded up 10 tips for irresistible story segments. Let’s talk TIPS…

1. Always tell a story!

Remember: they’re called “stories” for a reason. Whether you are doing a single slide story or a 5 slide segment, ask yourself… what story am I telling and how does this help my audience? Is it informative, entertaining, promotional, motivational? Does it align with my brand message?

Pro tip: In longer story segments, we alway make sure sure to have an intro, body, and outro with CTA.

2. Make it digestible.

Let’s be real. no one is reading paragraphs on stories. Make it pop, make it quick, make it memorable.

When adding text use different fonts, colors and sizes to make the information quick to absorb. Your audience should be able to process the information without even trying. Yep, I said it.

3. Show real people.

Don’t be afraid to get your clients, your team, your environment, and/or your process in your stories. Get creative and find new ways to show the human side of your business.

It’s proven that when businesses get personal with their audience, engagement goes up. The notion that businesses have to be super professional and put together is a thing of the past. Make your stories fun and lighthearted - we promise it’ll go a long way!

4. Oh, come on… be bold!

Be bold! What do you have to lose? Let’s show your audience a different (perhaps more vulnerable) side of your brand.

5. Let’s use ALL the features.

From polls, to quizzes, to GIFs, to music, the possibilities are endless. Not only does it give your audience a way to engage, but it also helps you rank higher with the beloved algorithm.

6. Don’t forget to provide value.

This one goes hand-in-hand with tip one. You want to tell a story, but you also want to make sure your story is valuable to your audience. Whether it’s making someone laugh or giving someone tips on a particular subject, value can come in a lot of different ways.

7. Bring in 3rd parties.

Let’s not be afraid to bring other apps into the mix. There are a ton of apps that can help you design and create better stories. Play around, see what is out there, and most importantly, have fun!

8. Re-purpose your content.

You work hard on your content, don't make the mistake of only using it once. Make your stories into a feed post, make a blog out of it, remix it into a Tiktok, pin it to your Pinterest. Do us all the favor and milk that story!

9. Stay on brand!

UBER important, you want to make sure you are stay consistent with your brand. Not only with the colors and aesthetic, but with your messaging and identity. Use stories to instill your brand visual and identity into your audience.

10. Be authentic.

Saved the best for last. Don’t forget to be authentic. What does your brand stand for? How are you helping others? Use your platform to talk about things that you/your brand are passionate about. Your brand has the power to make a positive change in society, don’t you forget that.

Want to learn more about building your IG brand presence? Check out our FREE IG mini-series!