Instagram Stories are a fun way to connect with your followers and share things that aren’t time-consuming to create. However, to keep your audience interested in using Instagram Stories, you’ll need to prepare ahead of time and get creative.
This guide will show you some creative Instagram Story ideas for businesses to help you get started.
Introducing Instagram Stories
If you’re new to Instagram Stories, they’re essentially a way to share photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. You can add text, draw on your photos, and even include filters and location tags.
To view someone’s story, tap their profile picture at the top of the feed. To exit out of someone’s story, swipe left or right.
Why Instagram Stories?
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s understand why you should consider using Instagram Stories for your business.
There are a few key benefits:
Improve brand visibility
With over 500 million daily active users, Instagram is one of the most popular social networking platforms. By sharing engaging content on stories and Instagram feed, you can increase your brand’s visibility and reach a larger audience. Instagram can help you improve brand awareness, grow your customer base, and increase sales.
Generate Leads
Instagram Stories can also be used to generate leads. Including a CTA (call-to-action) in your story can encourage users to visit your website or sign up for your email list. You can also include links to landing pages in your Stories, which can be a great way to drive traffic to your website.
Boost Customer Engagement
Another benefit of using Instagram Stories is that they can help boost customer engagement. Stories are a great way to humanize your brand and connect with your audience personally. When you share behind-the-scenes content, for example, you give your followers a glimpse into your business and what goes on behind the scenes. This can help build trust and loyalty among your target audience.
Drives Traffic to Websites and Landing Pages
Instagram stories can drive traffic to your website or landing pages. You can add links to your stories, which makes it easy for users to visit your site.
Increase brand transparency
When you use Instagram Stories, you have the opportunity to show your audience what your brand is all about. You can share behind-the-scenes content, product photos, employee photos, and more. This can help improve brand transparency and build trust with your target audience.
Run Instagram Story Ads
You can use Instagram Stories to run ads. Story ads are a great way to promote your products or services to a large audience. You can target your ads based on location, age, gender, interests, and more.
Use Real-Time Marketing
Instagram Stories is an excellent platform for real-time marketing. This means that you can share timely and relevant content with your audience. For example, if you’re hosting an event, you can share photos and videos of the event in real-time—this is a great way to increase brand awareness and build excitement around your products or services.
Connect with Your Target Audience
Instagram Stories is a great way to connect with your target audience. You can share behind-the-scenes content, product photos, employee photos, and more. This can help improve brand transparency and build trust with your target audience.
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of using Instagram Stories let’s look at some creative ideas for businesses to use on their Stories.
35 Creative Instagram Story Ideas for Businesses
Let’s take a look at 35 creative and best Instagram Story ideas for businesses:
1. Share a sneak peek of a new product
If you have a new product you’re about to launch, share a sneak peek of it on your story. This great way to generate excitement and build anticipation around your product. Sneak can be anything from photos to videos to GIFs.
2. Give a behind-the-scenes look at your business
People love getting a behind-the-scenes look at businesses. If you have something interesting going on at your company, share it in your story. This is a great way to connect with your audience and give them a peek into what your business is like.
3. Share photos of your employees’
Your employees are the face of your business. Share photos of them on your story and let your audience get to know them. This is a great way to humanize your brand and show that there are real people behind it.
4. Offer a discount or coupon code
If you’re running a sale or promotion, share the details on your story. You can also include a coupon code that your followers can use. This is a great way to increase sales and drive your website or store traffic.
5. Share user-generated content
User-generated content is a great way to connect with your audience and build brand loyalty. If you have fans or customers sharing your product photos, repost them on your story and give them credit. This is a great way to show that you appreciate your customers and followers.
6. Host a contest or giveaway
Contests and giveaways are a great way to increase engagement and grow your following. Share the details of your contest or giveaway on your story, and make sure to include a link to where people can enter.
7. Share behind-the-scenes content from an event
If you’re attending or hosting an event, share some behind-the-scenes content on your story. This is a great way to give your audience a glimpse into the event and build excitement.
8. Go live on your story
Going live on your story is a great way to connect with your audience in real-time. Share what’s happening at your business or answer questions from your followers. This is a great way to increase engagement and build relationships with your audience.
9. Share customer testimonials
Customer testimonials are a great way to build trust and credibility with your target audience. If you have a customer happy with your product or service, ask them to leave a testimonial on your story. This is a great way to show that your business is trustworthy and reliable.
10. Give a tour of your office or store
If you have an exciting office or store, give your audience a tour of it on your story. This is another great Instagram story idea that can help you to connect with your audience and give them a behind-the-scenes look at your business.
11. Ask a question
Asking a question on your own Instagram stories is a great way to engage your audience and get them involved in your story. You can ask anything from their opinion on a product to their favourite colour. This is a great way to start a conversation and get to know your audience better.
12. Share your goals
If you have any business goals that you’re working towards, share them on your story. This is a great way to connect with your audience and let them know what you’re up to. It’s also great to build transparency and trust with your audience.
13. Shoutouts
Shoutouts are a great way to give credit to someone who has helped you or your business. If you have a team member, customer, or follower who goes above and beyond, give them a shoutout on your story. This is a great way to show your appreciation and build relationships.
14. Announce a new product or service
If you’re launching a new product or service, share the news on your story. This great way to generate excitement and build anticipation around your new offering. You can also include a link where people can learn more about it.
15. Share inspiring quotes
Inspiring quotes are a great way to connect and motivate your audience. If you come across an inspiring quote, share it on your story and tag the author. This is a great way to connect with your audience and provide them with value.
16. Collaborate with other businesses
Collaborating with other businesses is a great way to reach a new audience and grow your following. If you’re working with another business on a project, share the details on your story. You can also include a link to their website or social media page. This is a great way to build relationships and expand your reach.
17. Share your favourite products
If you have any favourite products, share them as your Instagram story highlights. This is a great way to connect with your audience and give them product recommendations. You can also include a link to where they can purchase the product.
18. Ask for feedback
Asking for feedback is a great way to engage your audience and get their input on your products or services. Ask your followers for their opinion if you’re working on a new product or service. This is a great way to get honest feedback and ensure that you’re meeting your audience’s needs.
19. Encourage People to Message You
If you want to connect with your audience more personally, encourage them to message you on your Instagram account. This is a great way to build relationships and get to know your audience better. You can also use this as an opportunity to answer any questions they may have.
20. Guessing game
A guessing game is a great way to engage your audience and get them involved in your own story. You can ask them to guess anything from the name of your product to the price of it.
21. Customer take-over
A customer take-over means that you let your customers post stories on your behalf. It helps build trust between your customers because they share their experiences with your product and create stories on their own.
22. Before and After
Sharing a before and after photo is a great way to show your audience the results of your product or service. This is a great way to build trust and connect with your audience.
23. Countdowns
Countdowns are a great way to generate excitement and build anticipation around your product or service. If you’re launching a new product or service, share the details on your story and include a countdown sticker. This is a great way to get people excited about your new offering.
24. Promote your latest blog post or podcast episode
If you have a blog or podcast, promote your latest post or episode on your story. This is a great way to reach a new audience and grow your following. You can also include a link where people can read or listen to it.
25. Link Click to read the latest blog posts
If you’re sharing a blog post or article on your story, you can use the link sticker feature to link to it. This is a great way to get people to read your latest post or article. You can also include a call to action, such as “Click to Read More.”
26. Success Stories
Sharing success stories is a great way to connect with your audience and show them the results of your product or service. If you have customers who have succeeded with your product or service, share their stories on your story.
27. Promote Your Hashtag
If you have a hashtag that you want people to use, promote it on your story. This is a great way to get people to use your hashtag and connect with your content. You can also include a call to action, such as “Tag Your Photos With Our Hashtag.”
28. Build Brand Awareness
If you’re trying to build brand awareness for your business, share your story on your other social media channels.
29. Promote your Instagram Reels
If using Instagram Reels, promote your latest video on your story. Instagram reels can be up to 60 seconds long and can be a great way to showcase your products or services.
30. Show How Something Is Made
Share video testimonials on your story if you want to show your audience how something is made. This is a great way to engage your audience and get them involved in your process.
31. Share a Buying Guide
To help your audience make a purchase, share a buying guide on your story. You can also include a link to where they can learn more about your product or service.
32. Answer Customer Questions
If you’re getting a lot of questions from your customers, share a video or photo on your story to answer them. Answering questions is a great way to build trust and connect with your audience.
33. Create Fun Graphics with Useful Tips
If you want to create a fun and informative graphic for your story, use Canva or Adobe. These tools are great for creating high-quality graphics that are easy to share. You can also include a link where people can learn more about your product or service.
34. Post stories on trending topics
If a trending topic is relevant to your business, share your story on it. This is a great way to reach a new audience and grow your following. You can also include a link to your website or blog.
35. Give your views on social issues
If you want to share your views on social issues, use your story to do it. This can increase your visibility and reach, and it can also help you connect with like-minded people.
How to make the most of your Instagram Stories
Keep it short and sweet
The average attention span is only 8 seconds, so make sure your stories are short and to the point.
Use strong visuals
A picture is worth a thousand words, so use high-quality images and videos to grab attention and keep people engaged.
Use calls to action
Include calls to action, such as “Swipe Up to Read More” or “Tag Your Photos With Our Hashtag,” to encourage people to take action. Market research is also essential for an excellent social media marketing campaign.
Make it interactive
Use polls, quizzes, and other interactive elements to engage your stories more.
Track your analytics
Check your story analytics to see what’s working and what’s not. You can also use third-party tools like Instagram Insights to track your story analytics.
Final Thoughts!
Instagram Stories are a great way to connect with your audience and promote your business. These are just some ideas to get you started. Experiment and see what works best for you and your business. Keep these tips in mind to make the most of your stories.
Utilise cross-platform scheduling by hooking up your Instagram page to your Facebook business account.
How to Show as offline on Instagram
Heads up: Your Instagram buddies can see when you’re online! Imagine this: You’re chilling, scrolling through Reels, when a friend starts bombing you with not-so-funny memes. The endless pinging is enough to drive anyone mad. Worse still, they can see you’re online...
What’s new in V2: A look at the new features launched in Feedalpha
First, a note from the CEO At its core, Feedalpha has always been a content curation and social media management platform that helps users stay updated with the latest trends and topics relevant to their industry or personal interests. We grew the business to 11,000 +...
Social Media news, insights and strategies to help you grow from the Team at Feedalpha.
