marinsoftware.com Developing a Successful Marketing Strategy with Instagram Stories 3 Introduction Every few months, digital advertising undergoes tectonic shifts in the form of breaking news and more ad formats. With its promise of visual discovery, connecting with friends, and exploring new likes and interests, Instagram is one of the players in the space that continues to upend the status quo and provide additional creative opportunities to industry advertisers. In this guide, we cover trends with Instagram Stories from both consumer and business standpoints, including the innovations driving Stories as a favored platform. Additionally, we discuss cross-platform capabilities, media buying, and creative best practices to ensure you’re making the most out of your Instagram Stories ad spend. Recognizing that digital advertising is a world of multiple platforms and placements, we cover best practices for buying media not only for Instagram, but also across the family of Facebook apps and services to drive the best possible ROI. The content of this paper is based on a webinar we presented with Facebook. A Home for Visual Expression Although formats continue to expand within the Instagram family, there is one constant: Instagram is primarily a home to visual expression, whether it’s in someone’s feed or in new placements like Instagram Stories. Instagram is where people come to express themselves, as well as interact with their favorite brands and services. Back in 2010, Instagram was a picture-only placement with a square aspect ratio. The main usage was sharing pictures among friends and family. In 2013, the platform introduced video, which allowed people immersive experiences that captured more of their moments. In 2016 came Stories, a full-screen, immersive, visual experience, followed by more recent additions like Instagram TV and Instagram shopping. The platform continuously evolves based on the needs and research of consumers. Now, with over a billion monthly active accounts, Instagram is experiencing huge growth and consumer adoption across demographics. Advertisers have caught on and are vying for user attention.