marinsoftware.com Developing a Successful Marketing Strategy with Instagram Stories 5 The Shift to Stories Remember when desktop led to handheld, and advertisers had to adapt to this change and understand new industry nuances? Or the change from television to mobile video? Now, with the transformation from a feed-based environment to vertical, immersive stories, advertisers must know and master best practices around creative, media buying, and what makes this ad format unique. People love Instagram Stories. The format is full-screen and playful, but it’s also ephemeral, disappearing within 24 hours. And, the experience is short-lived, so users tend to feel more comfortable sharing their authentic, everyday selves with friends and family. Because of this, there is heightened pressure for brands to present their authentic identities and for their content to be highly curated, presenting moments in “snackable”, interactive bites. How People Are Engaging with Stories How are people actually engaging with the Stories placement? According to data in the graphic below, videos and sound grab people’s attention, allowing and encouraging advertisers to tell traditional narratives in a sound-on environment: Significantly, one in three Stories receives a direct message from a user. So, if a brand posts an organic Story and people want to learn more, many of them contact the brand directly with questions such as, “How can I buy?” and “How can I learn more?” This is just one reason why Stories matter so much to businesses. And, as more people continue to move onto the platform, it becomes increasingly important for brands to go where consumers are, and understand and embrace best practices for maximizing engagement. of Stories posts are sound-on +60 % of Instagram Stories viewed are video 50 % of Stories receive direct messages to the brand 30 % How People Are Engaging with Stories Source: Instagram (https://business.instagram.com/a/stories)