Needless to say, videos are perfect for social media.
They’re immersive, engaging and inherently social. The right video creates intimacy between a brand and its customers. It’s no wonder that social platforms around the world are investing in video.
Facebook Stories is just one of the latest ways to delight your customers with visual content.
These user-generated slideshows and video collections are short-term pieces of engaging content available for up to 24 hours. Facebook brought Stories to the market after the format achieved phenomenal success on Snapchat.
Facebook supports 2.23 billion monthly active users. If you want your brand story to get the most attention, you’ve got a better chance of finding your audience with Facebook. Just 14 months after launching, Facebook had 150 million active users per day for Stories.
The question is, how do brands take advantage of these new media moments?
Why Do Brands Use Facebook Stories?
As a marketing strategy, Facebook has a solid track record. Around
96% of advertising experts say that Facebook produces greater ROI than any other social network.
At the 2018 F8 conference hosted by Facebook, the social media platform revealed that Stories are one of their most popular services. In fact, the network predicts that Stories will be the most dominant form of social sharing by 2019.
How to Take Advantage of Facebook Stories
Facebook Stories are popular because they combine two essential modes of communication: video and storytelling.
Storytelling gives companies a way to build affinity and trust with their customers. On the other hand, video boosts engagement with easy-to-consume content.
So, how do you make the most of Facebook story?
1. Create Exciting Time-Sensitive Content
One of the things that make Facebook Stories so compelling is the fact that they’re short-lived. Facebook Stories only exist for a maximum of 24 hours. Companies use them to take advantage of “FOMO” – the fear of missing out.
Your fans use social media to stay up-to-date with the concepts they care about. Creating incredible time-sensitive content ensures that your customers will be hanging on every word. Use Stories to:
- Get personal: Let your customers see what goes on behind the scenes in your office.
- Announce: Share important updates and announcements for a limited time.
- Host competitions and giveaways: Reward engaged customers for paying attention.
- Show limited-time sales and discount codes
2. Be Unique
While Facebook and Instagram Stories are naturally connected, that doesn’t mean you should post the same things on each platform. Every channel has its own nuances to consider. For instance, Instagram is more interactive than Facebook.
Users expect to see fresh content on your Instagram page several times a day. On Facebook, posts happen less frequently.
Since some of your audience will follow you on both platforms, repeat content can get a little overwhelming.
3. Be Brand Focused
Facebook provides various filters and effects for your stories. These extras are available both when you’re creating your story and when you’re editing your broadcast on Facebook.
Adding live filters is as simple as tapping the “Effects” icon on the bottom left-hand corner of your smartphone screen. You can change the font, add stickers, and adjust other components too. Adding filters makes your content more engaging and interesting. It’s also a chance for you to build your brand image. For instance:
- Use filters relevant to your brand.
- Add themes specific to the promotions you’re currently running.
- Use colors and text styles consistent with your brand image
4. Deliver Unforgettable Experiences
Customer experience is one of the most important topics in today’s marketing world. Video is a great way to enhance experiences, and Facebook Stories lets you build even further on your experiential marketing strategy.
For instance, Facebook Stories are fantastic for extending the reach of events. Create image slideshows and videos leading up to an event. Alternatively, host miniature announcements from people involved with the upcoming experience.
Facebook Collaborative Stories also ensures that you can cover your story from every possible angle. With “collaborative” stories, you can connect your videos with slideshows and clips from other people in your social network. It’s a great way to enhance the brand reach and improve your video content.
5. Focus on More Than Promotion
As with any good social media strategy, remember that there’s more to delighting your audience than delivering promotional posts and discount codes. While people want the product and service-focused posts from your company, they also want a chance to get to know your team as people too.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on sales, look for ways to delight your audience through content that appeals to them. For instance:
- Celebrate business milestones and new announcements
- Give previews of new products and upcoming projects
- Share video clips of events you attend
- Share important tips related to your niche
Nonetheless, it is very important to know where your stories are having the biggest impact.
When you know what kind of people are viewing your content, you know who’s interested in your brand. Use Facebook to see the users that are tuning into your social tales, then build on your insights with a social media tool like Sprout Social.
Because, the more targeted your stories are, the more effective they become.
