Instagram has seen rapid growth in the last few years. Formerly a niche photography platform, it now has more than800 million active usersevery month, placing it in the upper echelon of social networks worldwide.Naturally, brands across industries have discovered the network as well. Powerful ad campaigns are possible thanks to integration with parent network Facebook's advertising platform. Last year, Instagram announced that it would begin tooffer ads within its popular Stories feature, opening up even more possibilities for brands worldwide.The feature is unique because it shows a more holistic experience, rather than a single image or video. In 2017,more than 250 million peopleused the features daily. Its popularity has made it a prime subject of brand attention for years now. This is your guide to advertising on Instagram stories, along with some case studies on brands that have excelled in it.
The Basics: Instagram Stories
The concept is actually not original. Snapchat first started the idea of stories, which are video or photo streams created by users that disappear automatically after 24 hours. Users don't watch them in isolation, but automatically get redirected to the next story from a person or brand they follow once one is complete.
That's where the advertising capabilities come in. Since Instagram's announcement last year, brands can now place ads in between individual user stories. They typically consist of a single photo or ad that runs for up to 15 seconds, covering the entire mobile screen the same way that regular stories do.
How to Set up an Ad in Instagram Stories
For those familiar with Facebook's Ad Manager platform, the setup of paid advertisements on Instagram is relatively simple.Facebook suggests an 8-step process:
- Go to Ads Manager
- Click Create an Ad
- Select the objective that makes sense for your campaign
- In the Ad Set section, click Placements
- Select Edit Placements, then select the Instagram placement
- Click Stories
- Build your campaign and ad as you would for any other Facebook or Instagram ad
- Click Review Changes to publish your changes
In theory, it's that simple. But of course, as with any other digital marketing efforts, a thorough setup does not guarantee success. You also need to make sure that you follow a number of best practices specifically designed to maximize the potential of your Stories ads.
Best Practices for Maximum Success
How can you make your story ads actually appealing to your audience? Here are some best practices that can help you get started.
- Make it relevant. Users can skip your ad with a simple tap on their screen. Any overtly promotional or irrelevant message will not get the views you need to see success.
- Segment your target audience. The more specific you are, the more relevant you can design your ad to be. Rather than showing it to all potential customers, consider individual messages for specific segments within that audience.
- Follow the recommended specs. Story ads are different from other Instagram promotions. Following the specs recommended by the network helps maximize your screen opportunity and better integrates your ad within the user experience.
- Design your ads for mobile devices. Instagram is designed for smartphones, and the vast majority of its audience uses it on their mobile devices. Design your ads accordingly, using vertical formats and large text.
- Target your existing fans. It's a lot easier for users to skip your ads if they're not already familiar with your brand. The more connected you are with your audience, the more likely your message is to resonate.
- Stay away from graphics. Instagram Stories tend to be real-life footage, and visuals based on graphics stick out negatively. Live-action video and photography tends to perform much better.
- Pay special attention to the first second. This is the time when most Instagram users decide whether or not to skip. Make it stand out, and you will receive a much greater view-through rate.
- Add music. Narration can be difficult to implement and often seems out of place in this short format. Instead, consider adding some fun and fitting background music that captures your audience's attention.
- Drive action. What do you want your ads to accomplish? The answer can result in very different messaging. Whether you want to drive web visits, sales, or customer retention, make it obvious to your audience so they know what to do next.
Success Stories that Show the Potential of the Instagram Stories
With the above nine steps, you can design ads that will actually resonate with your audience, capture their attention, and drive action. That sounds great in theory, but you might be wondering what it actually means in the real world of Instagram. Fortunately, a number of brands have already leveraged the feature for marketing success.
Take AirBNB as an example. The popular travel company has been on the forefront of Instagram advertising for years, and the new feature was not an exception. In a recent campaign, it used a number of 15-second spots to follow travelers on their journey through popular travel destinations. The first-person accounts successfully mimic the storytelling approach of the Story feature.
Red Bullis another example that seems like a perfect fit for the medium, and has leveraged that fit through the new feature. A recent promotion for the Red Bull Flying Illusion Show featured short bursts of compelling visuals that made it impossible to click away. A vertical format, unusual color choices, and quick cuts were key in the success of this marketing campaign. Of course, these are just a few of the many examples you can use for inspiration and insights into leveraging Instagram Stories ads. They are taken from these articles by Social Media Today and DigiDay, both of which go into more depth on how brands are already using the feature to engage their audiences.
Integrating Instagram Story Ads into Your Digital Marketing
Finally, a note of caution: all of the above matters little if you focus on these types of ads in isolation. Even a great Stories ad will not matter if it is not part of a larger strategy to build a brand identity, attract audience awareness and attention, and convert that attention into customer and business growth.How can you get to that point? Expertise is a great place to start. We strongly suggest you begin to learn more about social media and how Instagram Stories fit into that complex framework.
Visit our website to learn more about our resources, and get started in becoming an expert that maximizes their marketing success online.
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