3 Ways to Utilize Instagram Stories to Boost Your Next Experiential Marketing Campaign

Between frequent ads, an ever-changing algorithm, and an influx of new posts, getting your brand’s content seen in the Instagram feed has become more and more challenging. Enter Instagram Stories, the feature that is now being recognized as another powerful channel for reaching your audience.

Instagram Stories boasts over 500 million daily users, but that’s not the only reason why marketers are betting big on this format. A recent study from Buffer showed that the threshold for consumption is much higher for Instagram Stories versus traditional feed posts. Instagram Stories are one of the best ways for brands and businesses to get their content seen, with a completion rate of over 70% for stories with one to seven posts in length.

Below, we share three tips for using Instagram Stories to give your next experiential marketing campaign a boost on social media:

Provide Opportunities for Engagement

While users don’t have the option to like or comment as they would on traditional posts, Instagram Stories provide unique options for engaging viewers through various “stickers.” Each of these engagement stickers can help your brand achieve a different goal, and they work even better when combined. Leading up to your next activation, launch, or event, consider creating an Instagram Story with the “Countdown” sticker, which allows viewers to opt-in to receiving a customizable reminder when the countdown ends.

Another valuable pre-launch option is the “Questions” sticker, which allows brands the opportunity to give a prompt to their audience and answer questions submitted by users in real time. This is a great way to spark an authentic, two-way conversation and clarify details about your pop-up, mobile tour, or event. While on-site, sharing stories with the “Poll” or “Slider” stickers can provide easy ways to engage your fans beyond the activation footprint and give them an opportunity to participate in the experience.

Get the Camera Rolling

Due to its immersive and engaging nature, video has been the key area of focus of many in the world of social media. According to Animoto, around 70% of Instagram users watch video content in the form of Stories on a daily basis, and 53% of marketers see Instagram video as important to their strategies. The quick, on-the-fly nature of video through Instagram Stories can work to your brand’s advantage during your next activation. These short videos not only appear more organic to your audience than ads, but also keep viewers entertained and on their toes in a world where attention spans are limited. At your next brand activation, tap into the power of video to share clips on your Instagram Story that take viewers through your experience and give them access to exclusive “behind-the-scenes” moments.

Involve Real People

Whether it’s created by an influencer, a fan, or an activation attendee, sharing user-generated content to your Instagram Story is an easy way to stay active and connected to your audience. Not only is this medium perceived as more credible than brand-generated content, but it also gives your viewers a chance to experience your activation through the eyes of people they relate to the most. Showcasing UGC on your Instagram Story can serve as a motivation for social sharing and, in turn, create organic buzz around your brand activation or event. During your next experiential campaign, encourage your community to tag your brand in their own Instagram Story posts. From there, Instagram will prompt you via a direct message to instantly share the post to your own story (as long as the user’s profile is set to public). Before posting, be sure to add a personal message, thank you, or call to action to reward your fans and keep the conversation going.

Is your brand looking to connect with consumers both in person and on social media? Contact us today to learn how our suite of experiential-led services can help you build brand awareness and earn lifelong loyalists.

Sources: Sprout Social Index Edition XV Empower and Elevate 2019, Buffer Instagram Stories Research We Analyzed 15,000 Instagram Stories from 200 of the World’s Top Brands 2018