Instagram Stories, which launched in August 2016, allows Instagram users to upload images or videos that disappear from a Stories feed after 24 hours. Similar to Snapchat’s 24-hour content, Instagram Stories offers the ability share content that is far less polished or edited, which differs from the standard personal feed. In offering users a way to share real-time and spontaneous moments without curating them for a personal feed, Instagram Stories has become so popular it has surpassed Snapchat.
The stories format also recently debuted on Facebook. While adoption was lackluster at first, Facebook has reported impressive usage numbers lately.
- Instagram Stories – 400 million daily users
- Instagram has 500 million daily users – 80% of daily users are engaging with stories
- Snapchat – 191 million daily users
- Facebook Stories – 150 million daily users
Tips for Advertising On Instagram Stories
Many marketers are placing ads on Instagram Stories and experiencing positive results – most are reporting higher ad engagement with stories than in-feed placements. Here are a few notes about advertising with Instagram Stories.
- Instagram Stories ads can be images or videos, although video is a more natural fit for this format. If only images are available, consider making an image slideshow to showcase products. The ad will play between posted stories from brands and friends that a user follows.
- Video ads can be up to 60-seconds long, while images will be on-screen for 5 seconds.
- The same audience targeting options available on Facebook are available for Stories ad placements.
- When an ad is uploaded, the company’s Instagram account and a call to action appear on the ad. For example, in this Gap ad, the advertiser’s account is in the upper left corner and the call-to-action button ‘Shop Now’ is on the bottom – both are present during the entire duration of the video ad.
Why Businesses Should Advertise With Instagram Stories
Need to reach a Millennial or Gen Z audience? According to Sprout Social, 56% of adults ages 18–29 are using auto-delete apps like Snapchat or Instagram Stories, so advertising on Instagram Stories is another opportunity to expand your reach beyond the standard Instagram feed. Stories advertising has the potential to drive higher engagement with compelling content, while ultimately providing a distraction-free full screen ad to reach millions of Instagram users.
Need more reasons to believe in Instagram Stories advertising?
- Of the marketers surveyed by Instagram, a whopping 96% said they would continue to use Stories advertising in the next 6 months
- 1/3 of the most-viewed Instagram Stories were from businesses
- Finally, 50% of businesses worldwide are creating and posting content at least once a month – proving that those who aren’t already using Instagram Stories for their businesses may very well be in the minority
Image Source: Pexels
