Storytelling, one of society’s greatest tools in sharing the narrative that you want people to understand, has changed a lot since the days of fireside chats and Shakespearean stages. If fact, stories in general have, been lost unless they are written in the pages of books.
While the art of storytelling has reemerged over the last 6 years, the delivery method has changed. We now have the ability to share our stories, and businesses can share their stories, through the use of Facebook and Instagram Stories Ads.
On August 2nd, 2016, Instagram created a feature (some say out of SnapChat’s success and to extend the longevity of the Facebook companies) that lets you share all of the moments of your day, not just the ones you want to keep on your profile. It allows for you to add text, use drawing tools and really bring your story to life. These stories disappear after 24 hours. Then, the following March (2017), Facebook introduced Stories as well.
As a business owner, you now have the opportunity to share your story through Social Media stories. Let’s take a look at how they work and then why they work.
Facebook Stories Ads
Facebook Stories appear at the top of the News Feed. Your ad can appear between people’s “stories”, which are photos and/or videos that disappear after 24 hours. The ad that appears uses the same creative as your Facebook News Feed campaign, but it’s just formatted slightly different.
Instagram Stories Ads
Since Meta owns both Facebook and Instagram, the Instagram Stories Ads actually work the same exact way as the Facebook Stories Ads do. Instagram, though, is mainly a mobile app only (although technically it can be accessed via laptop or desktop). According to Facebook, 1/3 of the most viewed Instragram Stories are from businesses.
Why do people love stories?
They are immersive. They are authentic. They’re inclusive. They’re had to get enough of. Also, stories match how people are already interacting with their phones. With most people holding their phones vertical, the stories are optimized for a vertical, full-screen view that allows people to enjoy videos quickly, and naturally.
What makes stories ads work for businesses?
Stories stoke customer interest. They give you a place to share your business message through video to engaged audiences.
Stories inspire action. After seeing a stories ad, 50% of viewers visited websites where they could buy it and 31% have gone to a store to check it out.
One of the greatest benefits of using Facebook/Instagram Stories Ads is being able to take advantage of all of their targeting capabilities, as their Stories Ads can be targeted in the same manner as their News Feed Ads.
We now know about Facebook and Instagram Stories. We also know that the growth of Social Media is always on the move. Now, let’s introduce you to Social Mirror Stories Ads!
Social Mirror Stories Ads are brand new and are one of the creative strategies when using Social Mirror.
When someone clicks on the Stories Ad call-to-action button, logo, name or image, it will take the user to your website (not the social platform). Your stories ads can be a combination of up to 10 different display images and/or videos with sound (less than 15 seconds), and each one can have different text description.
Keeping the creative process simple, we just ask for the elements or an existing post that you want to mirror. Then, we create the ad to look like social stories (except no social icons appear on the stories ads) and… these stories run on thousands of websites and apps (NOT on social media).
These ads have several engagement opportunities:
- Clicking on the logo or advertiser name is going to take the user to the advertiser’s website
- Tapping on the right side of the story, will take the user to the next slide of the ad
- Tapping on the left side of the story, will take the user to the previous slide of the ad or start over
- Tapping and holding will allow the user to pause the story
- Tapping on the last slide will take the user to the advertiser’s website
Some additional info about Social Mirror Stories Ads:
- Each slide of the stories ad can have a different description, and the call-to-action button, if clicked, will take the user to the advertiser’s website, as do clicks on the image.
- Clicking on the sound button allows the user to unmute the story (if you are using sound)
- These Stories Ads can be done in combination with Social Mirror regular ads
Benefits of Social Mirror Stories Ads:
- Using the same post from one of the 8 major social media platforms, we can create 2 different types of ads so you can A/B test. First, we’ll create your standard Social Mirror Ad, and then we’ll also create a Stories Ad from the same post.
If Stories Ads are an opportunity you want to take advantage of to help promote your brand or your business, here are a few takeaway tips for creative:
- Make it count: Stories only last for 15 seconds, which means you want to get your point across quicky.
- Be original: Use original content
- Know your goal: Keep the focus of your ad at the center of your ad creative
- Don’t tell: Use a story to show how to use your product. Tutuorials or videos showing people using your product in fun and creative ways have show to catch people’s attention.
The art of storytelling has never died. It’s just reimagined itself to a new delivery method. Whether you’re choosing Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories, or now the new Social Mirror Stories, let your potential customers become fascinated by the story you tell about your business.
