Social Media Stories: Yay or Nay for Companies?
Quick answer: Social media Stories, short-lived content that disappears after 24 hours, began with Snapchat, which launched Stories in October 2013. For companies, Stories offer an authentic, less polished way to share behind-the-scenes moments, updates and offers, helping brands engage audiences more personally and making them a worthwhile part of a digital marketing strategy.
The concept of ephemeral (or disappearing) messaging was first introduced to the world by Snapchat founders, Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy circa 2011. In May 2012, Spiegel wrote Snapchat’s first blog post which set the tone for what users can expect from the app.
Snapchat isn’t capturing the traditional Kodak moment. It’s about communicating with the full range of human emotion – not just what appears to be pretty or perfect
Thereafter, the Stanford duo launched ‘Stories’ (an ephemeral narrative of snaps that users could post for their friends to view for 24 hours) in October 2013. The rest as they say, is history. Ephemeral messaging took the world by storm and skyrocketed in popularity – prompting others like Facebook, Instagram and most recently, WeChat to follow-suit.
Why are stories so popular? The time-sensitive and authentic nature of stories mimic every day and memorable moments which are often overlooked in the digital world. Consumers crave authenticity more than ever now after being exposed to countless celebrity endorsements, sponsored posts and paid influencers. A survey done found that 60% of consumers (of which, 70% are Millennials) trust social content from friends and family when making purchasing decisions1. Younger generations command $200 billion of annual spending power but they are the least engaged with brands. 90% of the Millennials prefer ‘real and organic’ over ‘perfect and packaged’2. 57% of respondents indicated that less than half of brands created content which resonates as authentic3.
Here’s why businesses should include stories in their digital marketing strategy
Prime Real Estate
Stories typically appear at the top of the social media platforms. Since they’re the first thing that your customers see when they log into their profiles, Stories are great for grabbing attention. Stories exist only for a maximum of 24 hours, this makes them more compelling. You can create time-sensitive content for the following:
- Announce: Share important updates and announcements for your company
- Host competitions and giveaways: Reward engaged customers for paying attention
- Show limited-time sales and discount codes
- Get personal: Let your customers see what goes behind the scenes in your office
Intriguing and Interactive Format
More people are switching to Stories format to connect in an immediate and organic way. (On Instagram, 250 million people use Stories everyday4). Stories are popular because they combine 2 essential modes of communication – video and storytelling. Storytelling gives companies a way to build affinity and trust with their customers. Video boosts engagement with easy-to-consume content.
Better at Forging Connections
Customer experience is one of the most important aspects in today’s marketing world. Stories are a great way to enhance brand reach. Stories have encouraged users to stay on social platforms longer and visit them more frequently. Brands can focus on audience engagement and user-generated content with more accountability and measurable metrics to increase conversions. One of the best features of Instagram Stories for business – is the ability to tag and link. Facebook Stories is considered as the 2nd newsfeed for social media websites.
Measure Campaigns with Ease
Stories allow you to measure both targeting and analytics. Once you have insights into your audience, you can adapt your targeting efforts and watch your results grow.
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Stories may still be in its infancy stage, but it is slowly and surely gaining more traction. Consumers have less time and shorter attention spans hence time-sensitive, interactive formats like Stories can provide product information without being too intrusive. Having said that, proper planning and social media strategy are still required. Stories can come across as unpolished if not executed well. As this serves as an additional workstream for marketeers, uploading Stories consistently is a challenge. Companies need to deliberate on the brand’s voice and imagery, despite it being posted in real-time.
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References:
1, 2 & 3: https://www.fastcompany.com/90281575/social-media-predictions-for-2019-a-return-to-personal-authenticity
https://business.instagram.com/blog/how-do-people-perceive-and-use-instagram-stories-and-feed/
https://www.sendible.com/insights/social-media-stories
https://www.adweek.com/digital/pius-boachie-guest-post-instagram-stories/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanerskine/2018/11/16/new-research-from-200-top-brands-shows-how-effective-instagram-stories-really-are/#d89cfac22bb9
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-stories/
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-stats/
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-stats-for-marketers/
WeChat data, insights and statistics: user profile, behaviours, usages, market trends
7 Benefits of Instagram Brands Likely Don’t Know
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-use-snapchat-for-business-in-2019-infographic/542964/
https://www.quicksprout.com/snapchat/
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/survey-finds-consumers-crave-authenticity-and-user-generated-content-deli/511360/
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pros-cons-facebook-twitter-instagram-social-media
35 Instagram Statistics That Matter to Marketers in 2024
https://blog.hootsuite.com/snapchat-instagram-facebook-stories/
https://www.ft.com/content/09271178-6f29-11e8-92d3-6c13e5c92914
Key takeaways
- Stories are short-lived posts that disappear after 24 hours.
- Snapchat launched Stories in October 2013.
- Stories offer brands an authentic, personal way to engage.
Frequently asked questions
What are social media Stories?
Stories are ephemeral posts, a sequence of photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. Snapchat launched the format in October 2013 and other platforms later adopted it. The full article explains this point in more detail as part of its wider guidance on social media stories for business.
Why should businesses use Stories?
Stories let brands share authentic, informal content such as behind-the-scenes moments and updates. This can feel more personal and engaging than polished posts. The full article explains this point in more detail as part of its wider guidance on social media stories for business.
Who introduced ephemeral messaging?
According to the article, Snapchat founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy introduced ephemeral messaging around 2011. The full article explains this point in more detail as part of its wider guidance on social media stories for business.
How can 90 Degrees Asia help with social media marketing?
90 Degrees Asia is a Singapore-based B2B digital marketing agency that supports companies across APAC with LinkedIn marketing, content and lead generation. Its team can help plan and run social media marketing programmes suited to regional markets. You can start a conversation via the contact page.
Want help applying this in your market? Talk to 90 Degrees Asia about B2B marketing across APAC.
