Strategies for Using Instagram Stories To Get Discovered
Incorporating a hashtag strategy into your Instagram game is vital towards increasing engagement and attracting your ideal followers. I talk a lot about my favorite tips for creating an effective hashtag strategy, but one thing many accounts neglect are using hashtags on Instagram Stories. Yep- you need to be adding hashtags to each story you post as well as your feed posts.
With one of the newer 2018 Instagram updates, the ability to follow hashtags on Instagram has provided a new opportunity to get seen on a hashtag besides being the top or recent feed post. If you take a look at any ranking hashtag, you’ll see the feature that allows your to view all the stories posted with the corresponding hashtags. Boom! A new way for your posts and account to be discovered. Now that I’ve created a strategy behind what I post and when I’m posting it, stories have been one of the top ways I engage with followers. With users more likely to be scrolling through stories than their feeds nowadays, perfecting your stories hashtag game is key.
Use hashtags and a location sticker to increase your views.
The best way to get discovered on Instagram Stories is by utilizing the tools available in the app. The location sticker can help you be discovered when posting about a specific location that may be applicable to your business. By tagging the city your business is serving or the location of your establishment, you can drive traffic to your feed and hopefully encourage them to hit that follow button. By hiding all 10 hashtags, your stories will show up on the page of each hashtag and be accessible to its viewers.
Hide those hashtags!
While you want to be using all 10 of your allotted hashtags on each story, you don’t want to distract your followers with a bulky list of hashtags. Fortunately, there are three ways you can easily hide hashtags on your stories. I cover each method in this IGTV Tutorial all about hiding hashtags in Instagram Stories.
Since you’re only allotted 10 hashtags, be selective. It’s best to choose a hashtag that’s not too big but somewhere in between to ensure people will actually see your story. Research the hashtags you’re already using and other keywords that are applicable to your story to see how active people are on each. Once you find a hashtag that works for you, save it in a note on your phone and post away.
Post valuable stories daily.
The best thing about stories is you can get away with posting 3-4 quality posts per week and still increase your following by using an effective Instagram Stories strategy. Simply by posting daily and numerous times a day, you can ensure your story is showing up first on people’s feeds. When your followers know they can expect value from each story you post, they’ll be more likely to tune in daily and be listening when you have something to share (or sell).
Now when it comes to implementing any content strategy on Instagram Stories, I suggest keeping to factors in mind: value and frequency.
The more often you’re posting valuable content on Instagram Stories, the more likely your followers are going to use that channel as a way to connect with you. When used consistently, this allows you to create a relationship with those viewers and eventually sell your product or service. While consistency is key for your feed posts, daily posting is vital for maintaining a presence on Instagram Stories. Since that bubble appears at the front of the app for users based on timeliness, the more often you’re posting throughout the day the more likely you are to be seen.
Stumped on what type of content you should be posting on your stories? Let’s brainstorm a few ideas together.
What are you an expert at? Share your secrets and tips.
Do a poll or ask a question. Unsure of what your audience wants to see? Promt them to give you content ideas on what they’d find valuable.
Show a behind the scenes. Now I’m not suggesting just a “hey, I’m working and drinking coffee post”, but allow your followers into your routines and processes.
How do you serve your clients?
What tools do you love?
What’s special about your products and services?
What makes you, YOU? Show your furry friend, hometown, or business bestie off. People want to connect with real people.
Inspiration and motivation - how can you make a positive impact in someone’s day?
What content are you creating? A podcast, newsletter, blog, FB live, webinar, freebie - SHARE IT!
Create a Canva template and stick with a weekly series of content to share.
And that’s just the start of what you can share! Use your organizational tool of choice, and start crafting your Instagram Stories strategy. Instagram is one of my favorite platforms because of all the tool available - with stories being my favorite for connecting with my followers and discovering new followers!
