When it comes to social media, marketing your brand or business on Instagram is a compelling way to reach more people and prepare them to engage with you. Of the many ways, you can promote your brand or business on Instagram, Instagram Stories is one of the tools that a small business can take advantage of to gain more potential clients and customers. 

Instagram Stories was launched in 2016 and highlight content that disappears after 24 hours for organic and non-promoted stories. These stories can highlight images or video in a short slideshow format and can be added with extra elements like text, emoticons, GIFs, doodles and drawings. Brands and businesses usually use Instagram stories to feature new products, promos or to answer customer questions in real-time.

5 Creative Ways to Use Instagram Stories for Small Business

Highlight update

Use Instagram stories to keep your followers updated on what is going on with your business. Are you working on a new product, new project or collaboration? Keep them in the know while you passively market your business.

Give a sneak peek

Instagram stories is also a great venue where you can raise the excitement of your followers by giving them a little sneak peek of what your business is currently up to. Just give them little information enough to make them curious and then you can follow up by adding a call to action.

Run a Giveaway

If you are running a quick giveaway or promo, don’t forget to add it to your story. It can be a very effective way to increase your following while you engage with your potential clients and customer.

Promotion

Aside from posting your promotions as regular posts, it is also a good idea to add to your stories as some followers check stories more than their feeds. Plus, you can be as creative as you can when promoting stories rather than a regular post.

Poll

It is important that your followers feel engaged and valued and you can use Instagram stories to do just that. You can do a poll to gather opinions from your followers and then make sure that you update them with the result and show them that you value their opinion.

The important thing to keep in mind when you are a local small business owner trying to use Instagram Stories is that thousands of people don’t suddenly engage in your stories right away. You have to put in consistent efforts in growing your following. The whole point of Instagram stories is for you to be real and authentic as you present yourself. Lastly, make it fun!