Simple Steps to Start Using Instagram Story Ads

If you haven’t heard, Instagram is the hottest and fastest growing social network out there and it makes sense for you to be there. Most people are posting on their feed, less than half of those are using stories and an even smaller amount are using Instagram ads. We’re here to help you crush the competition by using Instagram ads.

• Native - The first thing you need to do is make sure your images and videos are native. Using horizontal images is a bad user experience and people intuitively know that they are being advertised to.

Tip - Create your Instagram stories in the app and add GIF’s or text (not too much) and then download and run as an ad. Doing it in an authentic way and then running it as an ad is a great way to reach more people.

• Create a strategy - The name says it all. Instagram stories are about telling a story. A one-off piece of content about how they should buy your content, etc. is likely not the route to go. They need more than 15 seconds to determine if they want do business with you or not. Create a content strategy with your ads that adds value. Tell a story, take them on a journey.

Tip - Your Instagram feed should mimic this style of value and be on brand.

• Be intentional about where your text goes - In a story ad we see a lot where people try to move text out of the way of the person talking, but move it to the top left or bottom of the screen and this isn’t a good look. The user profile is on the top left and the call to action is at the bottom. Go check out examples of Instagram story ads so you can get a good idea of where to place text.

• Use the carousel Instagram stories feature - If you want to create a longer message than 15 seconds, it’s possible. You can create multiple videos in a row that work just like a native Instagram story. i.e. if you followed us without an ad you would see multiple of our videos in a row. In ads you can do this too. If done well, it can also feel like you are someone they already follow and builds a deeper relationship and gives you more time to convey your message.

• Add music - When appropriate, it’s almost always appropriate. If you are creating a video that is all imagery and not someone talking, adding music will help increase the amount of time they stay on the story. Not all people listen without sound, but those who do will thank you.

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Hope y'all enjoyed this episode! We'll see you guys next week for another episode of The Marketing Natives!