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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 10 years or so, it’s very likely you already know what Instagram is. But, if you’re Patrick Star and this is your first time hearing the name, it’s a social media platform.
In fact, it’s the third most popular one, with 2 billion monthly active users!
You have a brand, and we have the knowledge, so let us tell you all about how you can use this platform to gain more leads & sales. But, since there are just too many ways to do so, we’ll focus on just one aspect at a time.
And today’s topic are Instagram story ads, AKA IG story advertizing, which raked in over 20 billion USD in 2023.
In this guide, we’ll go over:
So, without much further ado, let’s get into it!
In short, they are a type of in-story digital ad. To understand what this means, we should start by explaining what an IG story is, just to be sure we’re on the same page.
An Instagram story is a disappearing post that stays up for only 24 hours. There’s also a strict time limit – if you want it to be in video format, it can’t be longer than 15 seconds.
https://assets-static.invideo.io/files/giphy_1_b20a3f20ab.gif
The Instagram ads in stories differ from normal stories in several ways – for example, they have a ‘sponsored’ label.
They are also targeted, which means that you can choose which demographic will see it based on their location or interest.
Yes.
They are especially useful for boosting engagement thanks to their wide reach and various interactive features. This includes different kinds of stickers that either prompt action from the viewer or can link to a certain page:
The fact that they’re short and blend in with the regular content your audience is watching only makes it more likely that your ad will be watched in full, and therefore be more effective.
But, other than raising engagement, IG story ads offer some additional benefits. Let’s go over what they are.
First, we have the obvious fact that boosting ads allows you to reach a wider audience, and targeting lets you choose which audience that is.
But another advantage stories have is their placement. If you open your Instagram app, you’ll notice that stories are located at the very top of the page, which means they’re usually the first thing users see. And, naturally, the first thing they click on, too.
https://blog.hootsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Instagram-Stories-feed.jpg.webp
Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-stories/
IG stories are typically in the 1080x1920px format, which means they can fit well into multiple channels. The first and most obvious one is TikTok since all their videos are in that size. Another would be Facebook since their story feature works very similarly to the Instagram one.
To do this, you can either download the original and reupload it on another platform, but Instagram also has a built-in cross-promotion tool. This requires you to have a business account, and it allows you to copy it directly to your Facebook Ads Manager.
Another option is to embed the story ad on your website, which is another tool already included in Instagram.
We already touched on this topic, but we’re going to use this section to go into more detail.
The first thing you can add to your story ad to make it interactive is a poll. This works by giving your viewers a choice between two options and having them click on the one they prefer. Then, they’ll be able to see how many people have voted for which side, and you, as the original poster, will be able to see exactly who clicked what.
https://media.bazaarvoice.com/shutterstock_1491304799-1030x541.jpg
Source: https://www.bazaarvoice.com/blog/8-ways-to-crush-instagram-polls/
Similarly, quizzes let users vote for one of up to 4 options. The difference here is that quizzes have to have a ‘correct’ answer, and you’re the one selecting which one that is.
https://www.jckonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Instagram-Quiz-Screenshot-Birthstone.jpg
Source: https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/instagrams-quiz-sticker/
Finally, you can ask your users questions. This is a simple text box in which they can submit their replies, which you can then repost anonymously (you’ll be able to see who answered, but the audience won’t).
Keep in mind that there is a length limit – three lines of text.
Source: https://insense.pro/blog/instagram-stories-ads
We also mentioned that there are multiple ways to link to other pages via IG stories. This is done through a location tag, which can, for example, show the users where your store is located. Another example is a hashtag or a mention tag, through which you can tag someone who collaborated with you on a post or product.
But you can also add external links. This means that users will have a shortcut directly from the ad to your website, driving more traffic.
This is done by swiping up on the story. The motion redirects to whichever page you choose – your product catalog, your app in the app store, or just your website homepage – it’s completely up to you.
It’s important to note here that this feature is available only to accounts with 10K+ followers.
One of the most useful features for businesses on Instagram is the Shop Now Button. This is also a kind of sticker that can be added to a story, and clicking it takes the user directly to the product they’re seeing.
To use this, you need to link your IG account to a Facebook catalog.
https://s1.r29static.com/bin/entry/76f/1440x1728,85/2028723/image.webp
Source: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/09/210097/instagram-shopping-explore-stories
Now that we’ve gone over what IG story ads do and what benefits they offer, you’re hopefully feeling convinced to give this strategy a try. So, in this section, we’ll give you our top 5 best practices:
If you’ve ever run any kind of ad campaign, you know how important good targeting is. Your ad can be the best in the world, but if it doesn’t get in front of the right people, the chances of it bringing in a high ROI are low.
So, when you go to post your ad, make sure to select your targeting criteria. On Instagram, this includes:
Sometimes, when people go through IG stories, they might not pay close attention. So, it’s up to you to make your ad a thumb stopper, as they call it.
This means that all the creative elements, such as the copy and the graphics, are appealing and align with the rest of your branding. This way, the audience will know exactly whose ad they’re seeing, and they’ll be more inclined to stay and check out your offer.
A CTA (or a call to action) is an invitation for the viewer to do something. This can be anything – follow the page, buy a product, or just visit the website. This should be decided based on the goals of the specific campaign.
Whatever CTA you land on, it’s important that it’s clear and visible on the ad so that it doesn’t go unnoticed.
https://adwisely.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/instagram_bl4_tab_1.png
Source: https://adwisely.com/instagram/
Once your ads are up, you’ll want to keep an eye out for their performance. This will help you figure out what works well and what needs some more improvement in the future.
Instagram has a built-in analytics tool that will let you track reach, impressions, and clicks, but you can also use third-party tools to get the full picture.
When you’re working on your Instagram ads, you don’t have to do it all alone. In fact, some statistics suggest that this approach works even better than traditional ads.
First off, you want to team up with content creators who really get your brand and vibe. When their values and message line up with yours, the collaboration feels way more natural and authentic – it just clicks, and the audience will feel the difference.
Keep an eye out for creators who not only have a big, engaged audience but also know how to consistently create interesting, relatable content.
And, pro tip: make a creative brief for each project. This is basically a way to spell out exactly what you’re looking for and what you expect.
Instagram Story templates are basically pre-made designs that make it super easy for businesses to publish Story ads in no time.
If you’re short on time or don’t have the resources to start from scratch, these templates are a lifesaver. They’re especially great for businesses that are just getting started with Instagram advertising because they help you stick to best practices and stay within Instagram’s guidelines.
These templates usually come with a mix of text, images, and other design elements that you can tweak to match your brand’s style. Some templates even cater to specific industries or content types, while others are more flexible and general.
When you’re picking a template, think about your ad campaign goals and the kind of content that’ll help you reach them.
Do we have any templates to promote here?
Using templates saves time, helps consistency, and makes creating ads more accessible for small businesses or beginners.
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