Unless you have been living under a rock, social media has had an impact on you in one way or another.  We now live in an age where social media is now a MUST for businesses to succeed. We have reached a point in this digital age where pictures are just not enough. We live in a “show me” culture. Your brand loyalty begins online.  People want to see if you are who you say you are. Your leads prospects and clients are visiting your social media profiles in order to get this information. 

In this article, I have laid out a clear foundation that will show you how to take your Insta game to the next level. If you are a beginner Instagram user and you are looking for ways to use the platform to market and grow your business, this is for you!

 

What’s an Instagram Story? These days, (thanks to the innovation of Snapchat), users have the opportunity to upload videos and pictures that expire after 24 hours.

Wait, only 24 hours you say? How will a temporary post help my business- long term?

Okay, hold your horses. Yes, it is only for 24 hours – but it’s about the activity. With this, you have the opportunity to present daily, real, and personal activities that won’t look spammy as compared to posting 20 pictures in one day.

So, how do I make an Instagram Story? Here are some basic tips to placate your thirst for now before we go to the technical aspect:

o   Use images with faces

o   Include multiple hashtags

o   Tag your location

o   Be mindful of the time of day you’re posting

Keep these tips in mind as we go through the steps on how to post Instagram stories.

 

STEPS ON HOW TO POST INSTAGRAM STORIES:

1.     Click the photo (camera) icon in the top left corner of the Instagram feed

 

2.     Take a picture/video, or select one from your image gallery. From here, you have the following options:
3.     Take a photo
4.     Record a video
5.     Upload an image/select a video from the gallery
6. After you tap on the icon from the previous step, Instagram will access your phone’s camera.
7. To take a picture, tap on the circle located on the bottom of the screen. If you want to take a video, hold the button down to record. You can add a video up to 15 seconds in length.
8. Furthermore, you can upload previously recorded videos or pictures from your phone’s camera roll by tapping on the small square in the bottom left corner of this screen.

 

3.     Select a format. These have the following options:
4.     Normal: a regular picture/video
5.     Boomerang: creates an image that is similar to a GIF. Hold down the button for a few seconds, and the clip will play forward and backward continuously.
6.     Rewind: plays videos in reverse
7.     Hands-Free Option: allows you to put your phone down while you video record

 

4.     Add a location. By swiping up from the bottom of the screen you can access cool features like tagging a location, adding effects like time, temperature, and other stickers.

 

5.     Include text. If you want to write on your picture or video, simply tap anywhere on the screen to access the keyboard. From here, you can also change the color, text size, angle, location, and font of the text.

 

6.     Choose a filter. This is optional, though helpful if you want your picture to have a different tone or design.

 

Once you’re happy with what you see, simply tap on the “Your Story” button at the bottom left corner. If you want to continue to add pictures or videos just repeat the process. Each part of the story will play in the order of upload. 

 

OTHER INSTAGRAM STORY TRICKS

•       How to use Instagram Stories highlights

Highlights consist of Stories that you select to live on beyond their typical 24-hour lifespan. Highlights appear on your profile page, giving viewers ongoing access to the content you most want them to see. Each highlight can include as many Stories as you like, and you can keep adding to your highlights whenever you post a new Insta Story that fits one of your highlight themes.

o   Create your Instagram Stories post following the steps above.

o   Open your story and tap Highlight in the bottom-right corner.

o   Tap New to create a new Highlight, then give the Highlight a name.

o   Tap Enter and then Add to create your new Highlight.

If you’ve created Highlights before, here’s how to add more Stories to them:

o   Create your Stories post following the steps above.

o   Open your story and tap Highlight in the bottom-right corner.

o   Tap the name of the Highlight you want to add your Story to.

You can also create a new Highlight and add multiple Stories at once. Here’s how:

o   Go to your Instagram profile.

o   Tap the +New button.

o   Select the Stories you want to add to your new Highlight or choose one of the Suggested highlights based on location.

o   Tap Next.

o   Name your Highlight and choose your Story cover.

o   Tap Done.

Since Highlights live on your profile, they can be a great way to organize moments that tell a story about your brand. Adding a custom cover to each Highlight helps viewers find the Stories they find most compelling.

•       How to delete a post from your Instagram Stories

Stories disappear on their own after 24 hours, but if you choose to, you can always remove a story sooner than that. Here’s how:

o   Tap Your story at the top left of the Home screen to bring up your Story.

o   On the Story, you’d like to delete, tap the three dots icon at the bottom right.

o   Tap Delete, then Delete again.

 

•       How to share Instagram Stories post you’re tagged in

You can now re-gram Instagram Stories—but only if you’re tagged in them. If someone tags you in an Instagram Story, you’ll receive a direct message notification. The notification will include a link that says Add this to your story.

o   Click Add this to your story.

o   Adjust the size and placement of the post and add text and/or stickers.

o   Tap Your Story to post.