Did you know Instagram now has more than 700 million monthly active users as of April? That's 100 million more users than the network had in December, and it's double the number of users the platform had only two years ago.
Instagram Stories, launched last August, plays a significant role in that. A spokesperson for Instagram told TechCrunch, "Yes, it's impacted growth and retention."
200 million people, or about 29 percent of all Instagram users, engage with Instagram Stories every day. Snapchat, on the other hand, has only 166 million daily users. Snapchat's growth rate has fallen to single digits since Instagram Stories launched.
As Instagram Stories continues to grow, learn what kind of content brands are creating, so your business can participate and captivate your audience. Klear analyzed Instagram Stories from 149 of the most popular brands across eight industries. Below are their findings.
And if you need some incentive to create more Instagram Stories content, 45 percent of those brands are using Instagram Stories at least once per week, according to Klear data. The fitness, fashion and retail industries are the most active.
Merchandise promotions
With 39 percent of brands creating this type of Instagram Story, it was by far the most popular. You can do detailed demonstrations of products or show different examples of ways to style it.
Essentially, you let your best salespeople sell to your entire social audience. Plus, potential buyers often want to see more than a static image before making a purchase.
Then, you can include a link so users can simply swipe up and shop. It's one of the most intuitive ways for users to shop on Instagram. The caveat is your brand has to have a business account with at least 10,000 followers to access this feature.
Inside look
22 percent of businesses are using Instagram Stories to take users behind the scenes of their business. Lucky for you, this can be some of the easiest content to create. It really is as simple as turning on the camera and introducing your viewers to yourself and the people you work with. Your followers want to see the people behind your brand.
As a bonus, when people connect emotionally with your brand, they're more likely to make a purchase and become a long-time customer.
Guest takeover
If you're feeling too camera shy, you can have someone else take the plunge for you! 14 percent of brands have guests take over their Instagram Stories.
You can have a brand ambassador, influencer or even star customer create Instagram Stories for you. Work with them ahead of time to plan topics. You may even want to provide free products or talking points.
When others see those videos, they'll be more likely to believe the content because it came from a third party. In short, it's a smart way to diversify and supplement the other Instagram Stories you're producing while building trust with your followers.
