Instagram Stories is Instagram’s latest advance in content marketing as it disrupts traditional marketing methods. While similar to Snapchat, Instagram Stories continue to evolve and distance itself from that comparison by providing a way for brands to humanize themselves and go deeper into behind-the-scenes content that your audience will love.

When Instagram controversially changed their algorithm, brands and marketers had to re-strategize on how to get their content seen. Many brands have found Instagram Stories a helpful tool in achieving engagement goals despite the algorithm change.

Below I shared my top tips on how to leverage Instagram Stories for your brand.

Frequency

Instagram Stories allows you to break all the Instagram rules you’ve been taught about frequency. Post five times a day if you want, as long as it is engaging content more than one post is ok. Keep up a schedule and give your followers a reason to come back. E! News uses Instagram Stories better than most brands. They provide a news rundown of the their top trending stories and, by providing guaranteed content daily, they keeps their followers engaged and build a consistent and reliable audience.

Go Live!

Instagram Live is a new feature and continually evolving. The latest development for Instagram Live is a remarkable advancement for marketers. The update allows you to go live with another user without being in the same room as them. TechCrunch shares that with this development the status icon for a live broadcast gets sent out to the friend networks of both the video host and guest, potentially creating a much larger pool of would-be watchers and increasing engagement numbers. We love that this new update gives live broadcasting on social media a relationship-building component to reach a brand’s indirect audience. This feature is still being tested and has only been released to a small number of Instagram users.

Polls

Interactive content is the best content. Polls is a new tool for Stories that give your audience another opportunity to engage and interact with your content. Many clothing brands have used it to have users select outfits for different outings, analyzing what their audience likes and prefers when it comes to their clothing. An important note is to remember that these polls are not anonymous, so if you see a friend using polls for personal use, don’t forget they will see your answer.

Preview New Posts

As I mentioned earlier, Instagram changed their algorithm so marketers have gotten creative with ensuring their posts are still seen. One of my favorite trends I see is previewing important new posts and announcements in the story. Take a screenshot of your Instagram homepage and color out your latest post. This method encourages users to go look at your latest instagram and will increase engagement numbers.

Creativity is Key

While this tip may seem like common sense, it is easy to be lazy when doing a story. Simply snapping a pic and posting might not garner the most engagement for your brand. Snapchat offers filters but Instagram takes your ability to brand yourself up a notch by providing stickers, text tools, drawing capabilities, boomerang and filters. Making your stories stand out from the competition will keep your audience wanting to come back for more. One great tool you can utilize is Instasize – a toolkit for social creatives.

Don’t overlook Instagram as a tool for your brand. It provides endless opportunities for you to showcase your creativity and engage your audience.