TALKING SOCIAL MEDIA
SWIPING UP ON BRANDS’ SOCIAL MEDIA STORIES Social Media Stories Expected to Dominate This Year’s Digital Landscape by MELISSA HUNTER, founder, Family Video Network THE SOCIAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE changes fast enough to give anyone whiplash, but we all need to be ready to adapt. Going live was all the rage for most of last year, but this year, look for Stories to become the big buzz. What are Stories? Who has them? How do I use them? These are good questions, so let’s jump into the answers. Stories are snack-sized content that viewers love to watch. They vary from platform to platform, but in essence, they are the brainchild of Snapchat. Stories include video, still images, or blocks of text, and they vary in length from seven to 30 seconds. Depending on the platform, they stay visible on the social media account for 24 hours to seven days. The beauty of Stories is that they are quick and easy for the creator to make. There is little editing beyond filters, stickers, and text overlay for hashtags and tagging, which gives them a raw, authentic feel—the original lure of social media. Influencers use Stories to communicate quick updates, favorite things, behind-the-scenes updates, and sponsored messages to their followers. With the rollout of YouTube Stories to partners with more than 10,000 subscribers, the video platform is the latest social media site to add this type of feature. It is also the only one to allow Stories to stay visible for more than 24 hours, while every other platform has a day-long limit. Instagram added a Highlights feature, which allows an influencer to “save” a story and make it a permanent highlight at the top of his or her profile. They can delete Highlights on their own schedule, rather
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than being constrained by the 24-hour limit the site imposes. Facebook also has its own Stories feature with many of the same characteristics as Instagram, which makes sense since they share owners. At the moment, users view Facebook Stories far less than Instagram Stories, but the site is pushing them in front of audiences more to improve watch time and engagement. Instagram is the go-to platform for Stories right now with its new “swipe up” feature. Brand accounts—which most influencers now use—have the option to add a link to their Stories. If their viewers “swipe up” on the screen, they will be taken directly to that link. The previous lack of an outlinking feature made it difficult to measure engagement and drive actual conversations. Early data shows that viewers do indeed swipe up to view the attached link, especially if the influencer both verbally and visually encourages the consumer to do so. PARTNER WITH THE RIGHT INFLUENCER Choosing an influencer always begins with research. Before asking a creator to produce a branded campaign using Stories, observe how they create their own content and Stories. Do they post more than 10 random snippets throughout the day, or do they produce high quality, interesting, and engaging stories? Some use the feature to create one long, rambling series of 15-second clips. It is unlikely that their audience swipes through all of them to completion. The beauty of Stories is that they appeal to the short-attention-span generation. Look for someone who only posts a few Stories daily. Their viewers are going to be hungrier for those snacks-sized tidbits of content when published. Find an influencer who uses their Stories to share a combination of behind-the-scenes footage, slice-of-life moments, snapshots of
things they love, and an occasional promotion. Brands should be sure influencers conditioned their audience to “swipe up” on Stories, directing followers to other sites, including YouTube videos or their own websites or blogs. The rise of Stories creates many exciting opportunities for the social media sphere. It is a fun new playground, and the brands that are willing to experiment will see great returns in terms of engagement. Just think, it is much easier to convey a concise, targeted message in 15 seconds than in a 10-minute scripted YouTube video skit. Partner with influencers who are willing to play with both your brand and their followers to create experiences that will delight users and demonstrate more engagement. Of course, all FTC disclosures are required in Stories—just as they are required in all other sponsored content. And don’t forget to create your own Stories on your brand accounts. Have fun with your followers and reach the short-attention-span generation effectively. »
Melissa Hunter is better known in the YouTube world as Mommy, the co-host of Mommy’s World, a toy and doll unboxing channel. In 2014, she launched Family Video Network, an influencer network and consulting company that works with the top toy brands and social media personalities in the kids and family space.
