Eye-catching, engaging digital advertising: Instagram Stories ads stand out from the crowd and shine in competition.
With so many advertising platforms available, marketers are more inclined than ever to use Instagram Story ads.
In fact, according to Facebook,96% of surveyed U.S. marketersplan to continue using Stories ads in the next six months; despite Instagram Stories being launched for less than three years, over 70% of Instagram accounts are now using them.
As the ways people share stories and information continue to grow, now is the best time to launch your first Instagram Story ad campaign. WithInstagram's powerful capabilities to help consumersmake purchasing decisions, it’s clear why so many big brands frequently use story ads to attract new customers.
If you’re not familiar with Instagram Story ads, don’t sweat it. This beginner's guide will walk you through how these ads work, how to set them up, and how to make the most ofInstagram marketing..
Are Instagram Story ads right for your business? #
Although Instagram Stories have only been around for about three years, they have become an important component of making social media platforms popular. Consider到that over500 million people use them daily.1. Using Instagram Stories, it is clear that stories are a great opportunity to showcase in front of the right audience.
2. Instagram story ads typically work for businesses active on Instagram for the following reasons:
- E-commerce
- 3. Relevance
- 4. Restaurants
- 5. Marketing and design agencies
- 6. Beauty
- 7. Fashion
- 8. Home decor
9. Of course, these are not the only industries that can launch Instagram marketing campaigns and see incredible results. It may just take a new creative approach and refined targeting to attract users to purchase your products or services.
Are Instagram Story ads effective? #
10. More than half of11. those surveyed using Instagram Stories12. indicated that they made more online purchases as a result.13. In fact, among the 500 million accounts using Instagram Stories, one-third of the most viewed stories come from businesses, while
14. one-fifth of the stories15. come directly from the audience.16. Any strategy aimed at providing value to businesses on Instagram is well-suited for Story Ads. You can effectively spark audience interest and inspire them to take action on your offers.
17. Cadydash Social Marketing
18. CEO Cady Marsh19. From building brand awareness to driving actions through installations and purchases, you can engage audiences in a full-screen environment where they are already engaged and interacting with content. Stories have an immersive authenticity and are becoming increasingly popular across different types of social media.
From establishing brand awareness to driving actions through installation and purchase, you can engage your audience in a full-screen environment where they are already participating and interacting with the content. Stories have an immersive authenticity and are becoming increasingly popular across different types of social media.Approximately 68% of respondentsindicated that they use stories on three or more applications at least once a week.
Businesses using Instagram Story ads can access Facebook's targeting, audience reach, and analytics solutions to help create content-relevant targeted ads for results. However, your results may vary depending on your audience, your product, and how you handle Instagram ads.
How Instagram Story ads work #
Instagram Story ads are part of the Facebook advertising system, but they are different from Instagram feed ads.
Instagram Story ads cannot be run under the same ad set as feed ads on Instagram, nor can they be run alongside other non-story display placements, as they have different creative and technical requirements. However, you can still choose targeting, budget, bidding, and scheduling.
Story ads on Instagram:
- appear between people's storiesas sponsored stories.
- As long as your ad campaign is running,it continues to display in Instagram users' stories.
- with videos that can last up to 15 secondsandphotos that can be shownfor five seconds.
- Use a call-to-action (CTA)to send people to a selected destination.
- They can swipe or skip to move forward. When viewers hold down, they can also pause.
At Qantas, we have been continuously innovating to tell our brand story in new ways on mobile devices. Instagram naturally initiated AWOL's first brand campaign, as it resonated with millennial audiences and allowed us to tell visually impactful stories that influence brand metrics.
—Qantas Digital Communications Manager Clarabella Burley
How to set up Instagram Story ads #
To create Instagram Story ads, you mustconnect your Instagram account to Business Manager.Once completed, go toAds Managerand click + Createto get started.
Choose a goal #
The first thing you want to do is select an ad campaign objective. These help define your goals for the campaign and how you will be charged.
For Instagram Story ads, you have several options:
- Reach.The goal here is to show your ad to as many people as possible.
- Video Views. This relates tohow to increase brand awarenesswith the aim of getting as many people as possible to watch your video ad.
- Traffic.This objective aims to drive traffic to your website. You will ultimately need to pay for each click or each view.
- Conversions.When the goal is to take specific actions, such as email or Messenger sign-ups, sales, or registrations
- Mobile app installs.Encourage people to download your app
- Lead generation.These activities openLead generationA form that automatically fills in that person's information
Aimed at selecting “Clicks” on “Reach” and “Video” views, “Conversions,” “Lead” generation, or “Mobile App” installs. With the first four goals, you can add the Messenger Ref URL to your Story Ad on Instagram and lead people to a Messenger conversation.
Set the audience for the ad #
In the second step of creating an Instagram Story ad, you will choose the audience to target.
When targeting, you have several options:
You can createA new audienceBy filling in the audience details on the dashboard, as shown above.
You can build based on various different sources (including Messenger bot subscriber lists)Custom audience.
Or, you can create a “ Lookalike Audience” based on the provided sources”.
Choose your placements and budget #
The next step is to choose where to run the ads. You can run automatic placements in the Facebook app family, or in this case, run them only through Instagram Stories. To do this, clickEdit placementsAnd then uncheck every option except for Instagram Stories.
Finally, you need to send the advertisement'sbudget and planbefore moving on to the advertisement materials.
Create your Instagram story ad #
The next step is to chooseFacebook PagewithInstagram account.
select" Carousel”or “ Single video”as the ad format. If your ad format is Carousel, you can add up to three Carousel cards in the Instagram story ad. Carousel ads in Stories require 9:16 ad materials and must be run in a separate Stories-only campaign.
Next, add your images or videos.
Then select the call-to-action and URL you want to add.
Finally, complete the remaining details and then select “ Confirm”to publish your ad.
Improve your Instagram marketing with ManyChat now. It's free to get started. #
Best practices for Instagram Story ads #
If you want to make the most of Instagram story ads, follow these best practices to create ads that captivate your audience and drive action.
1. Capture the audience's attention immediately #
Facebook found that peopleFastConsumedStories contentTherefore, speed is crucial for capturing the audience's attention.
One big question you should ask when creating Instagram story ads is: how do you make an ad that doesn't interrupt but will make the audience stop scrolling? After canceling link news feed ads, once someone swipes away from your ad, they won't see it again. Ultimately, you want to create a memorable ad that captures the audience's attention in the first frame.
For example, take this Instagram Story ad from Purple.
The mattress brand uses images to make the audience stop in their stories and view the ad. Then they add other cues, such as clear calls to action, product photos, and a bit of humor to convey what they are selling.
2. Use sound #
Your story ad will grab the audience's attention, but adding sound can help you stand out from the crowd immediately.60% of storiesare viewed with the sound on, so using a hook early can help stop users from scrolling and be effective.
Most importantly,compared to ads without sound, sound-enabled Stories ads80% ofperform better. You can use music, voiceovers, or sound effects in Instagram story ads to enhance creativity, make the ad more relevant, and engage the audience.
3. Add your logo #
Among the best practices discussed in various blogs about social media advertising, you will find “add a logo,” and Instagram Story ads are no exception. You need to make a memorable impression quickly, as viewers cannot click back to your ad.
Considering that39%people are more interested in a brand after seeing it on Instagram Stories, you want to ensure your brand can stick. In addition to having your brand appear in the top left corner of the ad, you can also add your name or logo in the first few seconds of the ad material. This will help viewers identify your brand if they don't click on the ad quickly and want to find you online.
4. Use dynamic stories #
Motion can help you add detail and texture to the message you want to convey. According to Facebook, dynamic stories show:
- 83%The chance of performing better than static imagesView content
- 88%The chance of surpassingAdd to cartStatic images
- 76%The chance of surpassingBuyStatic images
In addition to motion, you also want to include consistent branding and eye-catching headlines to highlight your product. Text should be less than 24 characters to allow viewers to focus on the movement of the ad.
5. Use multiple scenes #
If your story ad is more complex, you can break the scenes into short “chapters.” The most effective story ads often have more concise scenes - averaging2.8 seconds.
For example, Argos Home created a holiday story with five scenes in 10 seconds.
People interact quickly with stories. To create effective story ads, try using short, fast-paced narratives to convey your message in an engaging way.
Instagram Story ad specifications and requirements #
Instagram story image ad specifications: #
- Headline:Currently unavailable. Any text must be part of the image file.
- Format:Full-screen vertical ad (9:16)
- Recommended resolution: 1080 x 1920
- File type: .jpg or .png
- Maximum image size: 30MB
- Content:Visible for 5 seconds
Instagram story video ad specifications: #
- Headline:Currently unavailable. Any text must be part of the image file.
- Format:Full-screen vertical ad (9:16)
- Recommended resolution: 1080 x 1920
- File type: mp4 or .mov
- Maximum video size: 4GB
- Maximum video length: 15 seconds
- Recommended video codec: h.264, VP8
- Recommended audio codec: AAC, Vorbis
Instagram Story Ads: Connect with Your Target Audience #
If you're still unsure whether Instagram Story ads are right for you, it wouldn't hurt to run some campaign tests. With the guide above, you'll be able to create powerful Story ads that attract users and drive conversions, along with new customers from your Instagram marketing efforts.
