Instagram Stories that stand out
Without a strong social media presence, companies will not be able to succeed in the long run.
It’s a bold statement, but 62% of consumers agree with it.
This sentiment could be because one in three consumers say that they use social media to learn about new products, services, or brands. It could be because 58% of consumers said that they find it more engaging to connect with a brand on social media than at a physical store. Or perhaps it’s because 78% of them say that they’re more likely to buy from a brand after a positive experience on social media.
You can choose your favorite reason.
But no matter what you choose, the reality is that social media can be a powerful tool in a business’ toolbox. The trick is standing out.
Thinking Beyond the Social Media Post
Standing out on social media can be as simple as getting followers to look twice. But on a platform like Instagram that’s full of eye-catching content, “simple” doesn’t always equate to “easy.”
Luckily, Instagram Stories can help.
With 500 million people using Stories every day, the question isn’t whether or not your target market is using the feature. It’s whether or not you’re able to hold their attention.
Enter branded GIFs.
The Benefits of Branded GIFs
Don’t be fooled. GIFs aren’t just eye-catching and fun. These flashing, twirling, and color-changing stickers can get your followers to engage with your Stories. GIFs can entice your followers to move to the next slide in your story, visit a post in your feed, or follow your call to action to visit your website or make a purchase off a shoppable post.
If you search through the GIF stickers currently available on Instagram, you’ll see a grab-bag of options. The good news is that they’re available to anyone. The bad news is that they likely don’t match your brand.
FARM faced this challenge when working on Instagram Stories for our client Clarksburg Cider. We wanted to utilize every tool in our Instagram toolbox, but our options were limited. So, we created bespoke, branded GIFs that Clarksburg can use.
Increasing Brand Recognition with GIFs
When branded GIFs are created, they’ll be searchable based on the keywords associated with each sticker. This helps you easily find them when creating branded Stories.
It also makes it possible for anyone on Instagram to find and use them in their own Stories. A great example of this is with Clarksburg Cider’s GIFs. Two of the keywords we used were “Clarksburg” and “cider.”
Using Clarksburg as a keyword means that someone specifically searching for the brand could easily find Clarksburg’s branded GIFs. However, using “cider” as a keyword allows cider lovers that may or may not be following Clarksburg to discover and use Clarksburg’s GIFs. By using “cider” as a keyword, Clarksburg can organically get in front of people posting Stories about cider as well as anyone who follows them.
The target audience for your company is likely different, but the outcome can be the same. With strategic, branded GIFs, your company can get in front of your target audience again and again.
If you think branded GIFs could benefit your company’s social media strategy, we can help. Drop us a line or send us a DM on Instagram. We’d love to have a conversation.
