Last month, we covered the best ways to get more followers for your brand's Instagram account.This month, our social media tip series goes a step further to explore How to Successfully Use Instagram Stories.

What It Is Instagram Stories is a feature of the Instagram app. It allows you to share live content with your followers in real-time as well as bite-sized content for quick flows of information. Your viewers can also comment on live videos and you can answer their questions. This adds an entirely new dimension for your followers to interact with your brand.There are three methods for sharing:

• Record live videos which play in real-time and disappear forever after it ends
• Take photos and videos within the app to add to your Story which all have a lifetime of just 24 hours
• Upload pre-recorded content which also automatically deletes after 24 hours
  

When to Use It Instagram Stories give you two great marketing options. The first is that you can treat it like a showcase for your offering. With uploads lasting up to ten seconds, you can share images and videos to show all sides of your products or services.In addition, you can use Instagram Stories to add a human element to your feed. By uploading behind-the-scenes content, your followers can connect with the people behind the brand. You can also share content about the making of your product to give your customers a greater understanding.Whatever you choose to share, it’s a great way to market your offering.

How to Use It On the main page of the Instagram app, you simply click on the camera icon in the upper left corner. Then, at the bottom, you can view various upload options. The first is Live which, with a tap, begins a live video for your followers. You can use both the rear- and front-facing cameras for this. The Normal tab allows you to capture photos and videos and even add drawings, text, and doodles to the content. Finally, swiping left, you can also access Instagram’s Boomerang video style and Hands-Free video recording.

Get Creative There is a hidden gem to Instagram Stories: swiping up in the Stories view allows you to upload pre-recorded content. This includes promo videos and even professional images (if you have permission from the photographer).But, Instagram Stories is all about keeping things fresh – and that means only using up to date content. So, the photos and videos in this section must have been uploaded to your smartphone in the past 24 hours. While this is a bit tedious, pre-recorded content is worth it. You can display professional content for all of your products and services to go alongside your behind-the-scenes and amateur uploads. This will instantly elevate your brand.

Why It’s Great Unlike the rest of Instagram posts, you can add clickable content to your Stories. As a business, you know that this is vital. Your viewers can easily catch up on your uploads and simply swipe up to be redirected to your website or target page. During your Story, an arrow along with “See More” encourages users to swipe up. If you hadn’t noticed, your regular photo and video posts on Instagram don’t allow for any links, only hashtags.

Do you already use Instagram Stories for your business?