With 83% of our Facebook followers recently reporting that they intend to implement stories in their digital marketing within the next 12 months, it looks like many of us are looking to incorporate the content type into our social media mix in 2019.
And with good reason!
Facebook stories alone were said to have 150 million active users daily in May of last year.
And with no signs of slowing down, we can only assume that this figure is set to rise in 2019.
But what are Facebook stories? And why should we be using them?
In this blog, you’ll learn all about Facebook stories – what they are, why you need them, & how easy they are for you to implement today!
Sounds good, right? Let’s get started.
What are Facebook stories?
Sharing news
Stories are just another way for you to share images, videos, & animations with your Facebook following.
Unlike posts, Facebook stories only have a lifespan of 24 hours & have a 20 second length limit.
Making them bite-sized pieces of news-worthy content for your audience to easily digest on a regular basis.
Added bonus!
Their small lifespan also means they have a sense of urgency about them that standard posts simply don’t.
And there’s nothing like the fear of missing out to encourage someone to view & interact with content!
‘As it’s happening’ pieces of content
Their short lifespan also means they’re really easy for you to make.
Because many followers expect stories to be ‘raw’, ‘as it’s happening’ pieces of content. Images & videos used in stories tend to be unedited & less formatted than regular posts.
Meaning that, for those of us who might be worried about how much time this additional content might take to make, there’s really nothing to feel overwhelmed about!
Don’t get me wrong, if you want to spend time creating incredible visual stories, then knock your socks off – your audience will love it!
But it isn’t necessarily expected of you, nor should you worry about perfectly edited images or videos for this type of content.
Where will my stories be seen?
Onscreen
On mobile, your stories will be seen at the top of your follower’s Messenger apps, they’ll also be seen at the top of your follower’s Facebook newsfeed.
On desktop, your stories will be visible on the top right hand side of your follower’s newsfeed.
How will my followers know it’s me?
Stories are clearly associated with a particular Page or profile by showing the relevant profile image along with the individual’s or Page’s name underneath or alongside it.
A blue ring will be visible around your profile image to indicate that you have a recent/new story to share with your audience that they haven’t seen yet.
Some visuals to help
The below image shows the desktop view of stories.
The blacked-out lines are where the profile or Page name is shown, and the image to the left of this shows the profile picture set for the individual or Page.
This is what your stories will look like on the mobile Messenger (left) & Facebook (right) apps:
Again, the blacked-out areas are where the names of Pages & individuals would be shown.
And on the Facebook app display of stories, I’ve covered the story images with a white filter for privacy’s sake!
Don’t worry, the preview of your stories will be far easier for your followers to see!
The exciting bit!
For me, this is the most exciting thing about stories!
Because their placement results in them getting prime visibility on your follower’s Facebook newsfeed, as well as in their Messenger app.
And with Facebook’s algorithm meaning that, for many of us, between only 2-4% of our followers actually see our organic content, the extra visibility gained from using Facebook stories is a huge bonus!
The added exposure of your profile picture & username also gives you further brand promotion, and helps familiarise your audience with your business.
Doesn’t that sound awesome?
I know, I know, it’s too much. 😂
Why should I use Facebook stories?
Apart from their prime placement & potential to increase brand awareness, Facebook stories are also incredibly interactive.
With features such as: event promotions, polls, music, & much more. They’re a great way to give your audience content that they can engage with & respond to with minimal effort!
Your followers can interact with your stories in a few ways:
- They can use one of Facebook’s reactions
- They can share your story in their own story, or in a message to a friend
- There can also be the option of your audience sending a message to you in response to your story
Any reactions to your stories will be visible to you in your Page’s Messenger. Giving them a unique, private element that regular Facebook posts don’t offer.
This private engagement is a fantastic opportunity for you as a brand to communicate directly with your audience & potential customer in a meaningful way.
You could even respond to their reaction to develop a rapport!
Ask them what they liked about your story or why they interacted with it – the extra effort on your part could result in a sale or booking!
Here’s an example to show you what this could look like:
FAQs
Can I delete/remove a Facebook story?
Yes.
Just bare in mind that any changes made to a story will update it across both applications.
Meaning that, when you delete a story on Facebook (the app or on your desktop), it will also be deleted in Facebook’s Messenger app.
How to delete a Facebook story:
- Click/Tap ‘See Archive’ on the ‘Stories’ area of your newsfeed
- Select ‘Your Story’
- Click ‘. . .’ in the top right
- ‘Delete Photo’ / ‘Delete Video’
Can I see who’s viewed my ‘Facebook story?
For individual profiles, you can see who’s viewed your Facebook story.
For business Pages, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever be able to see precisely who has viewed your story.
Instead, you’ll be shown the number of people who have viewed your story.
This can be done by tapping/clicking the ‘👁’ symbol.
How to post a Facebook story
To post a story onto your Facebook business Page, you must first make sure you’re a Page admin or editor.
If you created the Page then you will be, but for any employees or third parties who want to create a story for your business Page, they’ll need to be given this access in Page ‘Settings’.
Once this is done, go to your Page.
Select the blue ‘+’ symbol on the side of your profile picture.
This will give you the option to ‘Create story’.
From here, take a picture/video/Boomerang, or use an existing piece of media & edit it or add any features you might want to your post.
Share your story once done!
Here’s what the process will look like on desktop:
Have you used Facebook stories in your marketing mix? Let us know what kind of results you’re seeing from this feature – comment below!
