Are you a business owner and is your business active on social media? Do you know that you can boost your sales through Instagram stories and Snapchat?
With about 100 million daily active users in just four years, Snapchat is rapidly growing to become one of the major players.
Actually, Snapchat is arguably the fastest-growing social networking site. But do you really know how consumers are using Snapchat and can your business also benefit from Snapchat marketing?
No doubt about it, social media is playing a major role in digital marketing and this is why you should never joke about its capability.
The fact is that the growing popularity of such social networking sites as Snapchat and Instagram means there is more opportunity for businesses and top brands to reach more potential customers.
It is all about social media…
Modern business marketing is all about social media because that’s where businesses can find their customers (and potential customers).
It’s all about social media because we are all crazy about it and top brands, as well as small businesses, are also cashing in on the popularity of social networking websites.
But it’s not just about having your business on social media websites, it’s more about ensuring that you are actually using the platform to benefit your business.
Also, be mindful of the fact that there is more to social media than just using it to market and promote your business. You can also use it for customer support as well as to improve engagements.
Why Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories
Recently launched Instagram Stories is a similar feature to Snapchat Stories, as both allow users to post photos and videos sequentially, and are available to view for 24 hours.
However, Instagram Stories seems to be more user-friendly and provides instant access to the stories of the people you follow.
Unlike Snapchat Stories, this makes it easier for content creators and brands to easily share and display stories to their followers. But Snapchat has its own usefulness too as its humorous filters, which can alter the face of the user, is one of the most popular features of the app that brands can tap into.
Also, Snapchat is hugely popular with the teenage demographic, who makeup 86% of their user base and may prefer to remain on the social network that is yet to be adopted by their parents.
But how can small businesses use these tools to drive sales? Below are some of the ways your business can also benefit from the popularity of these two social networking sites:
#1]. Show the product in action
It’s one thing to write about a product, but what can help to seal the deal with a prospective customer is enabling them to see exactly how it works.
Likewise, if you’re a fashion blogger, you can truly show how an item of clothing looks and moves with your body in a short video clip which is harder to achieve with a photo.
Make use of the filters and editing tools to inject some humour into your stories of the product, to show it in a unique way that will also demonstrate your creativity.
#2]. Build up anticipation
Have you managed to get your hands on a product that is yet to be fully released, or are you one of the first to purchase a new launch? Use stories to post teaser clips and photos that will build up anticipation for your followers.
This will also help to cement your status as a tastemaker who is the first to share reviews on the latest launches, encouraging your followers to turn to you when they want more information before purchasing, as well as recommending your content to their friends.
#3]. Tutorial and behind-the-scenes videos
We all love to learn new things or ideas and there is no better way to learn than watching a tutorial video. If you are selling products that require some technical know-how to use, you can help your followers and fans through tutorial videos.
Building a relationship with your audience is a great marketing weapon you can effectively use to improve your business sales.
For instance, if your business is selling smart mobile gadgets such as smartphones, making tutorial videos on how to use certain features on certain smartphones will go a long way to help your followers. Also, videos like this can easily go viral which is good for your business marketing.
Also, you can share behind-the-scenes videos to satisfy your follower’s curiosity by letting them see behind the scenes of your business operations. If you are a content creator and you’re not camera-shy, a great way to build a following is to show the person behind the awesome content.
Creating stories of how you do things can be of great interest to your followers who are curiously wondering how you have been able to create those awesome and great content. You can also show your daily routine as it will help you build a personal connection with your followers.
Building a relationship with your audience and followers is a great marketing weapon you can effectively use to improve your business sales. Ultimately this means that when it comes to making their purchases, they’ll pick someone they trust and feel engaged with.
#4]. Encourage feedback from followers
Both Snapchat and Instagram Stories allow your followers to respond to your story clips directly. Use this opportunity to encourage engagement and feedback.
“Businesses often rely on feedback to improve; seek it with sincerity.“
You could ask your followers to share their thoughts on the product you’ve shown, to ask for their recommendations for other products which you can then share, and to ask for requests for specific types of content.
Using Instagram and Snapchat Stories can add a new dimension to your content and brand. It can help you to engage further with your followers, creating a stronger connection that can ultimately help to drive sales.
Particularly if you’re already using Instagram, give the stories feature a try and experiment with different types of posts. And don’t forget, after 24 hours the story will have disappeared anyway.
