3 Ways to Use Instagram Stories as a Designer
Instagram Stories have become a huge part of Instagram in the last couple of years since they launched in 2016. As a business owner and social strategist, I believe it’s necessary to utilize everything that Instagram has to offer to help you engage.
Think about this: to not use Instagram Stories within the app to connect with your audience is to not serve your followers in a more real-time, authentic and relatable way.
The fun part about Instagram Stories is that, given their life span, they help your business stay top-of-mind with Instagram users throughout the week, even if you aren’t actively posting to your feed. And not only will you be able to build a bond with you audience, you may also open yourself up to a new community of potential clients and industry peers that you never knew existed before.
Because we all have access to Stories (but may not be using them yet!) I’m sharing three ways that creatives can use Instagram Stories to get more eyes on their work and build an engaged community while they’re at it below!
Show behind-the-scenes peeks of your day-to-day.
Use Instagram Stories to give a behind-the-scenes peek into your creative process to cultivate a connection with your audience. I don't believe in "secrets" to success when it comes to running a creative studio, so I frequently share peeks into my design process, how I lay out brand presentations, where I source inspiration from and more when kicking off design projects. Many of these past share-outs led to conversations with potential clients who ended up working with us!
Engage with your audience in a real way.
Your audience has valuable thoughts and opinions, so why not pull them into the conversations you’re having in your business? Source your audiences' opinion in design styles, color palettes and more – trust us, they’ll love to be involved in the process. We recommend doing this by using the polls Instagram Story sticker to gauge their opinion when sharing out active projects on Instagram.
Share relevant design tip and tricks.
Again, I’m not big on keeping secrets, but I am into sharing actionable tips and tricks! If you're a creative business owner, chances are that other creative business owners are following you, too. Serve them well by committing one day a week to sharing quick creative and design tips on your Instagram Story with this sect of your audience. You'll be amazed at the conversations that will stem from this, and how many industry peers will turn into friends.
Social media is a necessity in your marketing plan, and taking full advantage of Instagram Stories will help you reach and connect with your audience like never before. Were these three tips helpful to you? What are your favorite social media strategies? Let’s chat in the comments below!