The colorful rings atop your newsfeed. The anticipation of what’s to come. The tap. The viewing experience. 

If you’re a socially connected member of the 21st century, you know the distinct satisfaction you get from Instagram stories. They’ve become such a monumental part of the photo-sharing app (in fact, 400 million users watch stories daily), that the ability to turn one into an ad for your company is valuable beyond comparison.

Experts on all things #Insta, our social media team is excited to share their knowledge about this incredible offering that when done right, can help take your conversions and sales to another level. 

What’s an Instagram story ad?

An Instagram story ad shows up in between organic stories on the top of a user’s newsfeed. Whether it features a static image, an animation, or a video, it “runs” for the same 15 seconds that every other story does. With the right content, you have an unmatched chance to shine.

How do I optimize an IG story ad?

Link to your product. Story ads look similar to organic stories, but the difference is that ads allow you to “link within your post.” All that a user has to do is swipe up on the CTA at the bottom of the story ad, and they’ll be taken to your landing page, product page, blog, lead form, etc. 

Set an objective. When you create an ad, you can set a unique “objective.” From getting your ad in front of the maximum number of users to driving sales like email addresses and phone numbers, Instagram story ads offer seven objectives: brand awareness, reach, video views, conversions, app installs, lead generation, and traffic. 

Use a custom audience. Grabbing a user’s attention is hard enough — keeping their attention is another story. With Facebook Custom Audiences, you can “avoid swipe-through” and get your ad in front of relevant users who are already familiar with your company. You can target based on five segments: customer file (information acquired through lead generation, website traffic, app activity, offline activity, and engagement (those who have engaged with your Facebook/Instagram content). 

Create a carousel ad. In terms of Instagram stories, a carousel ad consists of three distinct, 15-second slides. The advantage here is that you have more time (and creative freedom) to engage and entice users to click through. Not to mention, each slide allows you to link to a different destination. Therefore, this kind of ad is perfect for showing off your move-in-ready homes.

Be straightforward. Believe it or not, product-centric ads oftentimes perform better than those that focus on lifestyle (think home photography/video versus families enjoying amenities). While this certainly depends on the situation and audience, a good rule of thumb is to never wait until the very end to express what you’re selling.

What’s G2 doing with IG story ads?

Great question, we’re happy you asked! Because of the prominence of video/animation in today’s advertising climate (and a strong desire for anything fresh and new), we’ve been producing animated ads for builders — they typically see higher click-through and conversion rates than static ads do.

Because of short attention spans (hey, with all the content out there, we don’t blame anybody), we always make sure to pack a punch within the first few seconds of every ad. It’s crucial to clearly present relevant information and your company/logo at the beginning, but nothing’s more important than innovative, engaging content. From fun polls to enticing video tours, there are so many creative doors to open up.

Last but not least, one of the most important things to remember is that an Instagram story ad takes up an entire screen. This is music to your ears. If you have impressive, aesthetically pleasing product photography, an Instagram story ad is your BFF (yes, we said it). You can finally display that stunning kitchen your prospects need in the most visually appealing way possible… it’s a can’t-miss opportunity.

What’s next?

More sales! No, really. When Instagram story ads are done right, they can help you exceed your marketing goals by increasing brand awareness, strengthening your brand identity, and encouraging users to click through and convert. 

Our social media and creative teams love nothing more than putting their heads together and coming up with something awesome — so if you like the sound of more sales, you know who to call!