Report: Trends and Insights on Instagram Stories
Discover why Instagram Stories are becoming an interregnal component of Influencer Marketing.
Instagram Stories popped onto the scene back in August of 2016. The 24-hour content feature quickly picked up, and soon Instagram users surpassed that of Snapchat. As the popularity grew, brands took notice and realized this was an exciting new medium that could be used for influencer campaigns. By 2019, 1 out of 3 sponsored Instagram posts was an Instagram Story, and this number continues to grow.
We’ve been observing the growth of Instagram Stories in the Influencer industry for some time now. In the past, we made a report on the different ways brands were leveraging stories. Now, we are observing how influencers are promoting their partners in Stories.
Instagram Stories offer a personal touch, unlike more traditional social content formats. Where a post or a video can feel curated and edited, Stories offer followers a behind-the-scenes look at someone’s life. This authentic, real-life connection is the bread and butter of an influencer’s appeal, which almost makes Stories the ideal format. We surveyed over 12,000 Stories with a #ad to identify trends and highlight the exciting ways influencers are using this feature.
How many Hashtags Should Be in a Story?
Where traditional posts depend heavily on @mentions or #hashtags to build exposure, Stories are different. Text is not the main experience, rather the personal feeling of a spontaneous video and an informal conversational tone. Influencers will still use text when promoting brands, but often is it more to the point and less formulated. Our study found that on average an Instagram post has 9 words and 2 hashtags. Typically a sponsored story will include the hashtag #ad, as well as a hashtag relating to the campaign. Tip: Use a social media monitoring tool like Meltwater to identify the best-fitting hashtags and track your hashtag performance.
Can Stories Drive Sales?
As a sales tactic, some influencers will include a promotion in their campaign which encourages the viewer to make a purchase. Only 10% of the stories we assessed had a promotion. The most popular promotion used by an influencer is Swipe Up, making up 90% of all promotions. ‘Swipe Up’ leads a viewer to a product page.
There are more Instagram Stories trends to discover. Download our full report to boost your Stories strategy.