Instagram For Business: Utilizing Stickers on Instagram Story
Instagram Stories have been gaining more and more attention, with approximately 500 million daily active users worldwide.
This Snapchat-like feature lets you come up with photo and video sequences that disappear after 24 hours.
Stories are a fantastic opportunity for businesses to utilize the platform and post highly engaging visual content.
Not only that they’re fun and exciting, but they also give users a sense of urgency that encourages them to take action.
Aside from that, they generate exceptional results by boosting brand awareness and message recall.
One of the best ways to achieve these results is by utilizing stickers to make your material more powerful and engaging.
How to Use Instagram Stickers: Knowing the Basics
In its most basic form, Instagram stickers are graphic elements wherein users have the option to add them in their video or image stories.
Some of these stickers are clickable, others animated, while some allow users to engage and interact directly with the story.
Stickers are there to make your Instagram story more interesting. As a result, users are more likely to interact with them.
How to Access Instagram Stickers
To find the sticker tray on IG stories, swipe to the right to open Instagram Stories then take a photo or a video.
On the upper right, you’d find three icons, a square smiling face with a corner peeled upwards, a pair of letters, and a marker. The sticker icon is the first among the three.
Tap on it, and you’ll be directed to a menu that offers a variety of sticker options such as a location sticker, countdown sticker, and so on. Chances are, the newer sticker options will likely show up on the top of the menu.
After finding the right sticker that will fit into what you’re trying to express, you can put it on your story. You have the option to either pin it to a location on the video or stick to a specific location onscreen.
The Top Instagram Story Stickers You Should be Using
So now, we’ll be looking at the kinds of IG stickers you should be using to create real and measurable results. Some even automatically customize themselves, depending on your current condition.
Hashtag stickers
Hashtag stickers work the same way as they do when they’re used in captions, placing you into a group of similarly tagged content. However, it’s only done if Instagram thinks that the post is strong in terms of engagement and quality.
Hashtag stickers usually have the potential to reach hundreds (if not thousands) of users in your particular region, industry, or niche. They can help you retell your brand message, helping you build a stronger campaign.
Poll & Emoji Slider Stickers
Emoji sticker slider and poll stickers help you generate immediate and real-time feedback from your followers and viewers.
Poll stickers usually allow you to ask questions, giving two options for users to choose from, then let them click on their favorite choice. Think, “What would you like more, black or white?” or “Which do you prefer, pizza or pasta?” type of questions.
Emoji-slider stickers, on the other hand, lets you choose the emoji of your choice. Users can then drag the slider (to the left or right) to submit their answers. For instance, you can ask your followers something like, “How excited are you to try our new product?” along with an emoji sliding scale.
Both of these sticker types are vital and generate social proof. Furthermore, they also help you track how engaged people are with your content.
Note, however, if a lot of people are seeing your Stories but aren’t clicking, then it’s high time to evaluate what went wrong.
Question Stickers
Question stickers are one of the latest additions to the mix and are pretty cool. Usually, a “Question” sticker is used to prompt users to ask questions.
Users will submit the questions right from the story. Then, you’ll receive the question in your inbox. You have the option to answer these questions in your future Stories. You can even make a Q&A to engage your audience in watching your Stories.
Question stickers are straightforward to do, capitalizing on the authenticity and immediacy that most users crave. Bonus points if you respond with a compelling story video.
Mention stickers
Mention stickers let you tag another Instagram profile on Stories. They allow you to notify a user that you’ve shared their content, or send users to the profile of your choice.
Moreover, mention stickers can also be used in:
- Creating partnerships with other businesses. Mention stickers are used to promote one another.
- Giving credit to other users for the UGC content they created.
- Tagging other users (with their permission) when they appear on one of your branded photos and videos.
- Sending other users to profiles that you think they’d love, or to a company that you’re affiliated with.
Mention stickers are fantastic in fostering partnerships, building a community, and even driving traffic to your other Instagram profiles.
Location Stickers
Just like other sticker types on the list, location stickers are pretty simple. You select a sticker, and then add the location of your choice. You can choose from general areas to more specific ones.
Just like hashtag stickers, when people click on the location tag, they can opt to be taken to the feed of other content that is tagged as well. Using these stickers sends a lot of user-engagement, giving you a lot of social proof.
GIF Stickers
GIF stickers let you add everything from a “Sound On” icon, colorful emojis, or a day of the week tag. Adding these small touches into your story can already make a significant difference.
Moreover, you can also use stickers alongside your story to fit into the fun and lively dynamic nature of the platform. Adding them gives a more personal touch that encourages users to engage and come back for more.
Countdown stickers
A countdown sticker usually counts down to the time and date that you’ve set.
They’re excellent if you want to create momentum on a recent product launch or event. It also helps maintain your audience’s interest as well, because followers can subscribe to your countdown event. Thus, sending them a reminder once the countdown is up.
Moreover, your followers can also send the countdown with their own set of network, helping you boost your reach.
Shoppable Tags
Shoppable tags first appeared on feed, but they’re now available in Stories as well. Once users click on it, the tag gives them additional product information such as links that directly lead to your eCommerce page where a purchase can be made.
They’re one of the most anticipated Story features for most brands because it gives a more convenient alternative to the ‘link in bio’ process.
When you’re presenting users a hassle-free path of purchasing, the very moment you have their interest, they are likely to convert or make a purchase.
Thus, this reduces the risk of losing them along the way, improving your chances to make a sale.
Over to You
Hashtag stickers are an excellent way to generate more traffic, engagement, social proof, and brand awareness. By being able to gauge a user’s reaction, you can capture their attention and drive them to your feed.
About the author
Kevin Urrutia is the founder of Voymedia, an Instagram Advertising Agency based in New York. He aids businesses in effectively improving sales and conversion through the effective utilization of Instagram advertising. Voy Media is an expert in determining the best approach, coming up with a unique solution for each client.
