Using Instagram stories to promote your Teespring products

Instagram Stories just hit its one year anniversary, and already the feature has become widely adopted across a massive majority of users. On average, users spend anywhere from 24-32 minutes per day on Instagram, with over 250 million clicking on at least one story per day. 

Given Instagram’s (highly) impressive growth, it’s important to make sure your brand is present and actively engaged on the platform. Tackling this channel doesn’t have to be daunting though, and you can work Instagram Stories into your daily marketing efforts. Check out the below tips and tricks to help you get started!

What are Instagram Stories?

Instagram stories let you share key moments of your day in a slideshow format. You can post as many videos or photos as you’d like without fear of overlapping content. The posts will disappear in 24 hours, and will never appear in your actual Instagram feed.

How to post a story

Click on the plus icon in the top left corner of your screen, or camera if you’ve already posted. Tap the circle button at the bottom of the screen, or hold down to record a video. Swipe to add filters to add text, drawings, or other graphics, use the buttons in the top right corner. If you are a verified account, you’ll have the option to include links in your posts.

How to view stories

Stories from people you follow will appear in a bar at the top of your feed. Whenever someone you follow posts something new, they will appear at the front of the bar and their profile photo will feature a colorful ring. Just tap on their photo to start their story. Tap left/right to go back/forward, or swipe to jump to another story.

You also have the ability to send a private message to some by tapping on the particular post you want to respond to.

Types of story formats

Instagram offers a range of applications to help make your content truly unique. In addition to text and graphics, you can utilize:

• Boomerang – Take a burst of photos to create a short video loop.
• Rewind – Capture your content in reverse.
• Hands Free Recording – Record video without having to hold down the center button.
• Face Filters – While in selfie mode, add a range of filters including glasses, hats, and other objects.

 

Make stories part of your promotional strategy

Instagram has already proven itself effective in helping sellers spread the word about their ecommerce business. Stories adds another layer to your promo, allowing you to take your content to a whole new level:

Go behind the scenes

Share content that you wouldn’t normally post to your other channels. Give fans an inside look at your workspace, design process, events, photo shoots, and much more. Stories can help you to give a more, ‘human’ voice to your brand, allowing you to establish a deeper connection with your buyers. Give people a reason to keep coming back and checking your store each day.

Show off your products

Working on a new design, or looking to launch a new product? Use Instagram stories to help build buzz around a new item you are looking to release. Offer sneak peek photos wearing your merch, a short video clip talking about the design, etc.

Share promo codes or run a contest

Instagram-only contests and offers are a great way to build your following on the platform! Create a promo code on your Teespring account, and share the link to your followers via your story. As an example, launch a flash sale by setting your promo code to only last for 24 hours. This way the offer will coincide exactly with your story.

Make it personal

Putting a face to your brand will help to establish a deeper level of trust with your buyers. Be sure to post key moments of your everyday life that may not be directly related to your business. Share pet photos, travel videos, and maybe even the quintessential food photo. The more authentic your content is, the more engaging it will be to your audience.

Want to see how other users are promoting products on Teespring?