Facebook Stories is a feature which allows people to share photos, videos, and animations that disappear after 24 hours. It’s very similar to Snapchat stories, which was introduced back in 2013.
Content shared via Facebook Stories doesn’t appear in the News Feed. Instead, Stories appear above the News Feed.
To view someone’s Facebook Story, just tap on their profile picture. If there’s a Story that you haven’t yet seen, the user’s profile picture will have a blue ring around it.
Facebook Stories appear in full-screen. You can skip backward or forwards by tapping the left or right side of the screen.
So should you be using it for your business – without a doubt YES. And just to convince you, here are my top 10 reasons to start using Facebook Stories to promote your health and wellness business.
1. Prime Real Estate
With the organic reach of posts from businesses plummeting, now is an ideal time to harness the power of Facebook stories as they appear above your News feed so it is often the first thing you see!
2. Take action now
As Facebook Stories disappear after 24 hours, they possess an urgency that most forms of social sharing don’t. There’s nothing like a little FOMO (fear of missing out) to catch people’s attention.
3. I’m free!
That’s right it doesn’t cost anything except a bit of time!
Well it is for now, it would not surprise me if this changes down the track.
4. A deeper connection with your audience
Facebook Stories is perfect for sharing authentic content in real-time.
This level of connection and authenticity can be incredibly powerful. In fact, 94% of consumers say they’re likely to be loyal to a brand that offers complete transparency.
With Page stories, you can share content that represents your brand or business directly from your mobile device. Stories engage your audience and allow you to develop deeper connections in a more frequent, authentic and casual way. You can share pictures and short videos to bring your audience behind the scenes.
5. Increasing popularity of stories
From Instagram to Snapchat, Stories are rising in popularity.
More people are switching to the Stories format to connect in an organic and immediate way. After all, what better way to show your personality than through an organic, raw video snapshot?
Consider on Instagram, 250 million people use Stories every day. If you’re not exploring all of your options with video content, you’re missing out.
6. Facebook Stories is growing fast!
Unsurprisingly, Facebook Stories is the fastest growing Stories platform on the market. Just last month, the social media giant announced that over 300 million people are using Facebook Stories daily.
7. Not many brands are using stories – yet!
Now is the time to get a jump start on the competitors and start using Stories. Plus there is a greater chance that people will see your stories since there aren’t as many people using them.
8. Measure results
Like any form of marketing, it is important you can measure how your ads are performing and it is no different with Facebook stories.
You can see stats on how your recent Page stories are performing once you turn on Stories Insights. Photos and videos will only be visible in your Page’s story for 24 hours, but will remain visible in Insights for 28 days.
9. Get Creative
Stories format offers a range of new creative options, including filters, effects, video masks and live-streaming.
All of these tools give you new ways in which to tell your brand stories – you don’t have to have a huge budget or access to dedicated tools, necessarily, as these features are all available within your Facebook app.
Of course, the way in which you use them to create a compelling Story is what will differentiate your content in the Stories feed, but the opportunity is there to do so, to make your business stand out and generate interest and attention via Facebook Stories. And if few people are using the option, that may provide even more potential for your content to stand out. Maybe Stories doesn’t work out, and no one ever uses it, but it may be worth experimenting either way.
10. Put a human touch to your business
You want your Page to come across as friendly and accessible. Stories can help people get to know you and your business better. Stories let you share personal, relatable content through fun, fleeting moments that bind everyone together.
Customer experience is one of the most important topics in today’s marketing world. Video is a great way to enhance experiences, and Facebook Stories lets you build even further on your experiential marketing strategy. For instance, Facebook Stories are fantastic for extending the reach of events. Create image slideshows and videos leading up to an event.
Facebook Collaborative Stories also ensures that you can cover your story from every possible angle. With “collaborative” stories, you can connect your videos with slideshows and clips from other people in your social network. It is a great way to enhance brand reach and improve your video content.