5 Instagram Stories You Should Create and Auto-Publish as a Small Business Owner
As a small business owner, we know you've got a lot on your plate – from managing your products or services to handling customer inquiries and everything in between. But here's the thing: Instagram Stories can be your secret weapon to boost your online presence and connect with your audience.
We get it, though – consistently posting Stories can be a challenge.
Over the last few months, Instagram has opened up their API that allows third party software the ability to allow you to schedule AND auto-publish Stories. And in less nerdy terms: you can create and plan Stories and then have them posted for you - just like you do with other Instagram content.
Before we dive into five Instagram Story ideas that you can create and auto-publish for yous mal business, there are a few things you need to know about auto-publishing Instagram Stories:
Number One: make sure you are using a software that is an approved partner with Instagram, we love using Later! This will ensure that your account is safe, and that you aren’t violating any terms and conditions.
Number Two: you CANNOT currently add any type of stickers or music like you traditionally would if you were manually posting your Instagram Stories. This is against the rules that Instagram has set in place currently, so if you see a software that allows you to do that - don’t use it!
Number Three: You have two options when it comes to creating these Stories: (1) in a design software like Canva, or (2) natively in Instagram Stories. If you decide to go with option two, still use native Instagram Story features like captions, text, GIFs, but exclude anything that is interactive for your audience like music, stickers that require engagement, or links.
Say goodbye to the stress of staying on top of your Stories game and hello to a fun and engaging way to grow your business! Now let’s dive into some ideas that you can plan, batch, and auto-publish!
Story Idea Number One: Behind the Scenes
Alright, let's get personal! People love to peek behind the curtain and see the magic happening. Use Instagram Stories to take your audience behind the scenes of your business. Show them the creative process, the hustle, and the heart that goes into what you do.
Snap a quick video of your team brainstorming or share a photo of your workspace in all its glorious messiness. Authenticity and transparency are your best friends here, so let your personality shine!
With auto-publishing tools, you can schedule your behind-the-scenes Stories in advance, giving your audience a regular backstage pass without lifting a finger. This works especially well if you tend to have days where you like working from the couch, but you still want to show off some more of the “exciting” aspects of your business!
Story Idea Number Two: Product or Service Showcases
It's time to flaunt what you've got! Instagram Stories are perfect for showcasing your amazing products or services in a fun and engaging way. Skip the traditional sales pitch and instead, get creative!
Try creating short videos or vibrant photos that highlight the unique features of your offerings. And hey, no need to worry about those fancy stickers – let your visuals do the talking! With auto-publishing, you can maintain a consistent flow of captivating product/service showcase Stories that will leave your audience craving more.
Story Idea Number Three: Expert Tips or Tutorials:
You're an expert in your field, so why not share your wisdom with the world? Instagram Stories provide a fantastic platform for sharing bite-sized tips, tricks, and tutorials that will leave your audience impressed and wanting to learn more from you.
Whether it's a quick how-to video, a step-by-step guide, or a pro tip shared in a fun graphic, these Stories will position you as an authority and keep your followers coming back for more. And the best part? You can schedule these informative and inspiring Stories to go live automatically, even when you're busy making your business shine!
PRO TIP: This is also a great place to repurpose content you already have!! Shared a tutorial on TikTok? Use that SAME video and have it auto-publish to Stories. Created a quick tip graphic in Canva that performed really well in your feed? Just resize that graphic into a 9:16 ratio!
Story Idea Number Four: FAQs + Business Information
Your followers might ask you a ton of questions via DM and in emails, on sales calls, or maybe in the comment section on social media. You can take these questions, along with some of your business information, your messaging, and anything else they need to know and turn them into informative Stories!
These are really fun and easy to create with beautiful Canva graphics too! And if you don’t want to start from scratch, we have a few Instagram Story Canva templates for you to try out for your small business! These are super easy to customize for any brand.
Story Idea Number Five: Personal
While your Instagram account is mainly meant to share things that relate to your business, you might also want to include some things about yourself and your life! These are super easy to create when you dig back into your camera roll and find video clips or images you want to share, and easily put text on top of!!
Your followers want to get to know you, because people buy from people, and you are an integral part of your business and what you sell. And bonus tip: you can easily create personal posts for holidays or for times you want to be off social media, while still being able to show up on Stories through auto-publishing!
And there you have it – five awesome Instagram Story ideas that will help you engage with your audience and grow your business, without the hassle of constantly having to remember to post. With behind-the-scenes glimpses, captivating product/service showcases, insightful expert tips, FAQs + Business Info, along with personal tidbits, your Stories will be the talk of the town!
So go ahead, use auto-publishing tools to your advantage, and let your creativity run wild. Show the world what makes your business unique and keep those Stories flowing. We can't wait to see your small business shine bright on Instagram!
Want to grow your Instagram account?
If you're trying to grow your Instagram account with a content strategy, you're most likely not seeing many results. You need a content strategy and a growth strategy that are both possible for you to execute with your bandwidth.
In this class, we will define what each of them are and how to create both for your business. Includes a bonus Growth Strategy Planner!
Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, an Instagram training membership and content shop to help social media managers and Instagram savvy women entrepreneurs to beat the algorithm and grow their organic engagement (yes, even in 2021).
This year she also launched Your Template Club, a Canva Template subscription to provide social media managers and Instagram savvy business owners with content templates designed for engagement in their inbox.
Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000 right out of college to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award winning career in creative and strategy. In 2017, Manu started Your Social Team with the mission of helping women entrepreneurs and social media managers grow engagement and sales through Instagram without the overwhelm.