Why Should You Use Instagram Stories?

Last Updated on February 16th, 2021 at 10:47 am

How to Use Instagram Stories Like an Expert (1/3)

In some methods, Instagram Stories might be considered a Snapchat killer. It’s the Facebook-Instagram firm’s answer to their “blink, and it’s gone” opposition. In this article, I’ll present you use Instagram Stories like an expert.

Like Instagram itself, Instagram Stories are snowballing in reputation. In Instagram Reels Statistics That Will Blow Your Mind, we checked out this fast growth. This previous September, Instagram reached 800 million active monthly users, with 500 million checking their Instagram account daily.

Instagram Stories was solely launched in August 2016, however, its utilization is rising quickly. It has already exceeded the June 2017 figure quoted in our earlier article, 250 million, and four months later it reached 300 million daily users. Snapchat, compared, solely has 173  million utilizing it every day – albeit an increase of 6 million since I wrote the above article. Continue reading →

Instagram’s New Support Small Business Stickers (1/2)

Last Updated on September 23rd, 2021 at 10:55 am

Support Small Business stickers

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses using social media as their main marketing strategy. And the influence is showing on social media platforms as well. Brands are posting less and spending less money on ads on social media platforms. Consequently, their revenue and engagement from social media have plunged drastically.

In a COVID-19 Marketing Survey, we found that 65% of marketers have witnessed a noticeable decline in revenue, 74% have reduced their posting frequency, and 69% have decreased their ad spend since the outbreak.

Clearly, marketers and brands are taking it easy on social media platforms.

Continue reading →

The Best Tools to Schedule Your Instagram Stories (1/2)

Last Updated on December 12th, 2020 at 11:12 am

schedule Instagram stories

When Instagram first introduced its Stories feature, it seemed like a straightforward copy of Snapchat. Yet Instagram Stories have taken off and turn into arguably the best success for Instagram.

Businesses have also realized the benefits of Instagram Stories for marketing. You can choose a highly related collection of pictures, connected to the subject of your marketing campaign, and link them together as a Story. Although most will generally disappear after 24 hours, you may pin your best Stories to your profile page. Specially, you can add a “swipe-up” link to your Instagram Stories. And make them extra versatile than everyday Instagram posts.

Yet, like all social media marketing, creating your Instagram Stories could be time-consuming, particularly if you want to add to them as the day progresses. This is where the relatively few tools that can help you schedule your Instagram Stories to come in handy. You can use these to prepare your entire Story in advance at once. And set the perfect times for every image to go live.

Continue reading →

Instagram Story Hacks: 20 Hot Tricks and Features (1/2)

Last Updated on November 16th, 2020 at 12:30 pm

20 instagram story hacks

You’ve probably already pored over our Must-Try Instagram Hacks. (It’s a enjoyable beach read, I totally get it!) Now, it’s time to master the fantastic art of the Instagram Story. It’s just basic math: If an image is worth a thousand words, an Instagram Story post must be worth a million, right? And these 20 Instagram Story hacks will make you the perfect Story-teller in town.

Continue reading →

20 Creative Instagram Story Ideas (1/2)

Last Updated on November 7th, 2020 at 10:50 am

creative Instagram story

Your brand’s creative Instagram Story is the perfect place to engage followers, promote new products, and gain your brand’s awareness.

After all, more than 500 million users watch the creative Instagram Stories every day. So in case you’re not using the feature as part of your social media strategy, you’re probably leaving a lot of money on the table.

However, what exactly should you post on your Instagram Story? Fortunately, we’re here to answer that question.

Below we’ve included the 20 creative ideas to post on your Instagram Story. This allows you to create an endless well of content to draw from and will help you get the most bang for your buck from the platform.

Let’s dive in.

Continue reading →

Level Up Your Instagram Stories: 15 of the Best Apps (2/2)

Last Updated on October 12th, 2020 at 12:18 pm

Here are more apps to help you level up your Instagram Stories. Let’s jump into!

8. CutStory

CutStory app

Price: Free, with some paid features
Download: iOS only

What to use it for: The 15-second maximum is one of the best and worst things about Instagram. Sure, short content is fun and engaging. But it’s also super limiting.

For Stories you can’t express in under 15 seconds, there’s CutStory. This app lets you divide long videos into a series of shorter clips. You’ll end up with a continuous stream of videos that you can post as Instagram Stories.

Key features:

  • Cut long videos into Instagram-length clips
  • Export videos without compressing them
  • Post videos filmed more than 24 hours ago
  • Works for all video formats

9. Lifelapse

LifeLapse Instagram Story app

Price: Free, with some paid features
Download: iOS or Android

What to use it for: Want to make your Story stand out? Try stop motion animation. Lifelapse lets you create professional-looking animations right from your phone. It also includes a range of editing tools. You can add stock music and filters, adjust the play speed, and more.

Key features:

  • High-production value
  • Explore stop motion animation without any editing skills
  • Helpful tutorials to help you master the basics
  • Includes an interval timer to help you time your video just right

Want to learn more? Lifelapse’s demo video gives you a taste of what’s possible.

10. A Design Kit

A Design Kit Instagram Story app

Price: Free, with some paid features
Download: iOS only

What to use it for: This Instagram Story app helps you bring colour to your content. Add vibrant stickers, backgrounds, and text. Get creative with one of A Design Kit’s many brushes. You might be more of an artist than you expected.

Key features:

  • Realistic brushes for drawing colour or textures
  • Tons of stickers and backgrounds
  • 30+ font options
  • 120+ designs and templates

To see what A Design Kit can do, browse their free tutorials. Follow the #adesignkit community on Instagram to spark more ideas.

11. PhotoGrid

Photo Grid app

Price: Free, with some paid features
Download: iOS or Android

What to use it for: PhotoGrid’s versatility may be its greatest strength. Use it to create GIFs, slideshows, and memes. Add AR face filters and stickers to your Stories. Plus, beautify your profile photos by smoothing out imperfections.

Key features:

  • 300+ templates for photo collage
  • 60+ filters
  • 90+ backgrounds
  • Compatible with different aspect ratios
  • Includes a meme and GIF generator, scrapbook feature, smart face filter, and more

12. 8mm

8mm app

Price: $4.49 US
Download: iOS only

What to use it for: #ThrowbackThursday, anyone? 8mm is one of the top Instagram Story apps for creating vintage-looking content. It lets you experiment with old-style grains, lenses, and video effects. And because you can use its filters live, you can edit as you record.

Fun fact: Malik Bendjelloul used 8mm in his Oscar-winning film Searching for Sugar Man.

Key features:

  • Supports up to 4K HD recording
  • 8 unique lenses
  • 13 retro film styles
  • Live edit or apply effects to existing footage

Check out this sample video to get a sense of what 8mm can offer.

13. Microsoft Hyperlapse

Hyperlapse app Level Up Your Instagram Stories

Price: Free
Download: Android or Desktop

What to use it for: Want to create a timelapse from an old video? Hyperlapse has got you covered. This app lets you adjust video speeds up to 32x.

You can import existing videos or record new ones. Choose a speed that will work well for your Story. Then, download and save for easy sharing.

Key features:

  • Choose from 1x to 32x the normal speed
  • Save in HD: 720 and 1080 px are both supported
  • Create a hyperlapse of any video you’ve ever shot

Want to see how it works? Check out Hyperlapse’s brief intro video.

14. Jumprope

Level Up Your Instagram Stories

Price: Free
Download: iOS only

What to use it for: Jumprope is our favourite Instagram Story app for creating “how to” style content. This app lets you share fitness routines, beauty tutorials, recipes, and more.

Play with text overlays, animations, and colours. Export your content to any social platform, including Instagram.

Key features:

  • Step-by-step, personalizable templates
  • Easy editing tools like filters, voiceover, and time-lapse
  • Add music, animations, colors, and patterns
  • Highlight any products you use in a shoppable format

15. VSCO

VSCO app Level Up Your Instagram Stories

Price: Free, but video editing is only included with paid membership
Download: iOS or Android

What to use it for: VSCO is a crowd favourite when it comes to photo editing. But did you know that it’s also available for video?

VSCO’s video tools come at an added cost, but they’re worth it. The paid plan lets you adjust brightness, contrast, temperature, and more. Plus, it lets you apply your favourite photo filters to your videos. That means you can build a more cohesive brand aesthetic across all content.

Key features:

  • 10 free editing presets
  • 170+ paid presets
  • Advanced editing tools, including video
  • Film X feature for creating Polaroid-style vintage content
  • Plenty of helpful tips and tutorials to explore

 

 

 

 

 

 

Level Up Your Instagram Stories: 15 of the Best Apps (1/2)

Last Updated on June 30th, 2020 at 1:43 pm

Instagram stories apps

Instagram Stories now look better than ever with tons of stickers, filters, and animations. That might be because there are tons of amazing apps available to better your Instagram stories.

With so many tools at your fingertips, creating stellar content has never been easier.

It’s also never been more important—especially for brands.

Stories are growing 15 times faster than other Instagram types of content. They’re engaging more than 500 million active users every day on Instagram alone.

But simply pushing out a Story isn’t enough. Creating Instagram Stories that actually convert takes time, energy, and creativity. It also takes the right tools.

In this post, we provide you with 15 of the best Instagram Story apps to explore.

Continue reading →