Have you ever wondered what the exact difference between Instagram stories and Instagram reels are? You’re not alone. There are a lot of features they share and yet some subtle differences.
Instagram stories has been out for a while now and it’s every marketer’s favourite new toy. But with the addition of Instagram reels, our little IG platform is getting a lot more interesting. Should you be using both features? What type of content should you post? Here are some insights to help you think through this.
Instagram stories are here to stay. They’re a great way to let your community know what you’re up to, build more engagement, and ultimately attract more potential clients/customers. Similar to Snapchat stories, Instagram stories disappear in 24 hours. But the good news is they don’t have to disappear forever — they can still exist on your profile page, in the form of a Highlight, for anyone who missed them the first time around.
Some story ideas you may wish to add into your overall content strategy:
- Answer questions
- Ask questions
- Polls and quizzes
- Share your location
- Post quotes
- Behind the scenes
- Tease an upcoming release
- Countdowns
Instagram reels have been growing in popularity and for good reason. We know that videos are often more powerful than static images. This is especially true on social media.
Reels can appear in a number of different spots on your Instagram account — in the reels hub/tab, in the feed and in Instagram Stories [remember, they will only last for 24 hours unless you save them in to a Highlight]. An added bonus — reels can also appear on the Explore page. Okay, but why is that important?
Getting your video on the Explore page will not only increase your brand awareness but also will help drive more engagement that could convert into leads. The algorithm is quite a tricky business to deal with, but with the new feature of Instagram, reels comes into play. Instagram, not unlike other social media platforms, will do all the things to promote its new feature among its users.
Have you noticed the latest update to reels? The addition of ‘remix’ — this is Instagram’s attempt to rival the ever-popular TikTok ‘duet’ function.
Pro Tip: Humour, Emotion, and Sharing Tips that position you as an expert are great topics to incorporate into your Reels to showcase your personality and business.
The reality is this — Instagram has the highest average engagement rate of all the main social channels, and Instagram stories and reels are golden opportunities to promote your branded content.
Do you have a preference — stories or reels? Better yet, have you tried creating a remix? We’re always interested in learning from other digital marketers and content creators so drop a comment and let us know what you think of the recent updates.