7 Ways Ecommerce Brands Can Leverage Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are a great way to stay connected with customers even when they’re not buying from you. Not only do they allow you to share raw, unedited shots of your business, but they let you communicate in short 15 second bursts to stay front-of-mind.

For ecommerce brands, this is key. 

Standing out in an increasingly saturated market is difficult, especially when competitor brands seem to be popping up every day. 

Thanks to Instagram Stories, you can build and nurture a loyal community of shoppers and direct them to your store. 

After all, more engagement means more sales – it’s a win-win situation. 

To help you get started, here are some key ways you can make the most of Instagram Stories. 

1. Add a Call-to-Action

If you’re lucky enough to have more than 10,000 followers on Instagram, you can incorporate a “Swipe Up” or “See More” CTA in your Instagram Stories. This means viewers can quickly navigate to a relevant and specific product page or piece of content. 

If you don’t have 10,000 followers, don’t panic. There are other ways you can encourage viewers to take action. You might direct them to a link in your bio or ask them to respond to your Stories. The latter option generates engagement and gives you the chance to share an actual link in your reply. 

UK-based brand Olive Clothing incorporates a “See More” CTA in their Stories that guide viewers to a relevant landing page full of products. 

2. Create Multi-Page Stories

Don’t feel like you have to limit your Stories to 15 seconds or one “slide”. 

Instead, experiment with multi-page Stories to keep users engaged and clicking through. This will generate more interest in your brand and forge a deeper connection with your followers.

For example, you might start a multi-page series with a question, follow it up with a few shots of your products, and finish with a CTA to visit your site. 

According to research, 83% of Instagram users discover new products on the platform, and multi-page Stories are a great way to introduce your brand to existing followers and new potential customers.

JCrew creates multi-page Stories that entice followers to click through until the end. 

3. Integrate GIFs

Instagram Stories are a place to have fun and connect. 

One survey showed that 77% of users see brands on Instagram as creative, 76% as entertaining, and 72% as committed to building community. You can tackle all three of these by using GIFs – they’re a piece of cake to incorporate too, which also helps.

In fact, Stories has an entire in-built library of GIFs you can use. Simply click the “stickers” button at the top right of your screen when creating a story and search for relevant GIFs.

Away adds GIFs and emojis to their Stories as a call to action to encourage users to swipe up. 

4. Share User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) forms a crucial part of the buying process. In fact, 48% of consumers claim that UGC is a great way for them to discover new products. Not only that, but it is far more trusted than content created by brands themselves. 

UGC can refer to anything your customers have produced, whether it’s a photo of your product, a review, a story, or a video. Sharing these assets on your Stories will resonate with potential buyers and establish trust with your followers.

There are plenty of ways you can do this. 

Take kids furniture brand NuggetComfort, for example. They share posts from their community in their Stories. They simply re-share standard Instagram posts that feature their products and add an emoji or a sticker to stamp their personality onto it. 

Alternatively, you can do what Flaviar does. While they also share UGC via their Stories, they do it in a different way. They screenshot images their customers have sent them and post them to their Stories with a personalized reply. 

5. Provide Exclusive Offers

Make your Instagram followers feel special by sharing your latest offers with them via Stories. This can build anticipation and buzz around your brand in the lead up to the offer, but it also cements your relationship with consumers who feel seen and heard by your exclusive deals. 

You don’t have to do this regularly. An offer every now and again can be a great way to re-engage your followers and direct them to your store – who knows what else they might buy once they’re there. 

Tattly and Pnwonderland use this tactic. They share sales in their Stories as well as offers for free products for on-the-ball buyers. 

6. Invite Interaction

Instagram has a number of features you can use to interact with your customers via Stories. You can ask questions, run polls, and encourage your followers to vote. This generates engagement across your brand and helps you to get a better understanding of who your customers are and what they want from you.

This is a really simple way to spice up your Stories too. People love answering questions and providing their opinion, so it’s a great way to really listen to your followers. 

Alohas invites feedback from their followers. They ask if viewers enjoyed a piece of content and if it was useful. Not only does this help customers feel like they’re “heard”, but it also gives the brand an insight into the kind of content their audience wants so they can create more of it. 

7. Bring Influencers On Board

According to research, 89% of brands consider Instagram the most important social media channel for influencer marketing. Tap into this by bringing relevant influencers on board to promote your products in your Stories and their Stories. 

This gives you instant access to an already trusting audience and helps you reach new buyers who might not have heard about you otherwise. 

Europe Vacations regularly runs takeovers on its Instagram Stories where travelers share their experiences while exploring Europe. This is a great way to create unique and engaging content that excites users.

Grow Your Customer Base With Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories offer a wealth of potential. 

Not only do they build trust and engagement, but they help you reach new audiences and sell more products. If you’re not using them yet, now’s the time to start. Use the tactics we’ve covered here to leverage this powerful marketing tool to grow your customer base.