Have you caught onto the Facebook stories trend yet? It’s hard to miss – notifications and comments popping up left and right, friends posting updates throughout the day. With the rise of social media stories and reels, your business might want to jump on the bandwagon too.
Not only will it boost your organic reach, but it’ll also spark some comments and conversations on your page. Let’s get started!
A Facebook Story For Pages Rise To The Top
If you go on Facebook often you will notice the stories features encompassing more and more from your friends and businesses. Social media story usage continues to climb since these disappearing stories started way back in 2011 on Snapchat.
What Are FB Stories?
They appear as an image or video on the top right-hand side of your newsfeed or on top of the app on mobile. These stories generate high visibility on Facebook! Facebook stories are predicted to surpass the newsfeed itself for views. You may have noticed a decrease in your page’s reach.
The blue circle around the person’s profile or page is highlighted as seen below. Then, once you click on it you can view it. Finally, after that, it disappears!
Stories disappear altogether in 24 hours unless saved. Sounds like Snapchat right? Yes. Facebook tried to buy Snapchat for $3 billion but was denied so they created their own version of it instead.
At first, Facebook introduced Instagram stories which were so successful, so they did the same on Facebook itself. People were afraid to miss out, (it’s called FOMA) so they checked out stories before anything else on the social networks.
Video Highlight In Facebook Stories
Facebook is introducing the ability to share a video highlight clip to your story, which could drive views of the primary video. They suggest a highlight from your video, which you can quickly edit or leave as-is before choosing to share.
Why Use Stories For Your Facebook Business Page?
The organic reach of Facebook pages has really been going down for years. Therefore, stories give a business page more visibility without costing anything. (yet) Of course, you can advertise on the stories feature now as well in 2023.
Why Else Are Social Media Stories Hot Now?
FOMO – Fear of Missing Out. If you know you only have a certain amount of time to see your friend’s activity you would check it out NOW, right? That’s the way stories get attention.
It’s a limited amount of time one can see a photo or video. Brands use it for a behind-the-scenes look at their business or products.
No one wants to miss out today!
No one wants to miss out today! #Facebookstories Click To TweetWith stories, you do not need many followers, it’s about the engagement you have with them. Others can message you thru the Facebook messenger app. Hence, it makes brands and celebrities authentic as viewers can message them.
You can also do ads in the stories format. You can learn more about Facebook stories ads here.
What Others Are Saying About Using Them for Business
Ryan Biddulph from Blogging From Paradise:
“I use Stories to bond more deeply with friends and followers. Stories provide an intimate aspect to your blog and brand. People seem to resonate with these little snippets from your day.
Plus Stories gain higher visibility, receiving ample exposure.”
Arfa from Shemeansblogging.com
My idea behind using Instagram stories is simple. To make my followers engaged by sharing moments, opinions, and content. I have also noticed that my Instagram stories are more effective than my regular Instagram post.
Followers respond to my polls, ask questions and also relate to my life. It’s because I communicate with them, share behind the scenes, and just be authentic. Not just Instagram stories encourage audience interactions but these stories also help to form a deeper connection with your followers.
Interactive stories on Instagram are quick to drive followers to your inbox and that’s where the conversation happens.
With the decline of Organic Reach for a FB Page at its lowest, I use FB Stories to promote new blog articles mostly. Since I started using this method of publication, I have noticed blog bounce rate drop tremendously because I am reaching a more targeted audience….
— ?Bubbie Gunter? (@GunterBubbie) February 26, 2019
How To Make These Stories
You can make them via your phone’s camera but you can also create them in Canva and upload them as an image on the desktop. There are filters and other things you can do like adding text to them.
Next, you can even tag others in your stories. They are very similar to Instagram but with Facebook stories, you can swipe up or down vs. sideways on Instagram. The stories feature on both social networks allow for a lot of creativity.
Making Stories From Your Facebook Page Desktop
Many social media managers may want to create stories via Canva and use the desktop to create stories. You can do it if you don’t have a business manager account. But, I found a workaround from my mobile device for you if you have a business manager account like me.
If you have a circle with a plus sign (+) like one of my Facebook pages I manage below, you can do it right from the desktop. All you do is hit the blue plus button and you can do a story just like you would a post.
But if you are like me and have this showing on your page, you will need a workaround.
As you can see from the above screenshot, there is no circle or blue plus button to do a story on the desktop. ☹
Instead, you can use your mobile device to do a Facebook story. You could still create your story in Canva and send it to your mobile device via email and then download it.
Then, you must log in to your personal Facebook account on mobile. Next, go to your page where you would see this screenshot. Finally, click on the blue bar you see below to get to where this screenshot directs you.
Add to your page’s story is where you would upload your Facebook story image.
Furthermore, 1080×1920 is the correct size to make your images for stories. If you are doing stories directly from your camera be sure to take the image or video vertically. Social media stories are vertical graphics/videos.
New Facebook Page Layouts Make Stories Easier To Post
If your page has gone over the new Facebook page layout as most have in 2023 (but not all) you can post stories in 3 easy steps.
Right from your page, you can click the add button to create a story.
More About A Story
- Your Story Archive is available for you to see and go back to view. If you check your Facebook page insights there is a place to check them for stories too. Furthermore, these insights will tell you how many users opened your story.
- Facebook story videos are 20 seconds in length at most. So be sure to do some short videos for your Facebook stories. Instagram stories are as short as well. Both are vertical formats for videos.
- I’d been telling customers to be sure to shoot horizontal images and videos. Now I must explain stories and why vertical is a new way to share on Facebook and Instagram for stories.
- You can add a link to your Facebook stories now. This a great feature to use if you want people to go to your website or landing page.
Why Instagram Stories Rule Too!
Stories on Instagram are very hot as well. Not to mention, they have been helping folks on Instagram engage more with their audience and create a buzz.
Neena from Almost Practical explains: “You can use Instagram stories in so many ways – provide timely reminders, share an event, or just give a “behind the scenes” glimpse of real life. As a business, it is nice to keep stories relevant to the interests of your audience. But, because they disappear in 24 hours, you can also use stories to connect on a personal level.”
Timing of Your Instagram Stories
In fact, it is important to remember the time you post to Instagram. It is different than other social networks in that viewers like to look at Instagram in the evening. I love using Agorapulse to schedule my Instagram posts.
Now, you can now share Instagram feed posts to stories. Furthermore, this extends the life and visibility of your Instagram stories. Of course, I would pick and choose which you do this new feature with. If you do them all that way people may stop viewing your stories. They won’t have that fear of missing out anymore!
Add Your Instagram Stories to Facebook Stories
You can also share your Instagram stories right to your Facebook feed. When you are on the Instagram app it asks if you want to do that all the time or just one post. It’s up to you.
Your Turn on Social Media Stories
Now, did you know what FB stories are, and are you using Facebook stories for your business page? Or, have you used stories on Instagram? I’d love to know more in the comments below about how you use them or if you enjoy viewing them!
She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 11 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
You can purchase her eBook about Twitter on Amazon, or take her Instagram class on Udemy.
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I am not an Instagram “kind of guy”. But, after reading the statistics in your info-graph, I think it’s time to maybe consider starting a presence there as well. Does it drain a lot of time to maintain an IG account?
Hi Bubbie, It does take some time. I try to put at least 10 minutes in a.m. and p.m. Other times I try to spend 15 minutes at least 3 times per day. Is your audience target younger? If not then no need. But if yes, I would recommend it. I’d love to know what you decide Bubbie. Have a great day!
Hello, Lisa. This is such a great post at such a perfect timing. I’ve also been trying the Facebook stories recently though not yet familiar with it.
You’re absolutely right! FOMO is thesame reason I decided to get into social media stories.
Thanks for the awesome tips, Lisa!
Simon Zaku
Hi Simon, thank you. It does take some time and for your page vs your personal profile there are some differences. I’ll be updating this post in a bit too as I’m finding more and more things. Do you use them for your personal or your business page Simon? Thanks for coming by on this one and have a great rest of the weekend!
Ditto on what Bubbie said Lisa. I send all new posts out via Story. More views and engagement; Stories command high visibility on anybody’s main stream. I always see close friend’s Stories spanning along my top menu on FB. Makes sense to spread the word thru this medium.
Hi Ryan – I see you all the time with added to your story but one question – are you doing it for your personal FB or page? Hard to tell as I believe image for profile pic is the same. I’m thinking of using stories more and more as well and less with the posts that need boosting. Something I would test with my own page vs clients. Some clients look at me like I have 2 heads when I mention stories. I was at a Chamber networking event the other week and we got talking about social media and only 1 person at the table knew what stories were. They all took out their phones to check it out 🙂 Thanks for coming by and for your input on this on Ryan. Stay warm, looks cold where you are this week.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks so much for including my comments on Instagram stories. Stories on social media platforms like Facebook, and Instagram is definitely the big thing. Too often, I don’t share a new post on Instagram but I make sure, I add a story. Anything to keep my followers updated. Similarly, facebook stories can be used for endless things. Just what Ryan said. Stories help to form deep bonds with followers, and also trigger one-on-one message conversation.
I also like the point where you mention ‘FOMO – fear of missing out’. Honestly, this is one main reason I make sure to not miss stories of influencers, and bloggers I follow 😉
Excellent post!
Arfa
Hi Arfa, you are most welcome. Glad you responded to the tweet I sent out 🙂 Interesting you use stories more than posts. I haven’t done that yet but may work my way into that one soon. It does give a social media manager much more work! Another image to create and tactic to use. But you really got me thinking this morning. Thank you for participating and for coming by with your comment too. Have a great day and weekend ahead Arfa. : )
Facebook is the leading social media platform of all the social sites. So focusing on Facebook is must. You rightly said that stories are the generator of FOMO. We can say stories are nowadays in trend. Explaining things through stories is also easy.
Hi Kaushal, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. Yes, people don’t want to miss out on something especially on Facebook, right? That’s the theory behind these stories. How often are you using them for your site? Thanks for coming by and commenting today. Have a great day and weekend ahead Kaushal!