Instagram – a platform for uploading nice product photos and a space for cooperation with influencers. Well… yes. But not only. A well-designed communication strategy via Instagram is the main pillar of marketing activities for an increasing number of brands. And the word strategy includes not only the final results, but also the use of appropriate tools to achieve them. This is where Instagram’s favourite feature – Instastories – comes in handy. How to use it effectively in social marketing to Poles?
Table of Contents:
- Small budget? Stories is your superpower!
- Polls
- Q&A sessions
- Know-how
- Premieres and announcements
- Promotions and discount codes
- Competitions
- The human face of the company
- User Generated Content
- Stories and e-commerce
- Linking to articles
- Saved Stories
Small budget? Stories is your superpower!
Let’s start with the basics. Stories (or stories) are photos or videos that last up to 15 seconds and (unless you save them) disappear after 24 hours. We do not add them directly to the feed – they always land in a separate place, at the top of the application. If our profile has at least 10,000 followers, Instagram also gives us the opportunity to link a relationship with a link. Thanks to this, our followers can go to our blog post or product cards in the store with one move.
Sounds like a wonderful e-commerce tool, right? Because it is! Due to the fact that Instastories disappear after a day has passed, they are also a great space to send fans short ad-hoc messages that do not have to fit in with the standard brand communication on the feed. And going one step further – they do not require special efforts, super-professional graphics, expensive equipment and a large budget. Two things count in Instastories: building relationships and creativity.
From the experience of a Polish social media agency, we can assure you that Poles love Stories. So if you are planning Instagram communication strategies to the Polish audience and you haven’t included Stories, then… better do it before it’s too late.
But what to add to Stories in Polish social media marketing so that customers love your brand?
Polls
Let’s start with the main feature that Instagram gives us. Surveys and sliders are today one of the simplest, and at the same time the cheapest, ways to measure customer needs and profile customers (think how convenient it is to just ask your followers questions about your products). On the other hand, Poles (especially women) love to engage in surveys that are designed to build relationships.
Not sure what to add to your Story? Just ask a question. Poles love nothing more than to express their opinions on the Internet.
Q&A sessions
Since we had customer questionnaires, it’s time to reverse the roles a bit. After all, who will be able to talk about products or services better than the brand representatives themselves? A Q&A session with answering the questions of Polish followers is not only an excellent patent for building relationships, but also a powerful marketing tool for measuring customer interests’. Important: Poles prefer communication in Polish – so you will need a native speaker who will answer questions in the mother tongue of the target group.
Know-how
Staying on the topic of giving advice, Instastories is a place created to share knowledge – both about products, their selection and use. Cosmetic brands have a special field here, but as can be seen from the example of the Leroy Merlin store, every industry can find a chance in this sphere.
Premieres and announcements
Due to the format (they appear at the top of the screen immediately after turning on the application), Instagram stories are usually a place of daily contact between the client and brand. This is where all messages, information and announcements should go. Are you preparing a new drop, creating a new collection, or a new collaboration with an influencer? Sometimes even a teaser with such simple content as “novelty” can arouse interest among Polish customers.
Promotions and discount codes
Poles are quite resistant to advertising messages. However, there is one thing that attracts them like a magnet. Promotions and restrictions (time and product). A typical Polish customer spends quite a lot of time analysing and comparing offers from different brands. They are also not a particularly loyal customer – they will not stay faithful to you, unless you have an offer that stands out from the competition. Limited promotions are a terrific way to attract the attention of a Polish customer, and Stories is a great place to communicate it. Just remember to clearly indicate the duration of the action. Poles do not like to feel cheated and unfairly (even if only in their opinion) treated.
Competitions
Competitions. Another thing that Poles love. Contests are not only a tool for reaching people who do not know the brand yet, but also for reminding those who have already heard about it. Polish customers are extremely eager to take part in competitions and often show a lot of creativity. The reward and its value are usually of secondary importance. Just remember about solid regulations – you don’t want to be frustrated by an angry Pole on the Internet.
The human face of the company
A good Instagram communication strategy should have at least two goals, one of which is overriding. The first is to support sales, and the second (more important) – building relationships with customers. And yet there is no better way to connect with potential customers than by showing the human face of the brand. Show employees, the daily life of the company, backstage – let customers know who is responsible for the final product. People like to watch other people, not just logos or models smiling in advertisements. Not sure how to do it? Get inspired by … influencers. They have mastered sharing their lives with the world to perfection.
User Generated Content
When building communication on Stories, many brands forget one thing. Customers! In the heat of sharing company news, it’s easy to fall into the trap of being fixated on yourself. After all, it’s not about you – it’s about them. Fortunately, the Stories feature gives you a ready-made, solid tool for sharing User Generated Content (i.e. content added by your customers). Customers post their own Stories with your brand name? Add it to your story. Nothing builds the trust of Poles like confirmation that someone really likes a given company.
Stories and e-commerce
Has your profile reached 10,000 followers? This is a good time to expand your communication with Stories by linking. Instagram is not only a place of inspiration, it is also an e-commerce support platform. All you need to do is add a link to the relationship, redirecting the user directly to your store (the user after pressing the CTA “view more” will be transferred to wherever you want). It is worth adding UTM parameters to all links and measuring traffic from the relationship.
Linking to articles
This is not the end of the possibilities offered by the linking feature in Stories. A Facebook post, a blog post, a YouTube video – you can post on your stories wherever you want and share valuable knowledge with followers.
Saved Stories
At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that stories can be saved on your profile. So what is worth writing down? It all depends on what you add and what you want to emphasise in communication. It’s a good practice to sort your saved Stories into thematic folders – for better organisation and a nicer profile look. See how some of the brand profiles we describe today, aimed at Poles, do it:
While Instastories may seem like overwhelming chaos, they are actually shaped (or at least should be) by a complete organisation. If you treat this fantastic social media marketing tool as an ally of your brand and the greatest friend of your clients – you will become a true communication master.
And if you need the help of experts who have already added thousands of Instastories for Polish customers and know which side to tackle the strategy from – don’t hesitate to write to us. We will be happy to help you stand out from the competition. And with a really small advertising budget! After all, that’s what Stories are for.