They finally exist – YouTube Stories! Find out in our article how your company can successfully utilize the new YouTube Story function.
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What are Stories?
The YouTube Story feature
Advantages for businesses.
Fantastic ideas for content.
Best Practice Examples.
What are Stories?
Not long ago, Snap revolutionized the way digital content could be shared and consumed within social media with its popular Snapchat app.
Instead of permanently pinning photos and moving images in your account, it became possible to share 24-hour posts with subscribers. In addition, there are creative filters and funny stickers with which users can adorn glittering beards or rabbit ears.
Google Play Store Original: With Snapchat, it became possible for the first time to use story functions.
The concept was so well received that Facebook implemented this feature within its own app.
Since the summer of 2016, the Instagram Story has been available, where photos and short videos are lined up to break out of the perfectly-staged picture world of Instagram, enabling users to show their followers what moves them.
A total of 400 million people worldwide use the Instagram Story function on a daily basis.
The numbers speak for themselves: 80% of all Instagram users follow at least one company.
The story function is now also included in the Facebook app and in Whatsapp (disguised as “status”), and its use is steadily increasing.
More and more people are using story functions daily.
These figures make it clear that stories are currently a very popular format. The use of stories has increased by as much as 842% since spring 2016 with no end to this growth in sight.
Stories have become increasingly functional and are now more and more integrated with advertising. One third of the most viewed Instagram Stories come from brands and companies.
In June of 2017, more than 50% of companies published at least one Instagram Story. This, of course, makes the feature relevant for marketers. So it's high time to use this tool effectively in your marketing mix!
What's behind the new YouTube Story feature?
The YouTube platform is one of the largest social networks in the world. Like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, the well-known video platform YouTube will launch a story feature.
Users will have the option to upload short clips that will expire after a certain amount of time.
According to the Googlewatch blog, the new story function is currently being thoroughly tested by a selected group of users.
Stories are more popular than ever. Now, YouTube is following the trend.
YouTube's new story format seems to be modeled after its role models. The current stories are displayed directly on the YouTube app's homepage and assigned to the profile picture of the respective user.
The YouTube Stories are, as with its competitors, visible for 24 hours and played by clicking on the desired story in full-screen mode. Once the time has expired, the stories are no longer displayed in the app.
Contrary to the actual use of YouTube for video formats, moving images are no longer a must for stories. Videos and pictures can be uploaded with added symbols and text.
The following video illustrates how a YouTube story is created and which possibilities are offered for a creative design.
This is how it works: The perfect YouTube story with just a few clicks.
Afterward, the story is displayed to all channel subscribers and even to some non-subscribers.
What advantages does the new YouTube function offer companies?
Stories take their followers through everyday life, connect people with similar interests and values, and motivate them.
Particularly for start-ups and founders, stories are a valuable tool that allows companies to get in touch with their customers and potential fans and to introduce themselves in an emotionally-appealing way.
In contrast to regular posts, stories consist of fast-moving content. Exclusive or entertaining content can be presented more effectively with YouTube Stories than in a traditional post.
Stories offer the chance to break out of the perfectly-staged world of the moving image in order to convey a faster and more authentic image of one's own brand. The focus is less on perfection and more on closeness and entertainment.
The keyword is, as usual, storytelling! Storytelling allows you to breathe life into your brand and give your products and services their own identity. Exciting and authentic stories lead to enthusiastic customers and attract attention without borders.
It's worth taking on the role of an observer or entertainer to find the perfect little story to tell about your company.
There are no limits to the creative scope: Stories offer the ideal opportunity to let your followers participate in their own everyday work, the creation of products, or creative team meetings and events.
A look behind the scenes can be an interesting topic for your customers!
Last but not least, stories are an absolutely mobile-born format. The full-screen contents in portrait format can be effortlessly operated with the thumb and thus provide deep insights even during the shortest coffee break.
Take your followers into your corporate culture during their lunch break!
What does afternoon coffee look like? Stories provide deep insights and ensure variety in everyday life.
Tip:
Concise information and entertainment are particularly in demand among story users.
Stories thrive through humorous, sometimes crazy and unfiltered content, but are by no means boring.
Use Stories to establish a special connection to your followers and to show what you create with your work and how your company operates.
Stories are a live event on your smartphone – something special you'd like to be part of.
Fantastic ideas for your content.
The human brain processes moving images 60,000 times faster than text. Stories are the most effective way to communicate large amounts of data and information.
There are many ways to arouse interest in your company through stories! Be inspired by the following video:
Summarized in 1 minute: Ideas for your YouTube story.
- A look behind the scenes: With the help of a short video or photos, you can give users exclusive insights into your company. This creates authenticity and trust!
- Tutorials: Inspire your customers with new ideas. For example, how they can use a certain product. After all, nobody wants to read a page-long manual to understand a product.
- Sneak Peek: Arouse curiosity in your customers by giving them a taste of your new, exclusive products with small teasers and hints. This makes followers want more!
- Sweepstakes: Stories are great platforms for competitions. Occasionally implement clues into your story to keep your followers checking back for more information. Attract follower attention!
- Discount promotions: Use the limited lifetime of your stories by advertising special offers and discounts for all viewers. After 24 hours, the promotion will automatically end.
- Takeovers: You are known in the Instagram world. In a takeover, owners of other known accounts, suitable influencers, or fans take over the channel of a company for a certain period of time and may fill it with their own content. This leads directly to an increase in reach, as completely new groups of people come into contact with your brand. Just invite an outsider to your company event!
If nothing should occur to you, here we offer you 5 creative techniques from which you will surely find great inspiration!
The most important thing:
Get to know your target group and identify approaches for your story.
These companies master the art of storytelling.
Taco Bell.
The Tex-Mex fast food giant Taco Bell, for example, regularly posts extraordinary smartphone backgrounds in its stories on #wallpaperwendsday. Equipped with such a wallpaper, many a Taco Bell fan will be overrun with ravenous cravings in response.
Great example from Taco Bell: By setting a creative wallpaper, the customer is constantly reminded of the company.
Converse.
Converse knows how to support its instagram posts with matching stories. Step by step, individual products from the new sneaker collection are presented here.
Converse: The thematic combination of post and story can be extremely effective.
Nordstrom Rack.
Using instagram stories, online fashion retailer Nordstrom Rack took its subscribers behind the scenes of its holiday shoot. The making-of photos create a familiar atmosphere and increase the excitement for the new season as well as the emotional connection to the brand.
Nordstrom Rack's stories are all about sympathy and added value for the customer.
Stories are incredibly popular with users. We will see whether YouTube can celebrate similar success with its new feature.
Getting active now, especially with the release of the new YouTube feature, can be a great opportunity for your company – because you could be one of the first to join.
Have fun not only watching, but creating unique stories with YouTube.
Let your creativity run wild and start right away! We are happy to support you in the conception and production of your new YouTube story »
