The Hidden Potential of Facebook Stories

Facebook’s new algorithm made the already difficult task of getting business pages on

users’ News Feeds much harder. With the focus switching from garnering reactions to

actively engaging with target audiences, business pages whose marketing strategies

largely depend on Facebook have the added challenge of creating content that

encourages discussion and interaction.

However, Facebook may have created an unintended opportunity for business pages to get in front of audiences with Facebook Stories. Facebook, until recently had kept user numbers, and user growth a secret. The company however, revealed this summer that stories had about 150 million daily users, adding to the expectation that Facebook would move to monetize this offering.

What is a Facebook Stories?

In short, Facebook Stories is Facebook’s answer to Snapchat. Much like the popular app, stories are brief and appear on the social network for only 24 hours. It is typically visual, consisting of a picture or video, aimed at providing an exciting and emotion-inducing experience.

Prime Real Estate

Facebook Stories is positioned in the top right of its mobile app. This hard to miss location is at the top of its users’ News Feeds. Added bonus: there aren’t many “neighbors” as Facebook Stories is still fairly new to users and businesses.

Rise in Storytelling

With the popularity of Snapchat and Instagram stories, there has been a rise in the useof storytelling as a communication tool. For business pages on Facebook, storiesprovide an ideal means to share their behind the scenes experience with their audience, bridging the gap between their brand and the public. Because of its ease of use, businesses have a more effective way to share daily news such as discounts, new products, etc.

Offsetting Reach Declines

Over the years, Facebook has changed it algorithms making it harder to reach users organically i.e. without paying for advertisement, and with these changes came a decline in reach. Facebook Stories can be used to boost the reach of ads, promotions,and events. Unlike within New Feeds, stories do not get lost among other ads and posts from users’ friends list. Even better, stories allow businesses to see who has viewed their stories and identify which users are most interested in your content. This makes it easier to create promotions that attract and keep customers.

Give it a try

These are just a few reasons you may want to give Facebook Stories a try, as an added method of marketing for your business or service. It’s a speedy and free way to get your brand in front of your target audience. While it is still fairly new for business, now’s the best time to jump in and find new ways to connect with your audience.