Story Posts vs. Feed Posts
In the dynamic realm of social media marketing, the distinction between story posts and feed posts plays a pivotal role in engaging audiences, conveying messages, and amplifying brand identity. As a social media manager, understanding the unique attributes of each format is key to creating a cohesive symphony of content that resonates with your audience. In this blog, we will explore the differences between story posts and feed posts and learn how to combine the two!!
Feed Posts: The Classic
Imagine your social media profile as a curated gallery showcasing your best moments, thoughts, and updates. Feed posts are like the timeless pieces hanging on the walls that stick around forever! This allows your followers to stroll through your journey whenever they’d like. Ultimately, feed posts are your digital time capsules.
These posts often have a longer lifespan than stories and are seen by a wider audience as they remain on your profile's timeline. So, if you've got an insightful post that's evergreen (meaning it's not time-sensitive), your feed is the place to showcase it!
Your feed posts will always leave lasting impressions which can draw new followers who resonate with your content. People can like, share, and comment on these which create a virtual conversation that builds a community around your content. Your feed is your digital persona – it showcases who you are and what your brand is. Ultimately, it tells your story, one post at a time.
Story Posts: In The Moment
Now, let's switch gears to the other side of social media: Story Posts! They appear at the top of your followers' feeds and usually last for 24 hours. This limited-time engagement brings an air of exclusivity, as viewers know they're catching a glimpse of something temporary and immediate.
Stories are great for sharing in-the-moment updates. From spontaneous selfies to behind-the-scenes peeks, stories give your audience an authentic backstage pass to your day-to-day life. You can jazz them up with stickers, GIFs, polls, and even music to make them more appealing to your audience. The short-lasting nature of stories encourages real-time interactions and gives a sense of urgency to engage before they disappear!
Some of our favorite ways to incorporate stories include behind the scenes, polls, Q&A sessions, feedback, day in the life, and much more that allows our audience to get to know us better! This creates a relationship with our followers that feeds into our brand awareness and authenticity.
Ways to catch your audience’s attention even through a story post:
Be authentic
I’m sure this isn’t news to you, but people connect with realness! Embrace who you are and share those candid moments or funny bloopers! Did you spill coffee everywhere & it’s been one of those mornings!? Well, it happens to all of us! Share those little pieces of your life that aren’t typically shown, and you’ll be amazed how many people follow along!
Use Call to Actions
You’ve got their attention – now what? Adding a CTA will keep the engagement going! Invite them to subscribe to your newsletter or click the link you shared! This creates a two way conversation in order to gain some active viewers!
Timing is Key
When you have something special to share, make sure you are posting it at the right time! Especially on stories, it is harder for everyone to view them since they disappear in 24 hours. However, find a time when you notice your followers are most active such as lunch breaks or lazy Sunday afternoons!
Adding Visuals
This is HUGE! Let’s face it – everyone loves visuals! Use it to your advantage and incorporate bright colors, stickers, or GIFS.
Teasers
The power of this one here..! Share sneak peeks of exciting news that’s coming in order to keep them engaged for another post. Maybe this will convince them to turn post/story notifications on, so they don’t miss what’s coming.
It’s important to be confident and take those social media risks sometimes! Social media is constantly changing, and you must be ready to adapt with it! If you never try certain things like stories, you’ll never know how well it could turn out for yourself and your business!
Choose Your Social Media Adventure
When it comes to your social media strategy, both feed posts and stories have their own unique charm. Feed posts are your chance to curate a cohesive and lasting online presence, while stories let you connect on a more spontaneous and personal level. You might find that certain content suits one format better than the other, or you could seamlessly blend both to give your followers a diverse experience.
Maybe you’re stuck not knowing which avenue to go down; however, you don’t have to choose ONE! Mix and match – it's your digital world to explore. Some content thrives as a post, while other pieces are best enjoyed as stories. Remember, it's all about connecting with your followers in your own way.
Cheers to your social media adventures!
