On Sunday, Chris and the lovely #WeRSMChat community discussed the newly-introduced Instagram Stories and what the feature means for marketers. Here’s the run-down of our discussion, with questions and some of the best answers. Enjoy the read!
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We started nicely by asking you guys why Instagram introduced Stories.
Quickly, the comparison with Snapchat came about. According to Chris and William, Instagram launched Stories to become a more ‘in-the-moment’ platform, just like the white ghost on the yellow background.
It's a big #nofilter play with Stories. They want the success that Snapchat enjoys by being raw and more in the moment #WeRSMChat
— Hello. I am Chris. (@ChrisLCH) August 7, 2016
A1) To stay relevant a la #Snapchat. If you can't beat em, or buy em, join em & admit it. Simple economics :-) #WeRSMChat
— William Conboy (@WilliamConboy) August 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/eksays/status/762365316085256192
difference for me is still Snapchat for communicating & IG is still curated! #WeRSMChat
— POLLYANNA WARD (@Pollage) August 7, 2016
So, Stories is basically the same product on Snapchat and Instagram.
For one, folks on these two platforms are different. Same product but different audiences – does it cause different user behaviour? We asked you.
absolutely! media on these 2 apps are consumed and published differently. #WeRSMChat
— Shae Leigh (@ShaeLeighCT) August 7, 2016
It isn't the functionality but rather the user and how they will use it within the ecosystem of Instagram #WeRSMChat
— Jamil Zakaria (@zakajam) August 7, 2016
@wakanouka still think people curate more heavily on IG. Yes diff audiences, can't wait for user results! #WeRSMChat
— POLLYANNA WARD (@Pollage) August 7, 2016
We’re marketers, RIGHT?! So is Stories a game-changer or not?
It probably isn’t, yet we were eager to hear from you on how marketers can play around with it.
Q3 I think it will allow and encourage more stories from brands and biz who were snapchat skeptical #WeRSMChat
— Tim Elliott (@TimElliottUK) August 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/thatsmgirl/status/762634090700996608
Lots of potential. In #socialrecruiting I think Stories will help show the employee moments behind employer brands #WeRSMChat
— Hello. I am Chris. (@ChrisLCH) August 7, 2016
A3) Enhance the engagement. Rather than users connecting once or so in a day, now there's multiple touch points #WeRSMChat
— William Conboy (@WilliamConboy) August 7, 2016
Over the coming weeks and months, it will be interesting to watch how Stories evolve on both Snapchat and Instagram.
If user behaviour is different on the two platforms (as you argued), the features we currently see may go separate paths in the near future.
i like that it's not assumed that IG stories are automatically better than SnapChat #WeRSCMChat #equalplayingfield
— Shae Leigh (@ShaeLeighCT) August 7, 2016
It's early days. There's plenty of opportunity. More stickers, filters and MSQRD powered lenses #WeRSMChat
— Hello. I am Chris. (@ChrisLCH) August 7, 2016
Oh yeeees, MSQRD!
https://twitter.com/Tweet_Cheyenne/status/762371665997234176
Is it by capitalising on Facebook's impressive ads to provide impressive targeting? #WeRSMChat
— Jamil Zakaria (@zakajam) August 7, 2016
Good point, Jamil. Facebook will indeed use its data to kickstart Stories.
https://twitter.com/GraemeABarbour/status/762371257606217732
Final question! The Instagram vs. Snapchat debate was a recurring throughout the conversation, so we asked you to pick a side.
Facebook innovate like top platforms of the past didn't. But FB doing this is big credit to Snapchat #WeRSMChat
— Hello. I am Chris. (@ChrisLCH) August 7, 2016
#snapchat will need some #innovation to remain 1st #InstagramStories #WeRSMChat
— Lila Stavropoulou ⭐ (@l_stavropoulou) August 7, 2016
Instagram has the bigger user base and the backing of Facebook. But Snapchat may have too much momentum. #WeRSMChat
— Hello. I am Chris. (@ChrisLCH) August 7, 2016
both have a good future at least until Something Better, Bigger, Shinier comes along #WeRSMChat
— Filip Galetic (@fgaletic) August 7, 2016
i think both. again it comes down to the audiences and both have huge growth potential (1/2) #WeRSMChat
— Shae Leigh (@ShaeLeighCT) August 7, 2016
Depends if Snapchat can stay relevant to #GenZ as they age & if they also open up discoverability. Right now – Instagram
— Jamil Zakaria (@zakajam) August 7, 2016
A5 they both have huge futures. But the winners are us The users with better features #WeRSMChat https://t.co/2sCJVsCtG2
— Mark Shaw (@markshaw) August 7, 2016
That’s one answer we can side with, Mark! The real winners, are users who, thanks to the rivalry between Instagram and Snapchat, will benefit from that healthy competition.
The final tweets were inexplicably about PokemonGO and Japanese game shows, so we’ll spare you the tweets.
Oh okay, there you go. Don’t ask.
Boil. An. Egg. Send. A. Tweet.#WeRSMChat
— William Conboy (@WilliamConboy) August 7, 2016
Tune In Our upcoming Tweetchat, Next Sunday 8pm GMT+1
If you liked what you just read and would love to discuss and learn from the best in our industry, join us next week for a new #WeRSMChat – our guest will be Daniel Rae, Head of Social Content at PSONA Social!
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