Skip to content

Take Advantage of Disappearing Content on Social Media

disappearing content on social media blog header

Discover Instagram and Snapchat stories and how they improve your social strategy

Today’s market is fast-paced. Consumers want information that is quick, easy, and disappears in 24 hours . . .

 

Wait, WHAT?

It’s true! One of the newest ways users absorb information is through disappearing content on social media. In other words, top-performing content is here-today-and-gone-tomorrow. This social media phenomenon is known as Stories and they only last 24 hours. So at first glance, it may seem overwhelming to build a strategy around something so short lived. But I’m here to break it down for you and show you WHY you should take advantage of this valuable up-and-coming social media tool.

Grow your social media computer tablet mobile

WHERE to use Disappearing Content on Social Media

At this moment, there are two main avenues for disappearing content on social media: Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories. Recently, (because Facebook is a copycat) they too have adopted disappearing content. However, these stories haven’t been widely adopted just yet.

The breakdown:

  • Instagram has 300 million daily members using stories
  • Snapchat has 191 million users posting stories
  • Facebook has 150 million story users

These are pretty substantial numbers and disappearing content on social media is a fast-growing tool. So, let’s get YOU up to speed so you can start creating stories too!

HOW to Use Disappearing Content on Social Media

In case you aren’t familiar with how to use Instagram and Snapchat Stories, here’s a quick run-down. Both platforms allow you to post photo and video on your story, but they do have some different tools you can use to enhance your content.

Instagram Stories Social media changes in 2018 Instagram icon

Instagram allows you to add stickers, text, GIFs, and more to your image or video. One of the coolest features is that these are interactive. There are three interactive stickers: polls, sliders, and hashtags. Utilizing these stickers, in particular, invites your followers to engage with your content by tapping, sliding, or swiping! I’ll demonstrate one in the video below.

On Instagram you can also post several types of videos or photos:

  • Text – The simplest kind of post: text on a colored background
  • Boomerangs – One-second looping videos
  • Focus – An option that has a focal point and the background is blurred out
  • Superzoom – Mainly used for comedic effect as it dramatically zooms into the image
  • Livestreams – A real-time video stream that notifies your followers

Snapchat Stories Social media changes in 2018 snapchat icon

Here’s what Snapchat does differently: augmented reality filters. There are a few other tools Snapchat has to offer, but its filter capabilities really stand out. These filters alter the experience you are sharing to further enhance your content in a way that is both fun and imaginative. You’ll see an example in the video below! Like Instagram, Snapchat utilizes various stickers, but the best kind in my humble opinion is Bitmojis. Bitmojis are tiny avatars you can create to resemble yourself! Once created, Bitmoji populates a collection of stickers with your avatar and various phrases or emotions. This is a great way to HAVE FUN with your disappearing content on social media and showcase your personality in the social space.

Here are a few more things you should know about Snapchat:

  • Younger Audience – Unlike Instagram, most of Snapchat’s users are Generation Y and Z. This age group may not be luxury item purchasers just yet, but they will soon enter an age with access to more disposable income. Start playing in THEIR space today, creating tomorrow’s customer.
  • More Impulsive – Snapchat users are shown to be 68% more likely to make an impulsive buy. So hit them with the right message at the right time for a big payoff. Try utilizing Snapchat for a flash sale to test if this channel resonates with your audience.

WHY use Disappearing Content on Social Media

Now you know a little bit about stories and you’ve got a taste of how they work. Here are a few reasons why you should add disappearing content on social media to your strategy today:

  • Discoverability – Using the hashtag and location stickers on Instagram or using the Snap Map on Snapchat stories provides another way for potential customers to find you on social media.
  • Links – Neither Instagram or Snapchat make it particularly easy to drive traffic to your blog or website. But you CAN post links in stories. Unfortunately, it’s ONLY available on Instagram for verified accounts or accounts with 10,000 followers. Hopefully, this capability trickles down to all business accounts soon.
  • Real Estate – Every time you post a story, you’ll get prime positioning at the TOP of a user’s feed. This is not how the regular news feed works! So, if you want to increase brand awareness, keep customers engaged, and stay top of mind with your social followers: Add stories to your strategy.
Disappearing content on social media matt stuller bitmoji

Both of these platforms allow you to show up each day as your authentic self. Use stories to give a glimpse a behind-the-scenes moment or a day in the life of a jeweler. Also, try employee features, customer appreciation posts, and your take on upcoming trends to show off your expertise and increase your credibility. Don’t get me wrong: Stories are useful for showing off product details and service offerings. But remember, the most valuable part of your Instagram and Snapchat Stories comes from creating your store’s story. After all, they aren’t called stories because they are a string of random photos and videos. It’s because they tell the story of what a day in your business is like. Keep it authentic to show your audience who you are. This is the fastest way to turn a social follower into a paying customer.  

Find more social media tips here


Thanks for making it all the way to the bottom here! If you’re reading this, tag us in YOUR Instagram to let us know one thing you learned from this blog post and we’ll repost them to ours. Here’s to keeping it cool in the social space. Until next time!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hayley Rummel

I joined Stuller in 2018 as the Marketing Social Media Intern • I have four dogs that I love more than most humans • I have an unhealthy obsession with Disney • I have a bookshelf dedicated to anything Harry Potter related • I hope to one day go to New Zealand to see where they filmed Lord of the Rings