Stories Answer Vault
Q. Why do we need Stories?
A. Instagram Stories is a great platform to share your day to day and behind the scenes of your creative freelance business. Think of your Instagram feed a tiny pieces of micro-content pulled from your website and brand putting your best face forward making a great first impression. And think of Instagram Stories as the behind the scenes of your brand and business that you want to share with your followers to build the know, like, and trust factor in a fun and engaging way.
Q. When introducing ourselves what if we are a multi-passionate creative? What do we say? For example, I'm a voiceover artist but I also do on screen acting. What to do?
A. If the 2 creative industries you work in are realted somehow then say both. For example, if you are a voice over artist and an on camera actor then those two industries are realted. You can keep your one Instagram account and cover both industries flawlessly. So say that you are both. If however you are an on screen actor and a scuba diving instructor then you should have 2 separate Instagram accounts. One for on camera acting and one for scuba diving.
Q. I'm having difficulty shairng my stories in our community group on Facebook. How do I do this?
A. Save all of your stories. Post all of your stories. Then come over to our community group. Create one post in our community group. Upload all of those day's stories to that one post.
Q. I'm seeing the business potential for my Instagram account and need some guidance. How much should I post abut my business and how much should I post about my personal life?
A. Do the 80/20 split. 80% of your content on your Instagram should be about your business. 20% should be about your personal life. So post your 80% (business content) from Monday - Friday. And post your 20% (personal content) on the weekends.
Q. I'm bi-lingual and am not sure how much I should share about that. Should I create twice as much content?
A. No. Don't create twice as much contnet for your Instagram content because you are bi-lingual. Instead break down your content into tiny pieces of micro-content and create each tiny piece of micro-content in both languages. For example, in the first language "Hi my name is (your name). I'm a bi-lingual (your job title). Nice to meet you." Then imediately after say the same thing in the second language. "Hi my name is (your name). I'm a bi-lingual (your job title). Nice to meet you." The trick is going to be creating tiny pieces of micro-content and doing it twice in one post in both languages. Don't create long form content where you go on and on about multiple things. Short, sweet, to the point, and in both languages for the win.
Q. I'd like to create more long form content for Instagram. Is Stories the right format for this?
A. No. Use IGTV for longer form content. If you have less than 10k followers you can only upload a max of 10 minutes of long form video content to IGTV. If you have more than 10k folowers then you can uplaod up to 1 hour of long form video content to IGTV. However a great rule of thumb is 2-5 minutes for IGTV content. Short, sweet, to the point wins every time.
Q. In terms of following and followers, what is the right ratio? How do I get my numbers right?
A. Don't fall for vanity metrics and think that you're worthless because you don't have the same number of followers like Beyonce (millions of followers but you only follow 1 person). Stop. Regroup. Don't buy into vanity metrics. Rather, use the explore feature in Instagram, find the dream clients you want to work with, like, comment, and follow them and build your following that way. I'd rather you have 100 followers that are potential dream cleints than 1 million followers that don't engage with your content.
Q. I noticed a difference in the layout app versus the layout in stories itself. Which is better?
A. The layout app is great for using pics you've already taken and pinching and zooming the pics into place. With the layout in stories itself you can use your already taken pics from your photo library but you can't pinch and zoom them into place. But what you can do with layout in the IG stories app is you can take pictures that fit the crop. As I always say make it work for you.
Q. How do I respond to comments in my stories?
A. Comments in your stories goes directly to your Direct Messages or DMs. This is awesome! DMs is where it's at. DMs is where the real conversations happen. It's much more personal than just a random comment on your IG feed posts. If you see a story that you like alaways comment on it which lands in their DMs. This is great for the algorithm and builds a connection between you and the other person. This isw hat it's all about.
Q. When it comes to Boomerangs can I use the Boomerang app or do I have to use the boomerang feature inside the Instagram Stories app?
A. You can use both without any difference between them. Make it work for you.
Q. WHen using Boomernag, Layout, and Superzoom is there any way to see the metrics of which key feature brings us the most traciton?
A. Don't think this way. The key features like Boomerang, Layout, and Superzoom are just tools. It's what you DO with the tools that creates the engagement. If you create good content that engages with your followers then you will see what they like and what they dont like. Then create more of the content that they like.
Q. Is there a way to avoid the DMs from porn bots?
A. Unfortunately, no. Just block and report them and keep on going creating awesome content on Instagram.
Q. Should or stories be targeted to clients or just give a general glimpse into our daily life?
A. When your content is aligned with who you are and what you do then your intention is properly set. Even a general glimpse into your life as a creative is targeted to your clients becasue it builds the know, like, and trust factor. It's not look at me content. It's learn from me content.
Q. How many times should we be posting to Stories?
A. Ideally, 3-5 stories in one go once a day is good. If you can't do it every day then do it every other day. Make it work for you.
Q. When I set up stories it asks for access to the camera and mic and I can't create stories without it. Does that mean Big Brother is watching?
A. Big Brother has been watching us way before Instagram Stories was created. No way around it.
Q. Can we draw on our stories?
A. YES! This isn't covered in the training but here is how to do it. Create your piece of content and then wen you go into edit mode look up to the top. See the Aa symbol that means text? Look to the icon next to it. It looks like paint brush. Click on it and play with drawing on your Stories. So much fun!
Q. My Boomerangs are too short. How do I make them longer?
A. When taking a Boomerang if you just tap the record button it will take a very short Booomerang. But if you hold down the reconrd button it will take the max time you can take a Boßomerang which is 2 seconds. Always hold down the record button on Boomerangs. It will record the max 2 seconds and then stop recording to let you know the max 2 secconds have ben reached.
Q. I have cats. But that doesn't relate to my industry as a headshot photogrpaher. How much of my cats should I include in my Instagram if at all?
A. There's a thing on Instagram called #studiocats so once in a while include your cats in your content and use the hashtag #studiocats Showing your pet once in a while in your Instagram content is great. Just don't make it ALL about your pets.
Q. Can you delete a story that you've posted and then try again to create a better one to post?
A. Yes. Once you post your story and you want to delete it go to that story, click on the three dots on the bottom right, and click on delete. Then that story has been deleted. Then you can create another story that was better than the one you posted.
Q. I made a mistake with my story and I posted it. I want to redo it. Can you delete a story that you've posted and then try again to create a better one to post?
A. Yes. Once you post your story and you want to delete it go to that story, click on the three dots on the bottom right, and click on delete. Then that story has been deleted. Then you can create another story thaat was better than the one you posted.
Q. When using the music sticker how do I get rid of the lyrics?
A. Click on the lyrics andit will change to an album cover.
Q. In time of crisis like cornoa and the Black Lives Matter movement - I feel like you are damned if you do and damned if you don't post something about it. I've ven have friends contact me saying why aren't you posting about this or why aren't you posting about that? I don't know what to do.
A. Posting brings awareness. However it's the intention that makes all the difference. What is your intention for positng? What do you want to bring awareness to? In this training you are learning about Instagrm Stories and bringing awareness to your business. However when life happens and the world is in crisis what do you post about if anything at all. At the end of the day, you are 100% in control of what you post on social. You are also in control of what you don't want to share on social. There are people who don't post anything political on social but anonymously donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities that help with the crisis. There are also some poeple that just post about politics and argue in the comments and that is all the action they are taking to "help" the cause. Which isn't anything more than stirring the pot and making the atmosphere worse for everyone involved. So reclaim your control over what you do and don't post on your social and know it is 100% in your power of what intention to what awareness you bring to your socilal channels. And for the people that reach out to you judging you about why you aren't posting about something, drop them from your life. They obviously have boundary issues. They need to be taught a lesson about their own intention and what type of awareness it brings to them. And from my stand point, that awareness is dark, controlling,and manipulative.
Q. Someone unfollowed me on Insta. I don't know how I feel about it.
A. There's a strategy called follow unfollow where people follow you for a few days in hope of you following them back then they unfollow you a few days later. Don't pay them any mind. There may be people that follow you for a while and then unfollow you after a month or two. Don't pay them any mind. There may be friends or family that unfollow you. Maybe they're having a bad day or their finger slipped and they unknowingly unfollowed you. It can happen. At the end of the day don't worry about how many followers you have. Rather make your intention be about how many relationships you can create using Instagram.
Q. I don't want to unfollow someone but I don't want to see thier posts. What to do?
A. Mute them.
Q. I don't undestand the difference bettween feed and stories. Why can't I post Superzooms and Boomerangs on Feed?
A. You can but it won't fit the format. It'll be like eating your favorite ice cream but instead of it being inside a cone it will be inside a taco shell. It doesn't fit the format.
Q. What are story highlgihts?
A. We will get to that on Day 7.
Q. For the office tour I am afraid that my desk is too messy. What to do?
A. You are 100% in control of what you post. Want to show your messy desk and be relatable? Go for it. Want to not show your messy desk but turn it into something creative? Great. Take a video of the door to your office saying that a hurricane has struck inside the office and the disaster area is just too gruesome to show on Instagram. Be funny with it. Remember you are in control.
Q. What is the best way to learn more about IG and build a good foundation?
A. The online course and 16 month planner My Contnet Calendar - how to build your brand on Instagram 1 day at a time;-)
Q. Does Planoly track analytics on stories?
A. Yes.
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