August 3, 2016
Instagram just launched its new feature: Stories. It’s this nifty feature that lets you create streams of pictures and videos and share them with you friends or just people you have never met – whichever you fancy. Just to make it feel more unique and fleeting, this lovely stream of your personal awesomeness will then disappear after 24 hours.
Introducing Instagram Stories, a new feature that lets you share all the moments of your day https://t.co/gwcwjunXl4
— Instagram (@instagram) August 2, 2016
If you think that it sounds familiar but can’t put the finger on it, let us help you: yes, this feature does resemble Snapchat Stories. Well, there’s no point sugar-coating it, it is Snapchat Stories in Instagram.
Instagram basically said: “With Instagram Stories, you don’t have to worry about over-posting,” said a spokesman for Instagram. “Stories lets you share all the moments of your day, not just the ones you want to keep on your profile.”
So how does this ‘unique’ marvel works?
Not many people can try Stories out yet – Instagram is rolling it out in the following weeks both on iOS and Android over the next few weeks. And while some users may have the feature available right now, others may have to wait a little longer to get up and running.
You will find Instagram Stories in a bar at the top of your feed. When someone from your friend circle uploads a Story, their profile photo will get a nice colorful frame and when you tap on their beautiful face, you will get to see all they have put together. Dandy.
As with Snapchat Stories, Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours. Phew, right?
Brands, rejoice!
While a lot of people online are complaining about Instagram copying Snapchat (which is a bold move, to be honest), brands could actually get a lot out of it. Let me explain.
If you are an avid user, you probably know not many brands have been able to burst their Snapchat cherry and even fewer have done so with a desired effect.
If you are a social media marketer (yeeeey us), you know how expensive Snapchat advertising can be and how time consuming it can become when you add it on top of other channels you need to manage.
Instagram Stories allow brands to experiment with a Snapchat-like mechanic within a channel that they a) understand a bit better AND b) have a better presence on. This could help brands to experiment with more genuine and instant content and expand their comfort zone a little bit.
So, let’s close this lovely piece of writing with some Q&As:
Will Instagram Stories steal the spotlight from Snapchat? No.
Will Instagram Stories be a fail? Not likely, given the audience.
Our recommendation? Jump on, give it a go and see how YOU like it (despite the negative buzz). Oreos is a copycat too and yet the company made it pretty far.