Facebook Stories is a feature on Facebook that allows users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Since its launch in 2017, Stories has become increasingly popular and is now used by over 500 million people daily. But does using Stories actually help businesses and brands increase engagement on Facebook? Let’s take a look at the evidence.
What are Facebook Stories?
Facebook Stories allows users to post photos and videos overlaid with text, drawings, stickers, and more. These “Stories” appear at the top of the News Feed and disappear after 24 hours. Users can also react to Stories with text or emoji responses and see who has viewed their Story.
For businesses and brands, Facebook Stories provides a way to share more casual, behind-the-scenes content to engage followers. Stories stands out from regular posts in the News Feed, so it can be a good way to grab attention. Brands can use Stories to:
- Give followers a look “behind the scenes” at events, office life, etc.
- Share new product launches or announcements
- Provide tutorials, tips and how-tos
- Respond to frequently asked questions
- Run polls, quizzes and contests
Do Facebook Stories increase engagement?
Research shows that Facebook Stories does have the potential to increase engagement, but the level of impact depends on how brands use it. Here are some key statistics:
- 150 million Facebook users interact with at least one business Story per day.
- Brands see 2-3X more replies from Stories compared to feed posts.
- Interactive polls and questions can increase comments by up to 100X.
- Video Stories generate 9X more interactions than image Stories.
These stats indicate that Stories provides an opportunity for more interactive, engaging content than regular Facebook posts. The ephemeral nature of Stories triggers a “FOMO” (fear of missing out) reaction that increases views, while the interactive elements like polls and questions encourage higher response rates.
Best practices for increasing engagement
While simply posting on Stories may give a slight engagement bump, brands can maximize results by following these best practices:
Post daily
Posting frequently helps build a loyal audience. Big brands like Airbnb and Netflix post 2-3 Stories per day.
Use interactive elements
Polls, questions, and AR filters can boost comments and shares. For example, UNC Children’s Hospital increased comments 100X by adding polls to their Stories.
Go behind-the-scenes
Give followers VIP access they can’t get anywhere else. Show them inside your office, at events, or introduce them to team members.
Respond to messages
Replying to comments and DMs makes followers feel valued and helps increase engagement long-term.
Cross-promote with feed
Announce new Story content in feed posts so you don’t lose followers who have Stories turned off.
Case Studies
Looking at real examples can help illustrate how brands have successfully used Facebook Stories to boost engagement:
BuzzFeed Tasty
BuzzFeed’s Tasty brand is a leader in engaging content on Facebook. They use Stories to give cooking tutorial videos a fun, personal feel by showing the chefs in the BuzzFeed test kitchen. Users can screenshot recipes from Stories, which helps drive content sharing. Tasty sees up to 150X more messages on Stories than feed posts.
Starbucks
Starbucks mainly uses Stories to promote new products and deals. They rely on eye-catching graphics and text animations to capture attention as followers scroll by. This strategy helps increase clicks through to purchase as well as general brand awareness. Early on, Starbucks saw up to 4X higher reach and 38% lower CPMs from Stories ads compared to feed ads.
Glossier
Glossier is a makeup and skincare brand focused on cultivating an authentic community. They use Stories to make users feel like they’re part of the brand family. Content includes new product teasers, employee takeovers, and behind-the-scenes at photo shoots. Their approach results in high views, responses, and screenshot shares as followers feel invested in the brand.
Tips to improve Facebook Stories performance
If your brand’s Facebook Stories aren’t generating the level of engagement you hoped for, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Analyze your audience
Look at metrics for age, gender, location and interests to make sure you’re creating content that resonates with your target demographic.
Experiment with different content formats
Try mixing up videos, images, boomerangs, quizzes and ask me anything sessions.
Choose the right posting times
Track when your followers are most active on Facebook and schedule Stories for those high traffic periods.
Keep an eye on trends
Stay on top of changing trends like popular stickers, filters and meme content.
Collaborate with influencers
Partner with relevant influencers to take over your Story for a day and expose it to new audiences.
Measuring Facebook Stories performance
To determine the ROI of your Facebook Stories strategy, focus on these key metrics:
Reach
The number of unique people who viewed your Story. Benchmark against your follower count.
Completion rate
The percentage of viewers who watched your entire Story from start to finish. Aim for over 50%.
Clicks
The number of clicks on any interactive elements like links, polls or sliders. More clicks signal higher engagement.
Shares
The number of times viewers shared your Story to their own Story or News Feed. Stories generating high shares perform well.
Screenshots
The number of screenshots taken of your Story. Screenshots usually lead to increased shares.
Exits
The number of viewers who exit the Story before the first video ends. Low exits indicate quality content.
Feedback
The number of reactions, comments and DMs received. This shows how much the audience is interacting with the content.
| Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Reach | 50-100% of follower count |
| Completion rate | >50% |
| Clicks | Varies by interactive element used |
| Shares | 5-20% of reach |
| Screenshots | 1-5% of reach |
| Exits | |
| Feedback | Varies based on content and CTAs |
Compare your Stories metrics week-over-week and to industry benchmarks to get a sense of how your content is performing.
Conclusion
When utilized effectively, Facebook Stories can be a powerful tactic to increase engagement. The immersive, ephemeral format encourages interaction and makes followers feel more connected to brands. While simply posting Stories isn’t a magic bullet, taking a strategic approach and optimizing content for the platform can lead to higher reach, shares, comments and overall ROI.
Focus on providing followers with value through behind-the-scenes access, interactive elements, video content, and timely responses. Measure performance using key metrics like completion rate and feedback to refine your strategy. With consistent posting and optimization, Facebook Stories can be an impactful addition to your social media marketing mix.