As a Facebook marketing assistant helping businesses optimize their Facebook presence, one of the most common questions I get asked is “Where is the story section on my Facebook business page?” With Facebook consistently adding new features and sections to Pages, it’s understandable why business owners can get confused about where to find certain options. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk through exactly where to find the Story section for your Facebook business Page and how to use Stories to effectively engage your audience.
What Are Facebook Stories?
Before jumping into where to find Stories, let’s quickly cover what Facebook Stories are. Stories allow Pages to share photos and short videos that appear full screen to your followers and disappear after 24 hours. Stories sit at the top of the News Feed so they’re one of the first things people see when they open Facebook. Some key benefits of Stories include:
- Showcase real, candid content from your business
- Increase engagement and website traffic
- Reach people who may not see your regular posts
- Appear at the top of the News Feed so they’re hard to miss
- Let you track who’s seen your Story
Similar to Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories, Facebook Stories offer a fun, visual way to share day-to-day happenings from your business. You can use Stories to give followers a behind-the-scenes look, announce sales or events, highlight customers, and more.
Where to Find the Story Section
Now onto the main question – where are Stories located within your Facebook business Page? There are two main places you can access Stories:
1. Stories Section on the Left Sidebar
The easiest way to find Stories is to look on the left sidebar of your Facebook Page on desktop. Scroll down and you’ll see a Stories section underneath your Page’s bio and menu links. It will typically say “Create Story” or show your name and profile picture if you’ve already made Stories recently.
To start making a new Story, simply click on “Create Story.” You’ll be able to upload a photo or video up to 20 seconds long. You can also add filters, stickers, drawings, and text.
2. Stories Camera at the Top of News Feed
The other place you can create Stories is at the top of your Page’s News Feed on desktop and in the Facebook mobile app. Look for your profile picture in a colorful circle – this is the Stories camera.
Click on the camera and you’ll be taken straight into the Story creator. This allows you to quickly share Stories without having to navigate to the Stories section.
How to Use Stories to Engage Your Audience
Now that you know where to find Stories, here are some tips for creating compelling Stories that actually engage your target audience:
Show Your Business Personality
Consumers want to buy from real people, not faceless companies. Stories are the perfect place to showcase your business’s personality! Film employees working behind the scenes, chat about new products, or show your office dogs. Give people a peek at what makes your business special.
Announce Sales or Events
Promote an upcoming sale or event by mentioning it in your Stories. Create a visually engaging Story with graphics, bold text, and videos to get people excited. Stories allow you to build buzz leading up to a big announcement.
Highlight Customer Wins
Stories present the perfect opportunity to feature happy customers using your products or services. For example, share user-generated content like customers wearing your company t-shirts or using your product. This builds social proof and gets potential buyers excited.
Go Behind the Scenes
Let people behind the curtain to see how your company works. Show the manufacturing process, employees packing orders, your latest company meeting, and more. This transparency helps forge an emotional connection with your audience.
Tease New Products
Want to preview an upcoming product launch? Use Stories to tease new products and features before they officially launch. Post sneak peeks and hints to get people talking and build anticipation.
Best Practices for Facebook Stories
Keep these best practices in mind as you create Stories for your business:
- Post at least 1 Story per day to build consistency.
- Use video for higher engagement. Add text and stickers over videos.
- Keep it short. Stories only last 24 hours.
- Use authentic content, avoid overly promotional messaging.
- Check Story views to see what resonates with followers.
Analyzing Story Performance
Under the Stories section, click “View Story Performance” to analyze how your Stories are performing. Here you can see data like:
- Total views
- Completion rate: Percentage of views from start to finish
- Replies: Comments and messages from viewers
- Exits: Where viewers exited the Story
- Following: People who subscribed after viewing
Analyze this data regularly to determine what content and formats drive the most views, engagement, follows, and conversions for your business. Iterate and improve over time.
Example Story Performance Table
Story | Views | Completion Rate | Replies |
---|---|---|---|
Behind the Scenes Manufacturing | 1,200 | 78% | 24 |
New Product Teaser | 2,550 | 85% | 62 |
Employee Pet Meet-and-Greet | 1,055 | 64% | 18 |
Common Story Mistakes to Avoid
While Stories present a unique opportunity, it’s important to avoid some common pitfalls:
- Overly salesy or promotional Stories – Focus on value over selling.
- Too much text – Use majority video.
- Stories that are irrelevant to your audience.
- Static graphic-only Stories – Opt for video.
- Inconsistent posting – Post daily Stories to build a habit.
Story Ads
In addition to organic Stories, Facebook offers Story Ads. These are Stories you sponsor to reach a wider audience beyond just your current followers. They appear in the standard Stories format and can link to your website or Messenger.
Story Ads work great when promoting limited-time sales or events. You can target people who have shown interest in your business but aren’t yet followers. The full-screen, immersive experience makes them perfect for capturing attention.
To create a Story Ad, go to the Stories section in Ads Manager. Pick your content, audience, placement and budget. Make sure to select Page Post Engagement or Conversion as your objective so you can track ROI.
Example Story Ad Benefits
- Reach broad new audiences beyond your followers
- Increase engagement with full-screen vertical video
- Target interest-based audiences with Pixel data
- Drive traffic to your website or Messenger
- Promote time-sensitive content like sales and events
Measuring Story Ad Performance
You can track the performance of Story Ads with metrics like:
- Impressions: Number of times your Story Ad is displayed
- Reach: Total number of unique people who saw the Story Ad
- Engagement rate: Likes, comments, saves, shares divided by reach
- Link clicks: Clicks on any links included in your Story
- Conversions: Purchases, sign-ups, or any goal you set
Regularly analyze your Story Ad metrics in Ads Manager to identify opportunities to improve targeting, creative, and messaging. With ongoing optimization, Story Ads can become a powerful driver of conversions.
Example Story Ad Performance Table
Story Ad | Impressions | Reach | Engagement Rate | Link Clicks | Conversions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summer Sale Promo | 280,000 | 165,000 | 4.2% | 5,500 | 824 |
New Product Preview | 156,000 | 102,000 | 3.8% | 2,748 | 562 |
In-Store Event Reminder | 194,000 | 113,000 | 2.9% | 1,412 | 327 |
Top Story Tips and Tricks
Here are some advanced tips for taking your Facebook Stories up a notch:
Cross-Promote with Feed Posts
Share highlights or teasers from your Stories in regular feed posts. This reminds people to check out your Stories and increases visibility.
Go Live in Stories
Broadcast live videos directly into your Stories. This brings a real-time, raw element people love.
Add Hashtags and Mentions
Include relevant hashtags and @mentions of other businesses or influencers to expand your reach and trigger shares.
Link to Website or Messenger
Drive traffic by adding links that swipe up to your website, Shopify store, online appointment booking, or Messenger.
Save Stories as Highlights
Keep evergreen Stories pinned by saving them as Highlights that remain at the top of your profile. Great for promotions or product launches you want to keep front and center.
Turn Off Comments
Too many unwanted comments? You can disable comments on individual Stories.
Story Creation Apps
While Stories are easy to create natively, here are some top apps for taking your Stories even further:
App | Key Features |
---|---|
Canva | – Design templates – Drag and drop interface – Animations and effects |
Over | – Video templates – Music library – Animated text and graphics |
Storylu | – Story planning – Content calendar – Design collaboration |
Conclusion
I hope this guide has helped explain exactly how to find the Stories section for your Facebook business Page. When used strategically, Stories offer a dynamic way to engage your audience through authentic, visual content.
Focus on posting Stories consistently, leveraging compelling videos, leveraging interactive elements, and analyzing performance data. Avoid overly promotional content in favor of showcasing your brand personality. Cross-promote your Stories, highlight customers, and offer sneak peeks to build excitement.
Combine organic Stories with paid ads for maximum impact. With a thoughtful strategy and testing different content approaches, Stories can become a valuable addition to your Facebook marketing.