Whenever a new feature is posted on social media, I’m usually a late user.
When Instagram Stories launched, a worthy Snapchat opponent, I thought, “I don’t know“Maybe it’s because changes, even minor, are uncomfortable, or just because I’m a cautious person by nature.
But here we are a few years after launch and I hardly ever look at my news feed. Where am I? You guessed it and wiped through stories endlessly.
The feature gained momentum on Instagram, but was then integrated on Facebook. Now every brand with a Facebook Business Page has got another marketing tool to reach users.
So what exactly can you post on Facebook Stories? Get inspiration from these eight brands.
Examples of Facebook Stories for Business
a look behind the scenes
Back when Facebook only allowed brands to post, brands were likely more selective about their content, knowing it would stay there permanently.
Now that Facebook Stories is here, brands can have a little more fun with what they post knowing that the content will only be available for the next 24 hours.
That’s why the behind-the-scenes content is perfect for Facebook stories. It’s not necessarily important enough to be featured in the news feed, but it can be a great way to get an upcoming release going.
In this example, home decor company Woven Nook is posting a story teasing an upcoming project. The story allows the brand to generate a certain amount of anticipation for the project and to measure the audience’s interest in this type of content.
Another important element in this story is that it includes one of the company’s founders. In recent years, studies have shown that consumers are more associated with brands that pull the curtains back and show the faces behind the store.
Woven Nook could have released the Sneak Peek without the founder. When a person is shown in the picture, however, it can leave a stronger impression than just a setting.
Polls and polls
In addition to just another publishing channel, Facebook Stories has great features for brands to connect with and engage with their audience. Engagement is critical to building brand loyalty and understanding your customers.
The better you understand them, the better you can deliver content that resonates.
Grocery supplier Instacart ran its own quiz game on Facebook Stories to test its audience’s food knowledge.
This may not necessarily give the brand valuable insight into their audience, but their preoccupation with the post can tell them a lot about the type of content their followers are enjoying.
Would you like to use surveys in a different way? Tie them to a product or service.
Alaffia published a simple poll asking the audience about their product.
It did two things at the same time: it introduced the followers to a product they may not be familiar with, and it had an interactive element that encouraged audience engagement.
User generated content
One of the most popular uses for Facebook stories is user generated content (UGC). UGC provides what is known as social evidence, a psychological phenomenon in which we tend to seek advice from others on what to do.
Adjourn Teahouse uses UGC to demonstrate the different ways consumers can use its products. Thanks to the repost function for Facebook stories, the brand can fill their stories with content already created by others, which saves both time and money.
One thing to keep in mind is that since Facebook now owns Instagram, you can repost someone else’s Instagram content to your Facebook Stories – something that is not available between other social media platforms.
The Curls brand uses the same approach to promote their products.
What brand doesn’t love free advertising? This type of UGC helps brands gain credibility and attract new customers.
Straight to website traffic
Do you have an article on your website for your Facebook followers to read? Use the “See more” function in Facebook Stories. 
Blavity, a news and media company, often uses this feature to direct Facebook users to its blog posts.
While this brand primarily drives traffic to their blog posts, businesses can use this feature to direct their followers to landing pages, product pages, or other websites.
What is special about this tool is that users can easily navigate to other channels of the brand without ever leaving the Facebook platform.
Giveaways
If you’re hosting a giveaway, chances are you’re creating a Facebook post so that users can access it beyond the 24-hour window. However, it is important to promote the giveaway on other channels to get it more visible.
Notice how beverage company BLK & Bold advertised its giveaway on Facebook Stories. Rather than posting all of the giveaway details like the rules and terms and conditions, the brand highlighted what excites the audience the most: the giveaway itself.
If your giveaway is hosted on another social media platform – Instagram or Twitter, for example – you can still promote it in your Facebook story and use the “Show more” feature.
There is no right or wrong way to post stories on Facebook. It’s about figuring out which stories will resonate with your audience best.
Every story you post is an opportunity to connect with your audience and learn more about them.
Some of these strategies may not work for your brand, but are worth trying out. Because even stories that don’t do well give you as much insight as those that do.
