Instagram, the king of ephemeral content, is serving up a fresh dish for creators and brands alike with the introduction of Add Yours templates for Stories. This new feature goes beyond the familiar Add Yours sticker, offering pre-designed layouts to spark engaging story threads and boost your account’s reach.
From Sticker to Template: A Level Up for Engagement
Remember the humble Add Yours sticker? A simple prompt inviting viewers to add their own take on a topic, it quickly became a popular way to build community and drive interaction. Now, Instagram is taking things a step further. Think of these new templates as interactive canvases, pre-populated with prompts, music, and visuals that set the stage for a cohesive story chain.
A Buffet of Creative Possibilities:
The template menu is diverse, catering to a variety of tastes. Foodies can whip up a “What I’m Cooking This Week” thread, showcasing their culinary masterpieces. Travel enthusiasts can invite viewers to share their “Dream Destinations” with stunning visuals. Fashionistas can spark a “Outfit of the Day” chain, flaunting their sartorial flair. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
Why This Matters for Creators and Brands:
For creators, these templates offer a fresh way to:
- Boost Engagement: Pre-designed layouts entice viewers to participate, potentially attracting new followers and sparking conversations.
- Go Viral: The chain-like nature of Add Yours threads can lead to organic virality, propelling your content to a wider audience.
- Unleash Creativity: Templates provide a springboard for unique storytelling, allowing you to express yourself in new and engaging ways.
Brands, too, can leverage this feature to:
- Run Interactive Campaigns: Create branded templates to encourage user-generated content (UGC) that promotes your products or services.
- Build Brand Affinity: Fostering community around your brand through shared stories builds deeper connections with your audience.
- Gain Market Insights: Analyzing user-generated content within the template threads can offer valuable insights into your target audience’s preferences and behaviors.
Beyond the Template: Brands and Creators Crushing It with Add Yours
Instagram’s new Add Yours templates are popping up like gourmet creations, but some chefs are truly mastering the art of engagement. Let’s take a peek at how brands and creators are using these interactive canvases to spice up their Stories and leave their followers yearning for more:
1. Beauty Brand Bonanza: Sephora (@sephora) whipped up a “Makeup Must-Haves” template, showcasing their top product picks. The pre-populated slots with shimmery backgrounds and catchy music enticed viewers to share their own favorite makeup essentials. This not only drove brand awareness but also sparked valuable UGC in the form of glowing reviews and tutorials.
2. Travel Trendsetter: Nomadic Matt (@nomadicmatt), the king of budget travel, cooked up a “Dream Destinations on a Dime” template, featuring stunning visuals of exotic locales. Viewers jumped on board, sharing their affordable travel aspirations, creating a vibrant tapestry of adventure. This boosted Matt’s engagement and solidified his position as a community leader for budget-conscious explorers.
3. Foodie Frenzy: Tasty (@tasty) served up a “Quick & Easy Dinners” template, featuring their famous recipe snippets. The engaging format, complete with mouthwatering visuals and catchy music, had viewers salivating and sharing their own go-to quick meals. This not only drove traffic to Tasty’s recipe library but also fostered a community of home cooks eager to swap culinary tips.
4. Fitness Fanatics: Kayla Itsines (@kaylaitsines), the fitness guru, crafted a “Morning Motivation” template featuring uplifting quotes and energetic music. Viewers shared their workout routines, offering encouragement and accountability to each other. This fueled a positive atmosphere of community support, reinforcing Kayla’s brand as a leader in empowering fitness journeys.
5. Behind the Scenes Peek: Actor and comedian Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) surprised fans with a “What I’m Working On” template, offering a glimpse into her creative process. This personal touch, combined with her trademark humor, brought viewers closer to her world and sparked anticipation for her upcoming projects.
These are just a few examples of how brands and creators are using Add Yours templates to add spice to their Instagram Stories. So, get inspired, choose your template, and start cooking up your own interactive masterpieces! Remember, the key ingredients are creativity, personalization, and engaging prompts. Bon appétit, storytellers!
