Event promotions and flyers are one (if not the) most common types of content seen on higher education Instagram stories. Often times the design of these promotions is left to staff with little knowledge of user experience (UX) design. It doesn’t take an expert to optimize flyers for Instagram Stories. In this article, I will share a video I prepared explaining how to better organize and prepare your flyer to be the very best it can be for Instagram stories.
Marketing Funnel as a Guide for Visual Storytelling
The marketing funnel serves as a guide to organize information so the viewer can understand your story in a way that leads them to the desired action whether is to share your content, register for your event, or buy a ticket. Here’s how the information in your flyer connects to the funnel and helps tell your story better.
- Awareness – Establish who you are in the header or upper portion of your design. Focus on answering the following: Who are you? What is the name of the event? Even though your logo shows up tiny in the upper left corner of the story, you might want to include it in your design just in case.
- Interest – Below your awareness content, shift the attention from who you are to what’s in it for the viewer? Why should they be interested in what you are offering? In short, what is your reason to believe (RTB).
- Consideration – Now that the viewer knows who you are and why it should matter to them, share some high-level details such as when and where is the event. Don’t try to cram every single detail in. Non-critical details should be left to a website containing all the information which you will include by using the link sticker.
- Intent – Seal the deal with an easy call to action. Such as register, share, and participate. Long calls to action are often interpreted more as a lengthy task or barrier versus something simple and quick.
- Action – Use the appropriate sticker with a call to action whether is the link, poll, or another interactive Instagram Story sticker.
No No’s
Instagram Stories are a very quick medium where all you got is just a few seconds at the most to make an impression. Avoid wasting precious Instagram Story real estate on sponsoring or partner logos unless it is absolutely critical. It’s okay to include one or two large sponsors but not every single one.
Avoid including multiple URLs in your design. The one and only URL you will use should be the one added on the link sticker. Make sure you leave the link sticker space and room to breathe so it stands out as your call to action.
If your flyer is a video, don’t keep all the details until the end. Most people don’t watch videos entirely so they will most likely miss it.
QR Codes on Instagram Stories
Some time ago I was against adding QR codes on Instagram Stories. Now in days, I am more open to them if they serve a clear purpose. For example, if the information offered is something you feel a viewer might take action at a later date, or take a screenshot then a QR code can help them access links and information when viewing the content outside of Instagram, as in-camera roll or Google Photos as these apps can interpret a link or text within the QR code. In short, don’t go adding QR codes to everything, make sure that they are primed to offer value at a later date or outside Instagram.
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