Live InstaStories : use Instagram Story for travel blogging

During the last few days, I heard the travel blog community wondering on how to make a proper use of InstaStories.  As every travel blogger worth his salt is already daily “multimedia vlogging” on Snapchat, what’s the point of using this Instagram Story function that doesn’t bring anything new, or so it seems ? Snapchat & Instagram Stories look just the same, but in essence, they are very different…

The travel blogger’s nightmare : Instagram Story VS Snapchat Story

Here’s a little bit of open doors pushing : Instagram is Facebook. Instagram and Facebook are both happy to promote their most recent media features : Instagram Story for Insta and video/live for FB. 

On the other hand, Snapchat is an instant messaging app/social network based on ephemeral content creation. In my opinion, the main reason why Snapchat has the most loyal community, logging in everyday, is because it goes to the core of what youth is expecting from a social network today : an exclusive platform with highly creative content refreshing on a daily basis and no adds nor parents around. I feel like getting content out of Snap is not such a great idea, since its community wants temporary/off-the-record communication…

Considering these differences between Insta & Snap, my guess is that Insta Story function is a storytelling tool allowing one to create content that can be broadcasted on other platforms, where Snapchat does not. Insta Stories are already designed so you can decide to turn some of it into Insta posts… Sounds good for our community of new media storytellers, doesn’t it ?

Moreover, every Facebook account is potentially an Instagram account (very less so a Snapchat account).

Which gave me the following idea…

Introducing Live InstaStories

LIS are about building a coherent transmedia strategy that links your Social Networks together by focusing on a live & engaging 24h event while using the latest (& better ranking) tools at your disposal.

The basic principle is simple : merging Instagram Story & Facebook live functions to document an extraordinary activity/event that you will focus on all day long.

Just go live on Facebook & promote your Instagram story as an extra “live” content so your audience can stick with you and discover more. You can also pose an enigma on the IS and make it a game with gifts to win.

Finally support it with your other social networks such as Twitter & Google+.

Simple right ?

Pin it !

I will now break down the Social Network strategy we used for our first Live InstaStory. Of course, all travel blog’s transmedia strategies are unique so this is not a recipe you can simply follow to the letter. Think of the following more as study case you (and we) can improve upon. Here’s how Violette & I just turned our last InstaStory into a live and interactive discovery mission…

How to make your own Live InstaStory

As you might already know, our goal is to get our followers to visit the most amazing UNSECO World Heritage Sites in the world through interactive new media creations : we make augmented videos diaries (Webisodes) that simply are videos embedding extra content – texts, photos, videos, sounds, maps or whatever we want – getting one to investigate these sites as much as one likes (want to try one of our webdocs ?). Naturally, our LIS had to fit into this general strategy.

• Choose a mission

A Live InstaStory relies on a clear and significative mission you will commit to for your audience. As for us, we decide to take our community with us to visit Kutna Hora, a UNESCO listed site in Czech Republic. Of course, the mission you choose has to be relevant with your niche.

• Make it an event

For your live event to work, you need to advertise it on your Social Networks a few days before to generate the infatuation you need. “You will be making an Instagram Story at this specific date about this topic.” Here’s what we did on twitter :

Visit #KutnaHora with us LIVE TOMORROW on #InstagramStory ! https://t.co/d2YJfE7Frr pic.twitter.com/Tk9AM4a0Ms

— Violette & Antoine (@lifexplorateurs) 25 août 2016

• Make it clear

On your Facebook page : as it’s a new practice, you’ll need to make a short tutorial on your Facebook Live description with a link to your Insta account stating your mission of the day & that there is a gift to win.

On your Instagram page : update your bio/profile picture and add your Facebook page link in the bio.

You can also post an image on Instagram during the day stating that you are live visiting this very place in your story :

LIVE VISIT ON OUR STORY TODAY : visit UNESCO World Heritage listed city centre and monuments of Kutná Hora with us now on our story Win a postcard by answering the story’s enigma on our Facebook page (link in bio). #kutnáhora #czecharchitecture #LifeExplorateurs #TravelBlog #culturegram #architecture #archilovers #archidaily #cathedral #worldheritage #worldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #cultureshots #travelshots #europe_vacations #unlimitedeurope #youbackpacking #Globalnomadz #traveleurope #visiteurope #backpackeurope #sightseeing #czechrepublic #VisitCZ #travelinspiration #exploringtheglobe #worlderlust #worldtrip #roundtheworld

Une photo publiée par Violette & Antoine ✈ (@lifexplorateurs) le 26 Août 2016 à 7h05 PDT

Don’t forget to advertise the LIS on your other social networks on a regular basis :

Now live visiting #KutnaHora on #InstagramStory ! Join us on https://t.co/iVmviIQQR4 pic.twitter.com/lF2VEceqQS

— Violette & Antoine (@lifexplorateurs) 26 août 2016

• Be playful

Pose an enigma on your Instagram Story & ask your community to answer it in the comments of your last Facebook post. We made a trivia game with a postcard to win.

• Summarise and thank your fans

2 days after the LIS, post a montage video on your Facebook page so the rest of your community understands what just happened (so they can join you next time). Don’t forget to thank the ones who followed you live of course Looking for a cheap app that turns your new media stories into cool videos, quickly and efficiently ? I’ll write a post about it very soon !

Done !

The most important thing you get out of a Live InstaStory strategy, is the bond you create between your Instagram and Facebook accounts.

I guess you shouldn’t do more than 1 LIS a week. I even think that 1 a month is enough. More would kill the unicity of the moment and spam your audience.

The key pros of using Live Instagram Story strategy

1. It’s simple, not time consuming and easy to do
2. Having different strategies for Snapchat Story and Instagram Story (that way you can keep using Snapchat for everyday life behind-the-scenes/bloopers & stay true to your community other there)
3. Create a lot of activity on your Facebook page and build a bigger audience on FB
4. Create a link between your Social Networks
5. Keep the “urgency” concept of Snapchat by making it a live 24h event with gifts to win
6. FB is promoting its video/live function and Insta its stories : give the big networks what they want and your content as a better reach