Instagram can boost your brand’s online presence and social media campaign in an instant.
The “stories” feature coupled with shopability functions can give rise to lots of potential for your brand – especially among a younger audience who are the most prolific users of Instagram.
Your stories can create conversions at the click of a button and build a following, which really demonstrates the power of Instagram.
Making your Instagram stories funky, engaging and eye-catching is a must.
The algorithm on the social platform can be a bit tricky to navigate for obtaining followers, so it’s essential to make use of external applications for your posts and draw in your target audience with high-quality content.
Our quick and easy guide will get you up to speed on the best apps currently available for your Instagram stories.
We’ll show you why you need to use them and how.
Make your videos Instagram friendly
If you have been shooting video footage, you might need to change them from landscape to vertical to fit with Instagrams stories formatting.
Here is a handy app which will allow you to do so:
Inshot App
Inshot App will convert your videos to the necessary proportions for Instagram.
Not only that, but you can edit too for a quality finished post.
Use it to create fun edges on your videos, blend, add spaces for text and much more.
Luckily, it’s available for Apple and Android users so nobody misses out on the potential to create.
Enhance your videos
Videos are the way to go for marketing campaigns and if you really want to be ahead of your game, then using videos in Instagram stories will make you advance tenfold.
Film-maker Pro
For those of you feeling more ambitious with their filming ability, there is an app to suit your needs.
Film Maker Pro allows you to edit to a professional level.
You can make slideshows, add sound effects, animations and much more which will turn your Instagram story into a mini-blockbuster.
Go-Pro Quik
If you’re looking for a great video editing application that is easy to use on the go, then try Quik by Go Pro.
Go-Pro is famed for their cameras but now you can use this application to add music, filters and other cool effects for your Instagram video stories.
We like the fact that you can add music from your own library to give your content a more personal touch!
Customize your photos with text overlay and branding
Canva
Probably one of the most popular applications available for editing right now is Canva with its many free, as well as premium features.
As an all-rounder application, Canva provides high-quality templates for your marketing needs.
There are options for editing with text input, layering, cropping, lens filters and many more.
It’s easy to use with templates specifically designed for Instagram formatting.
You can also use it in for your other social media accounts to create continuity in your campaign.
Font Candy
If you already have all of your brand image set up and want to use those fonts or formats, then Font Candy should be your go-to.
It allows you the ability to maintain branding across your platforms which is crucial.
You can choose to use your own images or modify ones from Pixabay, which is integrated into the application.
The free edition is perfect if you just want to focus on text overlay, but if you’re looking to do a bit more with your image imports then you may want to consider subscribing to the paid version.
Alternatively, you could use another application that suits all your needs such as Adobe Spark.
Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark is another versatile platform designed by those who are well-known in the graphics industry.
It has extensive editing tools that are good for those that are a bit more tech-savvy.
You can create animated text and bring your photos to life through animation too, making them more like videos.
One downside to the application is it can be harder to create brand image if you already have your own fonts and style.
The reason being Adobe Spark doesn’t allow you to upload your own fonts.
Get creative with collages and slideshows
Even if you have never considered yourself a budding photographer, perhaps now is the time to start dabbling in the world of editing for boosting your social content.
Ease yourself in by creating collages and slideshows that provide visual impact without too much hassle in the development process.
PicPlayPost
PicPlayPost allows a lot of fun and diversity in helping you compile videos and photos into collages for your brand.
You can create video sequencing and editing which many other apps do not allow.
The only downside, as one review mentions, is that you cannot transfer between the Cloud to devices, so keep this in mind when working on your project.
DipTic
Alternatively, you could use DipTic direct from your iPhone or Apple product.
It has a user-friendly design but provides high-end finishes that will really dazzle your Instagram followers.
Its variety of templates and editing options allows you to visually tell a story in a professional looking manner.
You can create collages and slideshows from photos or videos with options for animating your media through their animated layouts section.
What Are You Waiting for?
You’ll never be bored with the endless amount of apps and means to jazz up your Instagram stories.
The best marketing technique is to use applications that allow you to maintain brand continuity while allowing for creativity.
Videos are the in-deal right now and the versatility of them for marketing purposes is set to increase so it pays to get ahead by learning how to use external applications for your video needs.
Even if you seem overwhelmed by the potential, starting simple with text overlays and brand customized fonts will dramatically improve the finished product of your content.
Move onto collages and slideshows if you feel you have a grasp on the basics.
So what are you waiting for? Get started with your own amazing visual storytelling today.
