Storyboarding for Instagram Stories

Storyboards are the rough drafts of your story posts. They allow you to double check that you are creating engaging quality content, ensure that you are achieving your content strategy goals, and help you to establish a more cohesive brand aesthetic. By definition, storyboarding is the process of planning and setting up your story posts for success.

Step 1: Discover what message(s) you want to convey to your audience

What is your goal for your story? What “story” are you trying to get across? Are you promoting, sharing, informing, entertaining, etc.? How can you best convey your message and what kinds of elements can you use to do it?
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STEP 2: REVIEW ANALYTICS TO FIND OUT WHAT KINDS OF STORIES (PHOTO VS. VIDEO) YOUR AUDIENCE CARES ABOUT

If you have an Instagram business account, use the insights provided to better understand your audience and the type of content they engage with the most.

If you don’t have a business account (or just want more specific insights), refer to UNUM’s analytics feature which provides you with details on your top posts, best posting times, and more!

STEP 3: CONSIDER CAPTIONS, LINKS, STICKERS, LOCATIONS, AND/OR HASHTAGS YOU PLAN OR NEED TO INCLUDE

What are you trying to get across/promote? What extra elements can you add to your story to diversify the content and increase engagement?

STEP 4: OUTLINE THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND END OF YOUR STORY

This is to ensure that your entire story ties together and remains cohesive.

Use UNUM Story to. draw out the number of pages you plan to include in the full story. How does your first story build up the anticipation for your audience to watch until the very end?

The first story should be the most captivating and should build anticipation; enticing followers to watch the story in its entirety.

Middle stories should be the “plot,” giving the audience a reason to continue watching after the first story. This is where you should include Instagram Stories stickers to help captivate and engage the audience.

Make sure to switch up the type of content you use for your middle stories and include a variety of images, videos, boomerangs, etc. to make the experience more fun.

Your final story should tie the entire story together and wrap everything up. This is where you would include any call-to-action buttons, “swipe up,” or “tap for more” stickers to help drive followers to other sources of your brand.