Statistics indicate that about 30% of millennials in the US use Snapchat, while 50% of US users are Gen Z. Additionally, 36% of teens in the US consider it their favorite platform. This makes Snapchat one of the most popular platforms for reaching a young demographic, and having a presence there can pay off for your brand. This is why you need a strong Snapchat marketing strategy.

While Snapchat will enable you to send funny selfies to your friends, that’s just a section of what the platform can do. One of the most popular features on Snapchat is Stories. In this article, we guide you on creating outstanding Snapchat stories that will enable you to get noticed.

What are Snapchat Stories?

Snapchat is a 24-hour feed of videos and stories, enabling users to share their posts in a chronological slideshow. This differs from the disappearing messages in that they are usually visible to friends, even after being viewed. They, therefore, make for a longer narrative as each snap on a story remains visible for the next 24 hours, resulting in an evolving thread of moments. This also reduces pressure when sharing your content with a larger audience, without the need for permanent, public-facing linked content.

Snapchat stories enable users to show their creativity and can help them maintain their Snapchat Streaks. They can import their content using filters to change the moods and colors. They can also add captions to the image and stickers for fun elements like location tags and emojis, and add an AR effect to transform an ordinary scene into a magical one.

Tips for Creating Outstanding Snapchat Stories

If you want to make your Snapchat stories outstanding, here are some tips to consider:

Creating a Snapchat Story

The good thing about it is that it is super easy to create. After opening the app, tap the camera button to take a photo or hold it down for a quick video. Swipe right to your profile. Once you are on the profile page, click on the +New Story. 

You can choose whether the story is a Standards story, a Shared story, or a Private Story, depending on who you want to view it. These options are great for setting your story to be viewed by whoever you want. You can choose whether to keep the story just for your close client or to collaborate to create a Shared memory.

Make Your Stories Outstanding

Snapchat stories usually consist of a blank canvas that needs your personal touch. You can make them attention-grabbing by going beyond simple videos and photos. Instead, you can leverage different lighting angles and even use creative storytelling. 

Make the story more engaging by finding a handy prop or switching the background to a colorful mural or a trendy spot. You don't need to make your stories polished. Instead, they need to be raw, genuine, and hit home. This is important as social media users now prefer authentic content over raw content.

The multi-snap feature can be a great choice for combining clips to tell a story that moves from the start to the middle and the end. Remember to showcase your personality to stand out, whether it's with a silly face or a quick dance. Spontaneity and humor are what make great Snapchat stories.

Use Filters, Stickers, and Texts

After snapping the moment, your next steps should be to decorate it. Adding Snapchat filters should involve more than just a pretty color tweak; it should transform the whole scene, add context, and include animations. Remember to also add stickers, whether in the form of playful emojis, clever captions, location tags, etc. These can help you convey the story's mood.

Use the text in the story as the caption and ensure it is heartfelt and punchy. Try different sizes, colors, and fonts to make your story stand out. If you feel like your words will get lost, you can add an outline or a neat shadow to make them pop.

Avoid Sharing Snaps with Friends and Stories at the Same Time

When you take a snap on Snapchat, you will have the option of sharing it with a few friends or even adding it to your story. You need to choose one option, not both. Remember that the same people you send your snaps to are the same ones who will view the story. That means you will be seen as spamming, and such redundancy can turn people off.

Use a Different Angle

A common mistake Snapchat creators make is to choose everything from one perspective, resulting in a monologue shot while holding their phones above their heads with their right hand. A better idea would be to switch hands, move the phone below you, etc. No matter how you shoot, avoid repeating the same angle too often to keep your story visually interesting.

Face the Camera

When creating a video or a selfie, we tend to look at the screen to assess whether the shot will look good and whether the framing is proper. However, when shooting a story in which you are speaking, you need to look directly into the lens to avoid disorienting viewers, as your eyes will appear to be tilted away from them.

Keep it Short

A common mistake that creators on Snapchat make is to create long stories, since they don't check their timer, even though the attention span of social media users is reducing. Remember that no matter how interesting you think your life is, most people aren't that interested. Therefore, keep the stories short. 

Add a Theme for Your Stories

You probably understand that the basis of a good story is a plot, and the same goes for a Snapchat story. You want to make sure that your plot has a theme, even if it's as simple as making a sandwich. Otherwise, if your story has no plot, it will seem like a fragmented collection of thoughts and snapshots.

Add a Short Timer

A good narrative requires space, but this is more important on Snapchat, where you want to pay attention to your story’s flow. If you're posting a video, you can break those long shorts into some smaller ones. If you are posting images, make sure they remain below 5 seconds. When you maintain shot cuts, you can keep the stories moving.

In Conclusion

Snapchat Stories are a great way to share behind-the-scenes shots of your daily life. Since they don't disappear after being viewed, they can provide a pressure-free, authentic way to engage with your followers and friends without the need to curate or create a permanent post. However, if you want to achieve the desired results, you need to understand how to make them outstanding. Therefore, use the above tips to create outstanding Snapchat stories that will help you increase your Snapchat score quickly.