Facebook Stories
In case you missed it Facebook basically jacked the best of Snapchat’s features, launched Facebook Stories, and the social media world screamed a resounding, “Daaaammmn….That’s cold!” Damn cold!
There’s absolutely no shame in Facebook’s game when it comes to copying competitor features, including it’s own selfie sanctuary Instagram. With millennials especially seeking other options, maybe innovation has become overrated for the largest social network on the planet. That said, if you were Snapchat would you be mad at Facebook’s latest high jacking?
With this newest Facebook feature stories are officially a thing! We’ve now got three mobile apps, if you include Instagram Stories, that do basically the same things and reporting they’re the best thing since sliced, buttered bread. So whose “story” do you believe?
Facebook Stories and Snapchat, Is There Any Difference?
Currently, the most apparent difference between Facebook and Snapchat stories comes down to a hand movement. You swipe up and down to get your fav Facebook Stories filters and left and right for Snapchat.
Another difference is you can save your Facebook stories to your phone. Yay! That means you can also post them on your fan pages and share in a group like any other content. And if it’s video Facebook may likely give it more organic reach. Remember before Snapchat, Facebook was gunning for YouTube’s video dominance. That hasn’t changed! Native video is still the content focus for Facebook.
Says CNET.com you’ll also notice too if you post your Facebook story to your timeline, it will be treated like a regular Facebook post. If you just create a story it will appear at the top of your friends’ feeds, similar to what you see on Instagram. And like Snapchat and Instagram it will only be available for 24 hrs.
And although you can’t like or share a Facebook stories you can send a direct reply to one. The story creator will have to check his or her new Direct Inbox to see what you’ve said. In that way it’s actually similar to Instagram Stories.
You can’t do all that with Snapchat per se, so there are some differences. But are these differences big enough to make you choose one over the other? It all seems kind of redundant, right? Look at my first attempts at Facebook Stories above. Don’t they look like something created on Snapchat or IG Stories?
Facebook Stories, Instagram, and Snapchat Stories, Which Should You Chose?
For some of you, honestly, it won’t matter which you’ll choose. Why? Well, you weren’t on Snapchat to begin with, and Facebook Stories just looks and feels like Snapchat for older people that want to keep up with teens. Mind you I said older, not old! And based on your Instagram analytics, you’ve been doing fine with just great images and engagement. So why choose Facebook Stories?
Not to mention, depending on your audience, adding filters and cutesy stickers isn’t going to make people engage, or better yet buy! Still, be open to testing stories. You won’t know until you know if engagement gets better! Some of you may actually find that creating stories gives your audience an opportunity to see you or your company in a fun new way. That could be a good thing!
However, don’t forget to ask our audiences what they really want. Often in social media marketing we get too caught up in the newest shiny thing, and that’s how Facebook Stories seem to me. Just Google how many posts there are now about how to use Facebook Stories for business. Almost all mention behind-the-scenes content, product demos, tips and how-tos.
Most of those things a business could do with Instagram Stories, Instagram Live, or Snapchat with or without the filters and stickers. So why use Facebook Stories, especially now when it’s primarily for personal profiles? If you’re not careful, you may find yourself spread too thin content wise. I’m not saying not to use Facebook Stories, but between it and the other options choose wisely.
It’s Really Not About You!
Reader, move closer to the screen. I have a secret to tell you that will shed some powerful insight. Facebook Stories isn’t really about you nor Facebook’s billions of users. It’s really all about providing a new place to advertise. The Facebook news feed is getting overcrowded with ads, so Zuck and crew need to find or create new spaces to advertise.
Following Snapchat’s and Instagram’s example, in a few months Facebook will probably make stories available to businesses and provide opportunities for them to place targeted ads in between stories. Just wait for it!
So, technically it doesn’t matter whether you choose Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat stories. What does matter is whether through these tools you’re providing content of value to your audience, and they are responding to it in such a way it benefits your business.
