How to Make Instagram Stories Work for You
Do you ever struggle to keep up with the changes in your favorite apps?
Do you wish you could absorb them automatically so you’re always making the most of new features?
Sadly this article won’t fix that for you. But we can help you think about how to use Instagram’s recently added features to express your love for Jesus through social media.
Stories are one of the most popular advancements within Instagram. Launched in 2016, many people now consider Stories more influential than Snapchat.
Three features of Instagram will help keep your audience engaged and interested in the stories you’re sharing.
- Going live
- Using polls
- Saving stories
1. Going live with a friend is a fun way to express your passion for Jesus. This feature adds a sense of something happening that people won’t want to miss.
You could go live with someone on a mission trip in another country, and ask questions about what they’re experiencing. This is also a great way of letting your believing friends know about opportunities within the ministry that you’re a part of.
2. Using a poll to ask your followers a question is a creative way to start spiritual conversations in the digital space.
People generally like being asked what they think about things. It tells them that you care about their opinion and that you’re listening.
More people are likely to engage in polls than if you just post an opinion and ask people to respond.
Craft your questions sensitively so people know you’re genuinely asking what they believe rather than setting them up to listen to you preach.
3. Stories only last 24 hours, but Instagram recently added a feature to keep your stories on your profile.
By saving the story to your profile you can keep announcements and questions visible for longer than 24 hours.
Use this feature to post a verse from the Bible that people can see when they go to your profile.
But remember, choose your words carefully, especially when they are God’s words!Where do you go from here?- Tell me more about using Instagram Stories.
- I want more ideas about using social media in ministry.
- Tell me more about developing a digital ministry.
If you have questions about anything covered in this article, please email: resources@cru.org
