Stunning Instagram Visual Narratives Showcased in 21 Captivating Examples
In the digital age, visual storytelling has become a crucial aspect of brand marketing, and Instagram, with its vast user base, offers a platform for businesses to connect with their audience in a unique and engaging way. Here are some key strategies and examples of effective visual storytelling on Instagram.
Consistent Brand Voice and Visual Identity
Maintaining a consistent brand aesthetic and voice is essential for building recognition and trust among followers. Frank Body, for instance, uses coordinated colors and clean layouts in their Instagram Stories to highlight product benefits attractively.
Interactive Instagram Stories
Interactive features such as polls, question boxes, and countdowns can boost engagement and connection with the audience. Sephora effectively used product demos, influencer takeovers, and interactive stickers in Stories, resulting in a significant increase in story views and product clicks.
Content Series and Highlights
Creating recurring content series, like weekly Q&As or tips, nurtures anticipation and loyal viewership. Organizing Stories into Highlights also preserves valuable content for new and returning users, facilitating ongoing storytelling.
Use of Reels and Video
Reels are vital for reach and visibility, making dynamic video storytelling essential. Brands like Fenty Beauty combine video and photo overlays in Stories to create layered, visually appealing posts that sustain viewer interest.
Going Live and Cross-Promotion
Live sessions increase real-time interaction and can be promoted beforehand with teaser stickers and followed up with highlight clips, extending story life and reach.
Creative Layouts
Employing creative layouts like photo-text grids, video backdrops, and product-focused grids can make storytelling content both aesthetic and functional. Frank Body exemplifies this by using a photo/video grid with product cutouts and shoppable tags, linking directly to landing pages for conversions.
Innovative Approaches
Some brands have adopted innovative approaches to Instagram storytelling. For example, Ruffles uses memes to kick off contests connected with their products, while PlayDoh uses stop-motion videos to inspire imagination. Jillian Lukiwski, an artisan on Etsy and a brand ambassador for Orvis and Filson, uses her Instagram feed to showcase the outdoor lifestyle and stories of adventure.
In synthesis, top Instagram storytellers leverage a mixture of visual consistency, interactive Stories, engaging video formats, recurring content themes, and live engagement to tell authentic and immersive brand stories that resonate with their audience and drive action. Brands like Sephora, Frank Body, and Fenty Beauty stand out as brands effectively executing these strategies.
Other notable examples include Jimmy John's, who has curated an Instagram feed that supports their logo design and color scheme, and Humans of NY, who describe their feed as "New York City, one story at a time." Companies like Krochet Kids, Airbnb, and Lego appeal to their audience with content that resonates, whether it's empowering stories, great imagery, or reenacting scenes from the latest episodes of Star Wars.
Instagram, with its ever-growing user base of over 600 million monthly users and 150 million daily Story viewers, offers a fertile ground for brands to tell their stories in a visually engaging manner. Whether it's promoting user-generated content, showcasing products in unique ways, or using memes to connect with their audience, brands are constantly finding new ways to tell their stories on Instagram.
