Yesterday, Instagram introduced something new: Instagram stories. Basically, you can upload and edit pictures and short stories to your instagram feed and they will stay for only 24 hours and then disappear. If this doesn’t sound familiar, it’s because it is basically the same model as another social media app: snapchat! This post is to help any social media marketers or avid users fit instagram stories and snapchat both into their social media plans!
From what I see, the opinion on this seems mixed. Some are criticizing instagram for copying snapchat. Others are praising instagram saying they took Snapchat’s model and improved it.
If, like me, you are a student and avid user of social media, especially for business, this may make you nervous.
I will admit that one of my first thoughts was “Oh no! Now I have to update yet another form of social media again!”
One might think “well, you can just upload the same things to both, and just take twice as long!” but one thing I’ve learned that I agree completely with is that if you want people to follow you on multiple platforms, you have to incentivize them by offering different content (or at least posting the same thing on different days/times) so that people don’t get sick of seeing the same thing over and over again.
So, I decided I had to come up with a plan!
My snapchat is going to be what it already is: a snapshot of my life, both career-wise (fitness, nutrition, blogging, modeling, makeup artistry) and personal. Interested? Use my code below, and see exactly what I mean! (Shameless promo – 😂)
My instagram stories, however, are going to follow a consistent theme! I am going to share something I learned from my personal development each day.
If I do something abnormally cool, especially along the themes that my instagram follows (which is more tightly designed than snapchat), I will add it too, but this way, my instagram followers will know what to expect from my story each day – something inspirational or a motivating life tip/life hack.
[Tweet “How to incorporate both #instagramstories & #snapchat into your #socialmedia plan via @Mandelicious”]
It will fit seamlessly, I think, with my quote that I post every morning, and it will hold me accountable to making sure I am listening to a podcast or reading something for personal development each day!
What do you think? Are you going to use both? How will you change your plan? And where can I find you to see what you’re doing?
Leave a comment below with what you’re doing, what you plan to do, and where I can see it in action!
xoxo,
Mandie
P.S. Did you like what you read? Make sure to check out other blogs on the page, and to subscribe by entering your email below, so you never miss a post! 
[subscribe2]
Also, connect with me on social media!
Mandie’s Fitness, Nutrition, Personal Development, Sustainability & Beauty Facebook Page!
Mandie on Instagram!
Mandie on Periscope!
Mandie Tweets!
Mandie’s Pinterest!
Mandie’s Tumblr!
Mandie’s YouTube!
Mandie’s Google +
Sharing, but had to share first i think Im one of the few who like the Instagram stories better!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing! I think it will be really interesting to see how the two formats develop! I can see benefits to the Insta stories for sure, as well as things I’d like to change (like showing the “there’s a story available” ring around profile pics in the feed!)!
I really only use SnapChat with friends right now but I really need to think about how the IG stories are going to work into my marketing plan!
Yeah, I agree that snapchat is more intimate! I like feeling like I can share personal goofiness (like a bug in our apartment last night) without worrying about long term effects of it!
I really like certain things about both. The problem is that I really like the instagram stories, but I like using my instagram strictly for my photos. And I use my snapchat for fun and goofing around. So I’m going to play it by ear for a while. I definitely agree that if you’re going to use both, you need to offer different content on each.
Totally! I think, too, people are more liberal with who they follow on insta versus snapchat, so people are going to be unfollowing people on instagram so they can more easily scroll through the instagram stories only of people they want to see. They will be more selective about who they follow! Thanks for stopping by! <3