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The Utah DMC Blog

Cory Henke | Utah DMC Conference Recap – August 2019

The Most Valuable Impression on the Web with Cory Henke [DMC Recap]


With over a decade of experience in the digital marketing industry, Cory Henke is no stranger to the importance of finding creative strategies for online engagement. He’s an expert at using social media to scale brands and decrease costs per sale. At the 2019 DMC conference, he gave an in-depth explanation about The Most Valuable Impression on the Web: Instagram Stories. In this presentation, he talked about why every brand should be using Instagram Stories, and how brands can take advantage of the opportunity that exists there.


 
Cory started off his presentation by sharing a quote from Chris Cox, Chief Product Officer of Facebook, “The story format will surpass the feed in 2019 and become the main format of content creation and communication within social media platforms.” He reminded us that the story format has become so popular that all of the big social media platforms, like YouTube and Facebook, are using it.
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So, why are Instagram Stories such an effective way to reach people? Let’s take a look at a couple of statistics. According to research, 90% of smartphone users hold their phones vertically most of the time. Additionally, 83% of mobile users say they don’t turn their phones to watch videos. Basically, people usually don’t turn their phones when they consume video content, and Instagram Stories cater to those people by providing a convenient video experience, Cory explained. 

Cory went on to talk about the benefits of advertising through Instagram Stories. Unlike other forms of ads, Instagram gives you the ability to retarget people who have previously swiped on your carousel ads or engaged with your content—people who are interested in and engaging with your brand rather than people who are simply showing specific behaviors. Furthermore, advertisers have a minimum of three engagement points to encourage when using Stories: profile visits, direct messages, and website CTAs.

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After discussing why using Instagram Stories to advertise and engage with your audience can be so beneficial, he shared a quote by Josh Constine of TechCrunch that said, “Advertisers must rethink their message not as a headline, body text, and link, but as a background, overlays, and a feeling that lingers even if viewers don’t click through.” Instagram Stories are extremely effective, Cory noted, because they allow for more of a personal, emotional connection. They give advertisers a more personal way to connect with viewers, which leaves viewers thinking about the content long after they’ve seen it. 

Cory shared some notable case studies from three brands he has worked with: Golden Coil, Lou Lou and Company, and Gathre. Through the use of Instagram Stories, each of these three companies saw a notable increase in sales and decrease in cost per sale.

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He then told the crowd that if someone thinks they don’t have enough content to share on their stories, they are wrong. He shared multiple story content types that brands should be using in their social media strategies. These content types included: 

  • Text-based posts
  • Live streams
  • Boomerangs
  • Super zooms
  • Rewind videos
  • Hands-Free videos

In closing, Cory shared 5 important points he wanted people to take away from his presentation:

  1. Engagement is the new currency. 
  2. The vertical video format will continue to develop. 
  3. Organic Social Media is more important than ever before. 
  4. Organic reach is alive, and the opportunity to take advantage of it exists on a daily basis. 
  5. Rethink your creative for the impression vs. the click through.

Instagram Stories are here to stay, and using them can help you take your brand to the next level. Don’t be afraid to try new things that allow you to connect with your audience on a personal level—your brand will thank you for it.

 

 

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Topics: digital marketing utah Event Recaps strategy DMC impressions