Instagram Stories for business: do you really need to? With more and more social media and digital channels to promote your content on, it can feel overwhelming to know what to prioritize.

I previously shared the Four C’s of Standing Out on Instagram.

Now, here are three reasons why Instagram Stories should be at the top of your list for your social media promotions in 2019.

#1 – Free Eyeballs on Your Content

Organic reach has been declining over the past several years across both Facebook and Instagram.

One place that hasn’t seen a decline in reach (yet) is Instagram Stories.

Brands report getting as much as 37% of their total Instagram impressions from Stories. Yet, only 50% of businesses are making one Story a month or more.

Don’t miss out on those free eyeballs looking for new content, make sure your company is on board before more businesses take advantage of these free impressions.

#2 – More Authenticity

Instagram feeds are typically full of picture-perfect moments that show photoshopped products, airbrushed models, and ideal lighting.

Since Instagram Stories expire after 24 hours, it’s a great opportunity to show off the more authentic side of your product or service.

Give people the behind-the-scenes walkthrough of an event, show them the making of your next product, or what a day is really like in your business, without all the photoshopping.

Develop a more genuine connection with your followers by giving them the real deal with your business.

#3 – Drive Link Clicks

Instagram Stories offers the feature we had all been waiting for since Instagram rolled out – the ability to drive traffic to your website with a simple swipe up.

While scrolling through the main feed is a more passive activity, brands can now actively engage their users in Stories by inviting them to learn more.

You do need to have 10,000 followers to enable the swipe-up feature. However, even if your brand isn’t quite there yet, you can still invite users to take action by clicking the link in your bio.

Use a service like LinkTree to offer multiple URL destinations from the link in your Instagram profile.

If you haven’t started creating Instagram Stories for your business, there’s no time like the present.

Even if you don’t quite get it right the first, second or third time, it’s only 24 hours until the slate is wiped clean and you can try again.