In today’s world where customers are more inclined in buying experiences and stories rather than products – it’s important to show them what your brand means instead of only showing what you sell. But the question is how would you do that in the vast and crowded digital marketing space? How would your brand stand out and cut through the noise and catch your audience’s shortening attention span? Well, the secret lies in telling a great and quick story!
People love stories. It is because stories humanize brands. By telling stories, you take customers on a journey, entertain them, educate them, and eventually sell to them without feeling they are being sold to. You make them feel seen, understood, and included. It helps develop connections with a consumer who’s way of engaging with products and services are ever changing.
Many businesses utilize the tappable story feature of popular social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Tappable stories help brands share quick photos and videos with their followers to highlight what makes them unique through full-screen visuals on mobile. However, the Stories feature on these apps are only limited to the users on of their platform and does not appeal to a wider audience. That’s why, Google, the largest search engine in the world, launched their own version, the Google Web Stories.
What are Google Web Stories?
Google Web Stories are a new way to share your story with the world. They’re an interactive storytelling tool that lets you combine video, photos, text, and 360° experiences into one seamless experience. They appear in a vertical format and are fast, memorable and fun by design. Its target audience is someone who wants to consume content, but won’t commit to a lengthy piece while they are on public transportation or have some free time. By tapping through it or swiping from one piece of content to the next, this visual style enables them to explore content at their own pace. Given this definition, It’s easy to think that Google Web Stories are just as similar with standard social media app stories, but they are a bit more unique than any of those.
Instead of only making it available for a limited time, usually for 24 hours, Web Stories are short-lived and evergreen but can be shown to your target audience no matter how long you like. It works as another form of publishing format on the web such as a blog, video or podcast. They fill the sweet gap between videos and text articles since they are usually less expensive to produce than a video while also being more engaging than a mere blog.
Web Stories by Google are more open than stories on these social media apps. Web Stories are yours, hosted on your server, making you money effortlessly and not the serving platform. Unlike with the social platforms, nobody can dictate what content you create. It’s the web, so you make the rules. Google highlights Web Stories in several important places and goes the extra mile to let them shine. Such as Google Search and Google Discover.
Examples of Great Google Web Stories
Without knowing what makes a web story great in the first place, you can’t make your own web stories fantastic!
Listed below are some of fantastic web stories to get you on the right track.
Many things in this story are done well. Then, it simultaneously zooms in on the food and the subjects, narrated in a first-person narrative, and employs background music to great advantage, making it extremely “lifestyle-y.” Portraits like this work well as Web Stories.
This story not only kicks it up a notch from the get-go thanks to clever video usage and an incredibly lean font, but it’s also a terrific illustration of a responsive story—that is, a story that functions equally well on tablets and desktop as it does on mobile.
With its minimalistic designs and straightforward content, this web story of Vogue showcases its products and provide a quick link for the people who wants to learn more about it.
How to Create a Google Web Story?
Now that you know what Google Web Story is and have seen some of great Google Web Stories there are, it’s time to get into how you can create your own. Building a web story can be broken up into five (5) simple steps.
Step 1: Select Your Story Creation Tool
It is important to have the right tools before you actually begin creating web stories. Tools that help you create content quickly with better results. Drag and drop tools like the Web Story Editor for WordPress make stories create Web stories in minutes for your website. These editors require no coding skills and pages can be dragged together and configure it similar to a design tool.
Step 2: Draft Your Storyline
You need to elaborate your concept, write a compelling story and source creative assets. Determine images or videos should be displayed on each panel including call to action. Google provides a simple PDF template to help with your narrative draft, Web Story – Script Template (PDF)
Step 3: Source the Right Content
The right imagery or videos are the make or break of a good web story. With a web story, you start with the image and then write some copy to clarify your point.
Step 4: Make it Your Own
Take the time to customize your story and make it feel like your personal brand. And once you’re done, you can simply click the publish button.
Step 5: Optimize It
Learn from engagement analytics so your story reaches an even greater audience. Google Search Console provides additional details about how your Web stories are performing in Search and Discover.
Benefits of Using Google Web Stories
So, why should you consider creating Web Stories?
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Creative Control
Web Stories are entirely under your direction, just like any other content on your website. Each story can be designed to fit your brand.
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Monetizable
Story creators retain 100% of any monetization with ads or affiliate links, and are in full control of hosting, sharing, and linking to those stories.
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Don’t expire
The stories live on your website as long as you want them too.
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You own them
You host them on your own server of choice which means that you own them. It’s your content, your copyright, your rules.
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You can edit them
Because they are yours and published on the open web, there are no editorial restrictions. Create whatever your heart desires, not what some terms of service tell you to do.
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It can get indexed
Since stories are technically web pages under the hood, they get indexed by search engines and can be easily linked to. Stories are also more structured to make than a video. They can be ranked, they can be crawled and they are scannable as a text article. Thus, it helps with SEO marketing and SEO website.
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Drive traffic
Web stories offer a chance to establish a foothold on a fresh source of traffic that competitors are probably unaware of. They are a brand-new traffic channel.
Create Your First Google Web Story Now
Publishing your first web story is now within your reach. Web Stories are a fantastic method to highlight your product benefits, and unique offers. They are also a fantastic way to build brand awareness, generate excitement for your brand, and establish your authority online. Now that you know what makes a great web story, start designing your own and see a boost in brand engagement – with this information, you’ll be able to rank on Google Discover in no time!
Don’t let your online store miss out on using Web Stories to drive traffic and get more attention. Create Your Own Google Web Story Now!
FAQ
What are Google Web Stories?
Google Web Stories are a visual storytelling format designed for mobile devices. They are short, immersive narratives presented in a slideshow format, often containing images, videos, and brief text, providing a visually engaging and interactive experience for users.
How to make Google Web Stories?
To create Google Web Stories, you can use platforms like the Web Stories for WordPress plugin or the Google Web Stories platform. Simply design each page of your story using a combination of images, videos, and text. Ensure your story follows Google’s content policies, and then publish it for wider visibility.
How to see Google Web Stories?
You can view Google Web Stories on mobile devices by searching for relevant topics in Google Search or using the Google Discover feature. Additionally, you can explore Web Stories by visiting dedicated websites or platforms that curate and showcase a collection of stories.
Can I earn from Google Web Stories?
Yes, you can potentially earn from Google Web Stories by incorporating monetization strategies such as Google AdSense, affiliate marketing, or sponsored content within your stories. However, the specific earning potential may depend on factors like content quality, audience engagement, and chosen monetization methods.
What are the requirements for Google Web Stories?
To meet Google Web Stories requirements, ensure your stories have a minimum of four pages, follow content policies, and have high-quality visuals. Additionally, your website should be indexable by search engines, and you should adhere to Google’s best practices for a better chance of being featured in search results.