Youtube may be my first love, but Instagram Stories? Definitely my favorite way to create videos on the gram! Read on for my top three tips for showing your face and talking to your customers with this fan favorite feature. 

Rather watch that read? Head on over to my Youtube channel and see me in action!

Tip #1: Know what you’re going to say

Easier said than done, am I right? But, we’ve all watched an Instagram story where someone rambled on and on, and they didn’t really know what they were talking about. They were just filming themselves for the sake of it and there was no rhyme or reason behind going on camera. 

(Side note: I’ve definitely been guilty of that in the past, hence why I’m now able to recognize and call attention to it.) 

Don’t be like Dan Levy at SNL, wandering around the hallways confused.

Anytime you go on Instagram Stories, make sure you know what you’re going to talk about – even if it’s something silly!

🥘 Want to share what you’re having for lunch? Go for it! ✅

☕️ Got a favorite coffee creamer? Tell me! ✅

The point is to be prepared prior to filming your story. So that even if you’re talking about something silly, you’ll be sure to stay on track and not ramble on for too long. This will add value or entertainment to your customer, keep them engaged, AND, keep them from swiping away the next time you post. 

Tip #2: Add a caption or some written context

Do you watch Instagram stories on mute? 🙋🏼‍♀️Most people do! 

That means they don’t actually hear what you’re talking about 😱

Not to worry though! All this means is that adding context to the video is really, really important! So, when you’re creating your Instagram Stories, be sure to add a little bit of text as a caption. 

You can say things like, “Hey, I’m talking about my favorite oat milk that I like to use for my coffee,” or “This is my favorite lunch.” Just a little bit of context goes a long way in the land of the Instagram stories. AND it also makes it more accessible to people who may not be able to listen to it. 

Bonus tip 

Make sure that the text is easily legible! Those fancy Instagram fonts might look fun and cute, but – they’re kind of distracting! If you’re using a font that’s too hard to read, no one is going to sit through a video they can’t hear, or read the caption from. 

Can you tell I feel passionate about your font choice? 😅🔥

Make sure that when you’re adding captions to your Instagram Stories, they’re easily legible, not too small, and overall comfortable to the eye. 

Tip #3: Talk like you would to a friend

I know, I know…not every customer is going to be your friend. But, you still want to have a personal connection with the person on the other end of the camera lens. 

Talk as if you’re sitting down with a friend for coffee. You’ll feel a lot more relaxed on camera because you lose that pressure of showing up “perfectly” and can simply share what’s on your mind.

And that’s a wrap! If you take away one thing from these tips, just remember: Always opt for an inviting voice and clear caption as if you were talking with a friend. Was this blog post helpful? Let me know in the comments below! And if you’re looking to start a Youtube channel, download my FREE Youtube Jumpstart Guide and let’s get you set up within the hour!