A study from 2019 informs us that 64% of users prefer using tappable mobile stories over the traditional act of scrolling through a feed. As stories become more popular, many social media platforms are looking to implement this engaging and alluring feature. To discuss the benefits of this feature, Netinfluencer has all the details on how you can effectively use Google Web Stories as an influencer.

What Are Google Web Stories?

The Google Web Stories tool was first launched in 2015 under the name AMP Stories. In October 2020, the feature was rebranded under the Google franchise. Put simply, these stories are interactive videos that audiences can observe by just tapping their screens.

They are mostly used for sharing contemporary and evergreen information, making them ideal for current affairs coverage and educational content. Influencers can also add unique quizzes and polls to their stories, making more engaging content for their followers to view.

Google Web Stories are presented in three main parts: the poster, the cover page, and the story pages. Thus, viewers are asked to tap through a collection of introductory content in order to fully experience the story you are trying to convey.

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How Can I Access Them?

Google Web Stories can be found in a plethora of locations and in a variety of different formats. In a conventional Google Search, these stories are presented as links at the very top of the page. For those using the Google Discover app, these stories are shown in a carousel format, similar to Instagram Stories. 

How To Create Your First Story

1. Select a Visual Editor

To create your first Google Web Story, users must first choose an appropriate visual editor. This is a specific program that allows you to edit and customize your content using a wealth of built-in templates. Examples of these programs are Web Stories for WordPress, MakeStories, and News Room AI.

2. Produce a Draft of Your Narrative

As a way to showcase your stories more clearly, Google suggests that users produce a simple draft of the narrative they wish to showcase. It also includes a script template that influencers can use in Google Docs to help them better express their ideas. 

3. Choose a Collection of Visual Assets

This step encourages users to add a range of overlays and effects to help make their content stand out from the crowd. Here, influencers will learn how to edit videos into a vertical format and ensure that their content can load as quickly as possible.

4. Organize Your Content

The penultimate step allows users to begin building their first web story. You will now be able to place your videos and photos wherever you like, creating a range of interactive media. Influencers will also be asked to add a collection of CTAs to inspire viewers to further engage with their content.

5. Publish Your Web Story

Once you are happy with the story you have created, you can finally post it online. To do this, simply push the ‘Publish’ button in the visual editor. 

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Can You Monetize Google Web Stories?

Google Web Stories are completely monetizable and offer a range of benefits that other platforms do not. Influencers first need to enable ads in their personal AdSense account. Then, they must select ‘Display Ads’ and give their advertisement a name so that they can track its performance. 

An added bonus of this feature is that users will receive 100% of their collected Ad revenue and the stories have no expiration date. Thus, influencers can maximize their earnings as long as the content is still visible to a large audience. 

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Best Practices for Creating Google Web Stories

Use High-quality Video Formats

Google Web Stories value video content as it enables audiences to quickly absorb information on the go. Therefore, influencers should aim to include the best video content possible and ensure that it is exported in the highest quality. As such, this encourages your followers to share and interact with the content, giving you a much higher engagement rate and reach.

Implement Multiple Story Pages

Since users can just tap their screen in order to move onto the next page, influencers need to add multiple pages as a way to truly captivate their audience. For example, a creator could add a series of polls to gain a better scope of their followers’ preferences. In turn, influencers must truly maximize the potential of this feature in order to remain competitive against the wide variety of other story formats available. 

Include Elements of Your Personal Brand

With an assortment of customization tools available, it is paramount that your Google Web Stories reflect your passions and goals as a content creator. Try adding your own logo or include updates on your content schedule. This will help your audience to feel more connected with your work and offer them a new way to consume your content. 

Make Them Accessible

Although these stories can mostly be seen on Google’s own web pages, they can also be shared across many social media platforms. As a result, influencers can ensure that their content is being viewed by the entirety of their audience, even if they do not use Google Discover. Also, the visual editor gives users the option to add closed captions, making the content more suitable for hard-of-hearing individuals.

Be Mindful of Google’s SEO Practices

As Google Web Stories are considered to be pages on a website, it is vital that you fully optimize your content for effective SEO purposes. Therefore, you must ensure that you include metadata to all elements of your story to make it more discoverable across the web. This will also help new followers to discover your work, building a stronger community for you to engage with. 

Benefits of Using Google Web Stories as an Influencer

Though Google Web Stories may not be as well known as some of the other platforms, it offers influencers the chance to produce original content for their own platforms. For example, if you run a blog, these stories can be added to give your audience a quick overview of what talking points will be discussed. Thus, audiences can absorb and interact with your content without taking too much time out of their day.

Moreover, Google Web Stories offer the same shareable format as their competitors. In turn, your audience is free to share your content freely across their own platforms, helping to extend your reach and exposure. This also helps you to be a thought leader in your respective niche and makes you more dynamic against your competitors. 

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Since Google does not take a cut of your revenue, this tool is an ideal way for influencers to gain a plethora of monetary benefits. Thus, influencers are fully compensated for their work and do not have to worry about losing money, particularly since the stories do not expire like others across the market. 

Google Web Stories highlight the prevalence of short-form content across social media and its ability to engage a wider audience. These stories also help influencers to build their own original content and receive a wealth of revenue for their commitment and creativity.