Humans are born storytellers, it's what we do. We yearn to hear them, watch them and share them. Every culture for thousands of years has a way they've told their stories. From elders story-telling around a fire, to ancestors chipping away at stone walls to weave a tale - stories have made impressions.We are no longer page turning. In this digital age, stories are more important than ever. It's no surprise after all, our eyes are now constantly scrolling through social media at lightning speed, and from time to time something interesting flashes beneath our fingers and we stop scrolling. As marketers that’s exactly what we want to happen.Stories are a powerful tool for brand awareness. Content marketing professionals who use Instagram and Facebook stories as part of their strategy have their poker in the fire and each click/tap is a strike. Stepping away from the traditional news feed, Stories form a more modern sharing habit - While brands are catching on, there is much more growth to be had! Let’s take a look at some important stats:

• 500MM+ people use stories every day
• 38% of people say smartphones are the device they use most to watch video
• 75% of all mobile data traffic will be video by 2020
• Videos hold 5x more attention than static images

(Techcrunch)These statistics are exciting AND MOTIVATING! Here are some tips to think about when creating a story and 2 Famous Brand Examples:

• Will my story stand out? Does it create an impact? Does it grab my attention?
• Is the story easy to understand and easy to digest?
• Was it worthy of my time? Does it make me smile, laugh, think, feel or learn something new?
• Does it deliver the message quickly? (the 3-second rule!)

J.CrewJ.Crew teased the launch of their new rose-colored sunglasses and with only 50 pairs available during the pre-sale, the company created a limited-time offer:Takeaway: Try running a contest, promoting a sale, or offering a giveaway through Instagram Stories. This type of post delivers a call to action and your brand the opportunity to reward existing followers.