Do we need another story-creation app when Instagram, TikTok, and Snap users are already churning out copious amounts of visual content on the internet? By launching Web Stories in September 2020, Google appears to believe there is room for one more. If you are unfamiliar with Google Web Stories, here are some basics on how you can create Google Web Stories using WordPress.
Google Web Stories are interactive visual stories that leverage Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) technology. With a simple, intuitive card-based interface, creators can add text, images, videos, audio files, and links to produce engaging content that drives website traffic.
The best thing about Google Web Stories is that they are generally short and low-effort. You just simply leverage content that you already have. What is more challenging is making it interesting and appealing to your audience. After creating several Web Stories for my blog, I have realized that it takes some effort to make a Web Story gain traction among your intended audience.
But why bother with Google Web Stories when you can create stories on Instagram, Facebook, Snap, and other platforms?
The primary difference is that you can create Google Web Stories on your own website. You are not building your content on someone else’s platform. Secondly, Google Web Stories are not ephemeral content. You can keep them around as long as you want.
Furthermore, good quality Web Stories that follow best practices have a good chance of showing up on Google Search, Google Discover, and Image searches. That’s not something that other social media platforms can confidently claim. Unlike some other platforms, Web Stories offer a level playing field. Your follower count does not affect your ability to add links to your creation.
While there are many tools to build Web Stories, the most popular option is to use the free WordPress Google Web Story plugin to create and add them to blog posts.
Here’s how you can create a Google Web Story using WordPress:
Start from scratch or pick a story template
You can start with one of the many included templates or a blank card. Use the drag-and-drop or upload functionality to add images, audio files, and videos from your media library to your story. Google’s documentation on Web Stories is concise and straightforward to follow.
Topics limited only by your imagination
Stories provide a quick and visual way of communicating with your customers, followers, and subscribers. Examples of story categories include product descriptions, how-to-dos, social interest, interviews, travelogues, recipes, and others.
Use good-quality images and videos
The quality and appeal of your images and videos are critical in engaging website visitors. As far as content goes, you can pull from your media library, upload new ones, or leverage Google’s free media library.
Insert text to describe each slide
From titles to quotes to descriptions, the font size and colour are critical to quickly and clearly convey the purpose of the slide. The style tab allows you to align, fill, and highlight text to maximize visibility and aesthetic appeal.
Get creative with the included design elements
Editable shapes and stickers allow you to add oomph to your slides and draw attention to specific areas of your story or CTAs.
Follow Google’s best practices and compliance guidelines
The web stories tool comes with a checklist that enables you to identify and eliminate flaws in your creation to ensure that it meets Google’s compliance guidelines.
One-click publishing
Once completed, you can share your Web Story on one of your blogs or leave it in the Stories archive for future use.
Sharing Your Google Web Story
Web stories can be easily added to blog posts as embeds or links or shared on social media platforms, just like any other visual content. Good quality Google Web Stories also have a high chance of appearing in searches and on Google’s mobile-focused curated feed, Discover.
If you haven’t tried it already, give Google Web Stories a try. You may like it.
