Let’s face it: this is the newest social media outbreak since Facebook changed how to “like” a photo. So we must talk about.

Scott and I love social media, and though he dominates our Twitter-sphere, I am an Instagram girl through and through. It’s something to do with creating an aesthetic that tells a story; a way to narrate your life through a collection of moments that have been curated by you, for you. But Snapchat is something that we could never understand. We created an account (dcminute, of course) and I jump on to check out the filters every day and send a quick voice-changing video to my dad in a text. He LOVES getting them. But do I ever post anything on Snap? Rarely.

So when Insta-Stories (what are we officially calling this phenomenon?) broke Instagram the other night, and the top of my feed was filling quickly with first time Stories, I totally understood why Snap was a lucrative tool. People that I have followed for many years I was seeing now in real time – hearing their voices, getting a glimpse of their world.

Why I like Instagram Stories better:

  • There is no toggling between platforms. I am willing to bet most of you have both, including Facebook, Twitter, an actual blog, among other social media outlets. However, the fact that I had to try to hunt down people on Snap and figure out who was there was obnoxious. Now that it’s all in one place, much easier. Not to mention, we can stop seeing posts about “follow me on Snapchat” – I’m already following you here, so it’s good :)
  • Where is the opportunity to click on a link on Snap? If I saw a “behind the scenes” on Snapchat of a blog post or event, there was no east way to direct traffic to the site. If you have a blog, you are hearing me loud and clear right now because the entire goal is to get people to interact with you on your site, not exclusively on social media. Instagram allows me to highlight our URL in my profile, and can keep updating to direct people to information from my actual feed. Now with stories, if I see one of my favorite bloggers or photographers putting out a new post in their Stories, I can quickly head over and snag the link to the real deal.
  • Filters are great. I love ’em on Snap. But I swear guys, there are only so many dog faces I can take. For now, the few tools that people have the use of on Stories are making for more interesting posts. I want to see more of people’s lives and creative endeavors, not their entire family playing with filters for a day. Though I admit, my family has totally done it too.  I like the creativity going into the Stories, and often, less is more.
  • If you want to interact with someone on a Snap, the moment is fleeting and everything disappears! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone back and can’t remember what was said and it’s gone. Maybe I’m a hoarder and like to keep my messages handy, but now that I am communicating with new people through stories, I feel like our “dialogue” has been started and now I get control over what I delete – and when!
  • Instagram, for us, is a marketing tool – as it is for so many of you out there. Over the 5 years that I have been playing with Instagram, I have learned how to communicate through the feed as an extension of who we are. I used to post anything at any time, and now my thoughts are more purposeful when putting together my feed. I have a system, and I like seeing nice photos replace blurry dark iPhone shots that used to populate my account. Stories allows for both worlds to exist in one place: my actual feed can continue to be defined by the aesthetic I want, but Stories will allow me to play with capturing the moments behind some of those images.

 How Should You Use it? Do and Don’t….

  • DO resist the urge to post EVERY. SINGLE. MUNDANE thing in your life. I’ve already seen people taking out garbage, opening random mail, and photos so dark I can’t make out what the subject is.
  • DON’T be afraid to continue to market yourself through Stories. It’s the behind the scenes that got everyone addicted to Snap, but now you can really interact and direct traffic to showcase your hard work. If you have a blog and are working tirelessly on a new post, FLAUNT IT! Photographer on location? Get me excited for what is next in your feed!
  • DON’T Snap/InstagramStories/Video/FacebookLive whatever you are using WHILE YOU DRIVE. Guys, this is not cool and completely unsafe. So STAHHHP already. I see it all day long, and it makes me sick.
  • DO message each other with a good story – after all, it’s about creating new friends, new connections. If it is worth a quick reply, do it.
  • DON’T become so obsessed that you forget your feed. That’s the one that doesn’t disappear, remember.

OK, so talk to me. What are your thoughts about Snapchat vs. Instagram Stories?