Google released the beta version of Web Stories earlier this month, and I think it’s going to revolutionize web content in the next few years. This platform could potentially replace any website that contains multiple pieces of media in the next five years, which makes me wonder why Google hasn’t already made their own website completely Web Story-based.
What is Web Stories?
Web Stories are a web-based version of stories that blend video, audio, images, animation and text to create a dynamic consumption experience. In fact, you can really think about Web Stories as an attempt to visually tell traditional written content in a way that more closely reflects how we process information. This visual format lets you explore content at your own pace by tapping through it, or swiping from one piece of content to another.
Top 5 Reasons of Web Stories Google
Here are five reasons why I think Google Web Stories are the future of web content.
- Immerse yourself in the subject
If you’re like most people, chances are you already know what a story is. Everyone loves a good story—and they especially love consuming those stories via video, images and text (which explains why Snapchat got so big). So if you want to create an excellent web story but aren’t sure where to start, start with your audience: watch their favorite stories, study them, understand them—then move on to actually crafting your own. - Get unique perspectives
In a digital world where everyone is screaming for attention, sometimes it’s hard to get your message heard. One way to stand out from your competitors and get content noticed is to collaborate with other creatives on something unique—or even better, give them exposure they deserve by featuring their work alongside yours. The more unique perspectives you include in your story, the more likely readers are to take notice. - Create targeted stories
Sure, it may seem hard to believe now, but web stories are going to be a big deal in 2016. To get you up to speed, here are five reasons why Google Amp stories will shake up digital content creation: 1) Ease of use 2) Easy implementation 3) Increased ad revenue 4) Accessibility 5) Targeted delivery. A piece of content featuring both text and video (for example) can have a different audience, depending on which components they decide to consume first. - Engage with your audience on social media
Social media is all about connecting with your audience. If you see someone engaging with your content, don’t just sit there—engage with them! The more you interact with your audience, the more they will engage back and make your brand that much stronger. That’s why one of our favorite social-media rules is: Everyone talks about how important it is to build a following on social media, but it’s even more important to engage with those followers! - Use Web Stories as an exclusive promotion strategy
If you’re looking for an exclusive promotional strategy, Web Stories are a great choice. If you have compelling content that would make for good stories, you can use them to promote special offers, link to your portfolio or build hype around a major announcement. You can also use them as a way to reach influencers—ask them to create their own web stories based on your website and then share their content with their audience.
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How to enable Web Stories on Google?
To enable Google Web Stories for your WordPress website, you’ll first need to add a plugin called Google Web Stories or you can installed MakeStories Helper. The difference between these two plugins is that Google Web Stories is free and MakeStories Helper is also free for now but will be charged $33/month after December 31, 2022. There are some other differences as well, but I won’t get into them here. After you install one of these plugins, all you have to do is create an account with Google (if you don’t already have one) and follow a few steps in order to begin using Web Stories on your site. If it sounds complicated, don’t worry—it really isn’t!
How to create the Google Webstory?
So you want to create your own web story but don’t know how? Don’t worry! Here are a few tips on creating a Google web story
- First, upload all of your content onto Google Drive. This is where all of your images and videos will be stored.
- Next, go into My Story and click Create New Story
- Once in My Story click Add New Story Element
- Once you have uploaded all of your content into Google Drive, it is time to add it into your webstory! Click on an image or video that you would like to add
- Click Add Image/Video Element to My Story
- After adding each element, you can choose what order they appear by dragging them around with your mouse
- If you want to add more than one element at once, just select multiple elements by holding down shift while clicking on them
- You can also change how long each element appears for by clicking on it and adjusting its duration
- You can change what text appears for each element by clicking on it
- When done editing click Save Changes
- Once saved, click Publish
- Now you are ready to share your creation with everyone! Go back into My Story and click Share
- Select who can see your story
- And there you have it! Your very own Google Webstory
- Now go forth and share your stories with everyone!
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How Web Stories appear across Google?
When you access a web story, it looks just like a typical search result, but with an expand icon at the bottom. Once you tap that icon, you are taken to a landing page with a big photo or video in which text and other content has been blended. When you want to view another piece of content in the story, simply swipe up from below your screen and a new slide will appear; depending on what that story is about, there could be text and images.
How to interact with Web Stories?
By tapping or swiping your finger on your mobile device. The interface will be optimized for mobile devices as well, so if you’re browsing content on your phone or tablet you can interact with it using either hand.
How Web Stories technically work on Google?
When you create a web story, you can add text, images, video and even sound. When you publish it on your site or embed it in your app, we’ll make sure users have a great experience across all browsers on any device. It’s easy to set up and share with anyone using our embeddable player widget or iframe embed code.
Top 2 Web Stories WordPress Plugin
Here are some plugins for WordPress website mentioned below-
1. Google Web Stories WordPress Plugin:
This plugin lets you easily add web stories to your WordPress website. It’s incredibly simple to set up, too. Click add new, then choose Google Web Story. Fill out all of your content, then click create. That’s it! Click here for download Google Web Stories.
2. MakeStories (for Web Stories) WordPress Plugin:
MakeStories is a plugin for WordPress that allows you to publish Web Stories to your WordPress site. It was designed specifically for Blot, so you can use any content type and style in MakeStories! Also included are snippets (both HTML and shortcodes) that allow you to embed Web Stories into any post or page on your site. Click here for download MakeStories (for Web Stories).