What Are Google Web Stories?
Google Web Stories
Google Web Stories are powered by AMP technology and are owned by Google. They are immersive, full-screen experiences that you can host on your own website.
The ability to post them on your own site is what makes them different from other story experiences, such as Instagram or Facebook stories. In addition, you can include links, calls to action, and Google AdWords in your Google Web Stories.
Using individual story panels with videos, graphics, and other features, you can share brand narratives that users can click through to experience the story you want to tell.
In addition to viewing them on your website, people can also experience Google Web Stories in a Google search, in Google images, or through the Google Discover app, available on Apple and Android devices.
Google Web Stories Benefits
You own your Google web stories
You control the code, and you host them on your digital websites.
This is much more different from stories hosted on Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok, where your marketing content is highly dependent on these platforms’ function.
Google stories get higher reach
As mentioned, Google is spreading the placements of the Stories, and you will be able to reach any person on the world beyond your followers, which is the leading case with other marketing platforms.
Fully customizable
As Google stories are built by you using the Web Stories AMP documentation, it has evident flexibility in controlling every pixel and making them to fit your brand guidelines entirely.
How to Make Google Web Stories
Storyboard your narrative
The first step is to storyboard and draft a narrative. Google created a storyboard script template to use to draft your Web Story narrative.
Choose an editor
After you’ve created a final draft, pick the editor you’ll use to create your Story. If you have developer skills, you can follow a tutorial from AMP that will guide you through the process of creating a Story with custom functionality.
Create your Web Story
Once you’ve chosen your editor, begin building your Web Story.
Test your web story before publishing.
The final step is to enable your Web Story on Google, and this requires testing it with various digital tools.
Top tips for creating impactful Google Web Stories
- Plan your story – what message do you want to communicate with your consumers? How will this be developed over the multiple slides? Does it have a clear beginning, middle and end? What do you want the user to think and feel during the experience? Considering some or all of these angles can really help improve the end result before you start building.
- Make text clear – as stories are so visual, it is important that any text is easy to read and that there is sufficient contrast between busy backgrounds.
- Use engaging videos and imagery, and ensure that it is portrait (for mobile) and sized correctly at a 9:16 ratio.
- Vary your text sizes – so that it is easy to read and avoid using large chunks of text.
- Add links and CTA’s – It has a lot of customisation options when it comes to adding links back to your website, CTA’s and ads. Make use of them!
- Add captions – many social media platforms encourage you to caption your videos so that they are still legible to those who are watching without sound. The Web Stories format now supports VTT caption files and you can now incorporate these using the WordPress Web Stories plugin.
- Test your story – run it through the Google Web Story tool to ensure it is valid to be shown.