Google launched Web Stories (then known as AMP Stories) in 2018.
In September 2020, the Web Stories for WordPress plugin was released.
It was only for three and in which india was also so it was great opportunityfor us
Benefits of Web Stories for Bloggers
In the last few years, stories have become very popular across almost all social media platforms. Why? Because they are short, immersive, and bite-sized.
Here are just a few reasons why you should consider adding Google Web Stories to your blog:
Create valuable engaging content
Publish trending blog posts in a new format and create supplemental resources to link to for additional context.
Web Stories are standalone pieces of content that tell a full story
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How to Create Web Stories
There are several tools you can use to make a web story. You can use a 3rd party tool like News Room AI or MakeStories, install the WordPress Plugin, or even develop your own!
In this blog post, I'm going to break down the best practices for creating Web Stories by using the free Google Web Stories WordPress plugin.
Web Stories for WordPress
Download the Google Stories plugin
Activate the free plugin and navigate to the dashboard on your wordpress sidebar.
Fill out Settings information
Navigate to Web Story Settings and input your Google Analytics ID, logo, and monetization options.
Create your first Web Story
Build your web story in the plugin! The flow is similar to a Pinterest Idea Pin or Instagram Story. You'll also add a cover photo, title, and description.
demo
WordPress Web Story Plugin Tutorial
So you're ready to start writing web stories for your blog. Here's are the basics!
Storyboard and Research
Before you start, it's a good idea to plan out what type of Web Stories you want to build. Keep these best practices in mind:
Compile a list of your top 10 best performing blog posts.
Start making Web Stories from those or to compliment that content.
Utilize Google Trends & Pinterest Trends to brainstorm content ideas.
Make your Web Stories simple and easy to follow.
Animations can be fun but too many are distracting!
Use a clear, large, and legible font throughout.
Incorporate your brand colors where it makes sense.
Create a New Story
Login to your WordPress website and open the plugin. Click "add new story" and let's do this!
Fill out key SEO Data & Document Preferences
I like filling out the key info under the Document tab on the left-hand side of the browser first.
For example, add your poster image, ensure your publisher logo is correct, fill out a 200 character story description, give your story a title, and check the permalink.
Types of Content
Whether you're using a premade template or starting from scratch, there are 4 main types of content to insert into your Web Story.
WordPress Media: These are the images and videos you have uploaded to your WP media library.
Third-Party Media: This enables you to pull images, videos, and GIFs from Unsplash, Coverr, and Tenor.
Text: Add titles, paragraphs, captions, and more to your story slides.
Shapes: You can choose from a variety of different shapes to make your story interesting.
Tip: If you're a food blogger, chances are you have a ton of process photos from blog posts. When starting out, identify those posts, especially if they're already popular among your audience.
Add Photos or Videos
Using images from your media library or a 3rd party source, begin creating your story by dragging and dropping photos or videos into each story slide.
Remember, these stories should be a "user first" style of content. Give the users as much information as possible, while keeping text to a minimum.
Add Text
Highlight the headlines and give context to the background image or video.
You want to provide enough valuable information, while still encouraging a click through.
Include a Page Attachment
If you're showing how to create a recipe, this is an excellent way to drive traffic back to a recipe blog post.
Not every page will require a link, but this is where you have to option to add your "swipe up" link!
SEO Tips
Avoid "Burned-In" Text
You know those beautiful Pinterest pins you created with a photo or two plus some text? Those images now have burned in text, meaning the text is part of the actual image or video. It's best to add text or captions as a new layer!
Add Metadata
In addition to the metadata you add to in the document tab, be mindful of adding assistive text under the accessibility drop-down for each image and video.
Optimize your Media
Use optimized images and crop to only the visible portion of your photo.
For videos, trim to the exact length you need! Try to keep video files under 4MB and under 10 seconds long.
The Anatomy of a Web Story
I recommend creating Web Stories that are at least 8 pages long.
If you're struggling to get to that length, here's a template that should help. Feel free to adapt it and make it your own.
This example is primarily for food bloggers, but can work for other verticals.
Page 1: Title Page
Page 2: Overview / About this Recipe
Page 3: Reader Feedback / Quote
Page 4: Why you'll love this recipe
Page 5: Ingredients
Page 6: Instructions
Page 7: Instructions Continued
Page 8: Instructions Continued
Page 9: Instructions Continued
Page 10: Call-to-action to save recipe for later
Page 11: Final page with author info and CTA
Analytics for Web Stories
Let's talk about how to track your stories' results!
Like I mentioned above, a majority of web story traffic will come from Google Discover. Discover traffic shows up as Direct traffic in Google Analytics.
Because of this, I highly recommend setting up a separate Google Analytics property for web stories. Here's how:
In Google Analytics,go toAdmin > Property, and clickCreate Property.
Name the property, then clickShow Advanced Optionsand clickCreate a Universal Analytics property.
Enter yourWeb Stories URL.
ClickCreate a Universal Analytics property only.
ClickNext, fill out business info, then clickCreate.
Copy theUA numberand paste it into theWeb Stories settingsand save.
Tips for Making the Best Web Stories
Just dive in and start experimenting! Your firstWeb Storydoesn't have to be perfect. You'll learn a lot as you create them and you can always go back and edit previously posted stories.
End stories will a final card that includes a strong call to action. Link out to external content, such as a blog post, video, email newsletter, another story, etc.
Let me know if these thought-starters were helpful!
Web Story FAQ
Do I need a plugin to create a Google Web Story? I suggest you get the free Stories plugin on WordPress.
What are the benefits of making stories? GWS are so powerful in my opinion, because they help you reach a wider audience. If you're creating stories with links back to your blog, you can expect to see some click-through, resulting in new blog readers!
How long do they take to make? When you're first getting started with Google Web Stories, there will probably be a slightly learning curve. I would expect your first story to take at least 30 minutes up to an hour. Once you get a hang of how to edit and navigate around the plugin and editor, I estimate one to take about 15-30 minutes.
Where do Google Web Stories appear? Web Stories can be shown on Google Discover in a carousel format or in Google Search results.
Can they tease an article or blog post? NO! Google Web Stories are meant to tell a full story. The end user should be able to get value from a linear story.
Should I include video? If you have video clips that you want to include, go for it! They are not required for a successful story though.
How do I make sure my Web Story is seen? I can't make any promises, but if you successfully identify the type of content a majority of users are searching for (ie: trends), you're likely to be more successful than if you're aimlessly creating them. Similar to keyword research!
Where do I find support? Google has a great support forum for GWS.
Have fun and let me know once you hit publish on your first web story!
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