How to create Web Stories
How to create Web Stories
What are Web Stories?
Web Stories are a visually rich, full-screen content format for the web, which allow you to tap or swipe through stories. To consume content, you can tap or swipe through Web Stories.
Google supports Web Stories, so you might find them across Google Search and Discover.
How to interact with Web Stories
When you’re on a Web Story, you can navigate between pages, pause the story, or go to a new story with a swipe.
Navigate between pages:
To go forward: Tap the right side of the screen.
To go back: Tap the left side of the screen.
Pause a story: Press and hold anywhere on the screen.
Switch between stories:
To go to the next story: Swipe left.
To go to the previous story: Swipe right.
Share a story:
On your Android phone or tablet: At the bottom, tap Share .
On your iPhone or iPad: At the bottom, tap Share .
How Web Stories technically work on Google
To make Web Stories pages open faster, Google saves them in the Google cache. When you open a Web Stories page from a Google property, Google sends the cached page to you.
When you use the Google Web Stories Player:
Google and the publishers & creators who create Web Stories pages sometimes collect data about you.
Data that publishers collect when you visit their Web Stories page is the same data collected on their original website.
Publishers may use cookies on their pages. To unlink your activity, you can delete your publisher and Google cookies.
Advantage of Web Stories
There are several benefits that Google Web Stories can add to your brand.
Your Web Stories are YOURS!
On adopting Google Web Stories there are no constraints on how creative you can be. Customizing content and design to target ideal consumer profiles is key. The use of interactive fonts, images, videos and illustrations is important. This helps to create an immersive experience for your user. You can even add tailored Call-To-Action buttons to help with conversions.
You can create, edit, and publish your stories to your website. You can even publish them to your social accounts using tools like MakeStories. If you don’t own a website, MakeStories provides you with a solution to host Stories on their platform. Learn more click here.
Not Time-Bound
Stories posted on Instagram and Facebook are visible only for 24 hours. Web stories last as long as your web page exists. You get to decide the duration. Another simple feature that comes with Web Stories is its manual scrollability. Users can tap to the next card when they’re ready or as the creator, you can set an automated time for it too.
Reaches a wider audience than social media
Content creation is very competitive today and one of the key objectives is to have a large reach. There is no comparison between social media and the web when it comes to reach. Unlike social media, the web can help you generate brand awareness by the billions. Google Web Stories aids inbound marketing efforts. Google shows Web Stories to users looking for your specific product/service.
Faster Page Loading
Two important factors keep your user engaged – quality content and page load time. Stories on the web use AMP technology which helps in faster page loading. This allows your content to reach the customer faster, resulting in more conversions. When website pages load faster, Google accounts for this in its algorithm. This aids in ranking your page higher on search engine results.
Boost Your SEO with easy indexing
Google Web Stories on MakeStories come with SEO privileges. If implemented well with your SEO strategy it can give your brand an upper hand in online visibility. Without any effort, indexing your stories is easy. This can help rank your story on top of the Google search. Every Web Story has a unique URL targeting specific keywords to help them rank on Google. To know where Web Stories appear on Google.
Track with Google Analytics
Using Google Analytics is an integral part of building your marketing strategy. Connecting every web page with Google Analytics helps in tracking each page’s performance. The integration of Google Web Stories with Google Analytics is easy with one click. Web Stories can serve as a designated web page to track their performance. MakeStories provides a secure solution for businesses without a website. They can host Web Stories on their platform. Integrating Google Analytics through your MakeStories account is an easy process.
Real-Time Notification to Users
here is a ‘live story’ attribute on a Web Story. Adding a new page sends out real-time notifications to users. This feature is particularly useful for brands announcing new developments and breaking news.
Web Story Content Policies on Google
For your Web Stories to surface on Google Discover and Search as single results, they must comply with Discover policies and the Google Search Essentials. For Web Stories to surface on richer experiences across Google (for example, the grid view on Search, Google Images, and the carousel on Google Discover), Web Stories must comply with the following additional content policies. In cases of egregious violations of the Web Stories Content Policies, a site may stop permanently appearing on the richer experiences across Google.
Copyrighted content
Google doesn't allow Web Stories that infringe anyone's copyright. Web Stories are meant to reflect original works, so we don't allow Web Stories that include someone else's copyrighted work unless you have received permission. Google does not assume any obligation or responsibility with respect to obtaining rights for your Web Stories to appear across Google. If your Web Story infringes on someone else's copyright, we may block it from appearing. For more information, review copyright procedures.
Text-heavy Web Stories
Google doesn't allow Web Stories that are text heavy. Web Stories may not be eligible if the majority of pages have more than 180 characters of text. Usage of bite-sized video (less than 60 seconds per page) wherever possible is encouraged.
Low quality assets
Google doesn't allow Web Stories that contain images and video assets that are stretched out or pixelated to the point that the viewer's experience is negatively impacted.
Lack of narrative
Google doesn't allow Web Stories that are missing a binding theme or narrative structure from page to page.
Incomplete stories
Google doesn't allow Web Stories that are incomplete or that require users to click links to other websites or apps to get essential information.
Overly commercial
Google doesn't allow Web Stories in which the sole goal is to advertise a service or a product, and especially if you may directly benefit from users consuming your Web Story. Affiliate marketing links are permissible as long as they are restricted to a minor part of the Web Story. Display ads may be placed following the Story Ad Guidelines. Good affiliate programs are supported based on spam policies for Google web search.
Design
Image Size
Make sure that the image linked to your <amp-story> poster-portrait-src attribute is at least 640x853px and use an aspect ratio of 3:4.
Posting Plan
In a web story we can find elements of several natures:
Text
Images
Videos
Gifs
Quizzes
Links
Where can I find web stories?
This is one of the keys to understanding the impact that this technology can have: Where can I find web stories?
The question is judicious, especially since for the moment in France they are still rare.
A web story will be:
On your website
Of course this seems obvious, but it must be remembered that these are not ephemeral content. They live on your website and enrich its content.
On the SERP (search engine response page)
Web stories are simply on the Google search result pages for example. Just like any web page.
In Google Image
Web stories can also be referenced directly in google image, which is a big plus.
In Google discover
At the end of 2020 google announced the arrival of web stories in google discover which is actually the news feed of google chrome on mobile. They occupy a prominent place in the thread and in a dedicated carousel. It is a gigantic traffic that opens up to them. And this demonstrates Google's desire to widely distribute this forma.
Who uses the web story format today?
Web stories are already widely used by one sector in particular: The mainstream media. The war is raging between them on the internet and it is therefore logical that they have very quickly seized this technology. I am thinking of course of CNN, The BBC, Forbes or Vice.
But their use is spreading, quickly, very quickly even with Cdiscount, Marmiton or Meltygroup which announced in March 2021 the creation of more than 1000 web stories per month this year.
Make no mistake, it remains little used today, it will not last and this is where you have a card to play. Google has the firm intention to promote the dissemination of this format and the competition is weak for the moment, personally I see an opportunity.
Number of pages
You can very well make web stories of 2 pages(minimum) and or 200 pages(max). But the ideal length seems to be between 10 and 15 pages.
Alt tag on images
As with all images on your website, it is important to fill in the alternative tag of the ones you use in your web story. This is important for the SEO and accessibility of your content.
Title tag for videos
There is no alt tag for videos, but there is a "title" that must also be completed for the same reasons.
Algorithm to list web stories in Web
Add at least 7 images or more
Use less no. of text with image
Always use trending topic
Create post on Website
Make sure Web Stories is 100% SEO
Logo
Poster Image or Thumnail ( Size 640x853px or ratio of 3:4.)
Title
Description ( limit 200 words)
Web stories must pass AMP Test ( Accelerated mobile pages )
Accelerated mobile pages (AMP) is a standard for creating fast-loading pages that look good on mobile devices. Having a mobile-friendly website is a critical part of your online presence. In many countries, smartphone traffic now exceeds desktop traffic.
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