Top 7 Reasons to Make Google Web Stories
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Google is always changing and evolving, and one of the latest changes is the addition of Google Web Stories.
This new feature allows content creators and online business owners to create interactive stories that can be used to drive traffic back to their websites.
There are many reasons why you should consider using Google Web Stories for your business.
Here are 7 reasons why I recommend Google Web Stories to everyone I know!
Related: How to Create a Google Web Story
#1. Big Spikes in Traffic!
Even though the traffic from Google Web Stories may not be steady, the spikes in traffic can be quite large!
There are plenty of peaks and valleys with Google Web Story traffic, but I promise it’s totally worth it!
You can go days (or even weeks sometimes) with only a trickle of traffic from Web Stories.
Then suddenly, you find thousands of views coming in for the day!
If you’re anything like me, you can’t stay off Google Analytics when you have a viral traffic day.
It’s exciting!
#2. Increase Email Subscribers.
Assuming you have an email opt-in on your website (and if you don’t, we need to talk!), then anytime you get a flood of new traffic from Google Web Stores, you can pretty much bank on a spike in email subscriber signups too!
I have one website that averages about 7 new email subscribers a day. It’s not a huge number, but a spike in traffic from a single story resulted in over 70 new email subscribers!
(the screenshot above is from my Convertkit account)
The traffic from this one web story resulted in 10x the number of people opting in to my email list.
And once people are on your list, you can continue to share new and existing articles with them, driving even more traffic back to your website.
Related: Google Web Stories Examples in Various Niches
#3. Improved Google SEO!
When my traffic from Google Discover increased, I also noticed an increase in normal Google Search traffic.
What was once stagnate growth in Google SEO was finally on the up and up!
While I can’t say for certain that this is a direct result of my Google Web Stories, it’s definitely a possibility!
SEO is a tricky beast to tame, but if you can get even the slightest edge on your competition, you’re doing well.
And adding Google Web Stories to your SEO arsenal could be just what you need
#4. “Quick-wins” in traffic for newer content!
For many years, Pinterest was the end-all-be-all of quick organic traffic for new articles.
It was once easy for new bloggers to go viral and grow quickly on Pinterest.
But those days are long gone.
Pinterest, along with Google SEO, is a long-game in traffic strategy, often taking months to pay off.
Google Web Stories can offer a much quicker boost in traffic within days or weeks of publishing.
This is great news for newer bloggers who may not have a huge social media following or email list to market to yet.
#5. You can add outbound links!
This one is huge!
Why spend all that time making multi-slide stories if you can’t even direct your audience to the related article?
Unlike Pinterest Idea Pins (previously Story Pins), you can actually link out to related articles and products.
In fact, you can add multiple links throughout the Web Story!
#6. Google Web Stories last longer than 24 hours!
Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram have provided a great way to connect with your audience through their Stories feature.
Unfortunately, those stories disappear after only 24 hours. So if you don’t drive traffic within that quick 24 hours, you’ll need to repeat the story or create a new one to keep the traction going.
Unlike Facebook, IG, and Snapchat, your Google Web Story never goes away!
Just like website articles, they have their own, unique URL and live forever.
In fact, Google actually indexes Web Stories just like it does regular articles!
I have a Google Web Story that is over a year old and continues to drive a few clicks to my website nearly every day.
#7. You OWN the content!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been caught up in the Pinterest spam filter!!
Nothing is more frustrating than having all your hard work disappear, or at least be inaccessible to your audience because a social media platform suspended your account
Because Google Web Stories are hosted on your domain, you have full control and total ownership of the content.
You don’t have to worry about losing all your hard work due to mistakenly being caught up in a spam filter or dealing with account suspension.
Because we don’t “own” the social media platforms where we share our content, we have no control if they decide to deactivate our accounts.
We are truly at their mercy.
But unlike social media platforms, you have full ownership of the content you post under your own domain.
I’m not saying you should quit using social media altogether, but you don’t want to completely rely on them as your only traffic strategy.
Final thoughts
So there you have it! Seven reasons to start using Google Web Stories for your website content.
They’re fairly easy to create, offer a boost in traffic and SEO, and last forever.
Plus, you own the content so you don’t have to worry about it disappearing or being inaccessible.
I highly recommend giving Google Web Stories a try if you haven’t done so already.
And, if you’ve just dabbled, but haven’t given Web Stories a REAL shot, commit to publishing 10 stories before you make a final decision on if they are right for you or not.
I would love to know how to make them! I get them all the time on my phone. They are really useful and I love them.
Hey Pat!! Check out my article Google Web Stories to Drive Traffic to Your Food Blog. Even though it specifically mentions food blog, the “how-to” is applicable to everyone 🙂
And if you are really serious, I have a GRAND OPENING sale on my Google Web Stories Masterclass, link in the menu!
Hey Cathy
I just found you as I was getting ready to purchase another course on how to do web stories. I’ve been doing them about 2 months now for myself and want to offer them to others. Does your course cover all things from set up of the plug in, setting up a UTM for Google analytics, and how to effectively use the plugin to make the best web stories?
Also, in the video above.. is that picture behind you – Robin Zander?