Google has just announced its latest new tool for web designers and developers: Google Web Stories.
Google Web Stories is a new form of content delivery, similar to the stories function on Instagram and Snapchat.
The Stories feature on Instagram has proved immensely popular in recent years, after it emulated the success of Snapchat Stories.
Stories revolve around short content in the form of images, video, text and more that are designed to be consumed in small chunks.
Now it seems Google wants to get involved with this popular media format.
Google Web Stories For WordPress
Google has announced that Web Stories is now available in Beta form for WordPress websites.
They have stated that they want to make ‘snackable’ content for websites in the same way that social media is doing.
Stories are a great way to share news, products and visual snapshots about your company.
Bite-sized content saw incredible uptake on social media platforms, and its immense popularity is what has driven web developers to implement this style of content into mainstream websites.
What Does Web Stories Offer?
Although the system is still in Beta, the initial release of Web Stories for WordPress looks very promising.
It features an advanced on-page editor that gives you complete control of the content you would like to publish as Stories.
It goes far beyond the basic content publisher that can be seen in Instagram or Snapchat Stories.
Even the self-confessed basic initial features of Google Stories are brimming with new tools that make your content look stunning.
Most people will be familiar with the standard story format used by social media sites, so we’ll just highlight the exciting new features that Google is bringing to the table:
- Animations – With Google Stories you can animate images and assets with slide in, rotation and fade in and out, adding more life to the format
- Ken Burns Style Background – Following from animations, background elements can be animated with slow zoom characteristics similar to the Ken Burns effect
- Advanced Editor – The editor comes with a whole host of tools, like shapes and masking which allows you to edit your content on a whole new level
- Links and Embeds – Add new information and interactions to your stories by embedding content from other places
- Additional Content – You can also attach additional content that can be swiped to access
Who Can Use Web Stories?
Since the tool is still in Beta and changes are being made regularly, the full extent of how Google Web Stories can be utilised remains to be seen.
With that said, there is no reason that Web Stories cannot be rolled out on any manner of websites.
Web Stories have particular value for the following types of content:
- Products – Display best sellers, new products and sale items in Story format
- News – Keep your audience engaged and updated with all the latest happenings
- Information – Communicate clearly what your website is all about
- Services – Display what services you have on offer
- Reviews – Showcase your latest reviews from happy customers
Most websites will even be able to have multiple Story streams for a variety of different content types, holding people on your page and letting them consume content quickly and easily.
Summary
We know for a fact that most web searches are now made on mobile devices, and it is good to see big tech developers like Google rolling out more mobile-friendly features for website owners.
The familiarity of Stories makes for an excellent initial interaction for new customers coming to your page and helps set the tone for their ongoing web journey.
If you are on WordPress, we highly recommend downloading the Beta and having a play with the tool, you won’t be disappointed.
Make sure you check out this Story guide from Google to make the most out of it.