What are Google Web Stories? A Complete Guide to Web Stories on Google
We all know, the audience loves to engage and interact with stories. The tappable story format is more accessible now — to creators and audiences alike. Many social media platforms have already been using these tappable stories and our very own tech giant — Google has its own version.
Let’s go through it…
What are Google Web Stories?
Web stories are visual slideshows. They became popular with Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories. The web stories are powered by AMP technology and are now owned by Google.
Web stories give the user a fast-loading full screen, dynamic consumption experience. A typical web story can contain engaging animations and tappable interactions. Creators can use visual narratives in the stories with a combination of video, audio, images, animation, text.
The advantage of Google Web Stories over Instagram or Facebook stories is that you can host them on your website. You can also add a call to action to encourage the audience to visit your website. Along with CTAs, you can also include links and Google AdWords.
Apart from your website, the Google Web stories can appear across Google Searches, in Google Discover, and also through Google Images. Read along this guide to understand how to enable their appearances. As a creator, you can use the resources on creating stories, without any coding involved.
What do Google Stories do?
Google Web Stories allows content creators to host and own their content across the internet. A web story is a succession of images, videos, text, audio, or a beautiful combination of all and unlike Instagram or Facebook stories, they don’t disappear!
Google has described its version of web stories as ‘Fully Immersive’, ‘Best in class’ and ‘amazingly engaging’.
Several brands have incorporated Google Web Stories to engage with their audiences, to list a few –
- Vice
- NDTV
- Bustle.com
- Vogue
- USA Today
- Gannett
- Forbes
- Group Nine
- The Times of India
Where do Google Stories Appear?
Google Web Stories can appear anywhere across the web — this is one of their most special features. This is what makes Google web stories unique from their competitors.
On Your Website
The Instagram Stories and Facebook stories need to be viewed on the respective platforms, but the Google Web Stories can be hosted on the creator’s own website.
The publisher can create stories for any website, animate any element and make the overall experience of their audience richer, as there is no limitation put around content, unlike other competitors’ apps.
Google Discover
It is a very recent update (in October 2020) when Google bought web stories to Discover. The google web stories will now appear in Android and iOS in the form of a carousel near the top of the feed, available in the USA, India, and Brazil. They can also appear as a single card, available in the USA.
It is very simple for viewers to browse through stories, tap on the story and get a full screen and immersive experience. Tap to move forward to the next slides and swipe to see the next story.
Google Search
Google web stories also appear in the search results like a web page. Marketers can use the web stories above competitors, this will increase your website’s accessibility and credibility from the SERPs.
They appear in grid view and single search results in the Google Searches. The grid view shows multiple web stories from various publishers and is available in the USA. The single result is available in all regions and languages where Google Search is available.
Google Images
Google web stories also appear in the Google Images with a web story icon and are available across all languages and regions where Google Search is available. Get to know everything about Google Web Stories (How to create web stories within website and How Web Stories can help marketers) here…
