An Ultimate Guide on Google Web Stories

These days every platform offers a story feature for content creation. On the same line, Google has also released Google Web Stories very recently.

However, Google Web Stories work in a different manner than social media stories. But with its amazing feature to create immersive content brands and businesses can be discovered in Google searches.

In this blog “An Ultimate Guide on Google Web Stories” you are going to understand what are Google Web Stories, What are the benefits of Google Web Stories, and How to Create them? Tools to Create Web Stories and much more.

So let’s get into the details.

What are Google Web Stories?

Google Web Stories are owned by Google and powered by AMP technology. Google Web stories are different from stories on social media like Facebook or Instagram as you can post them on your own site. Moreover, you can include a call to action, links, and Google AdWords in your Google Web Stories.

With Google Web Stories you can share brand narratives in the form of videos, graphics, and other features that users can click through to view the story you want to tell.

Since Google supports Web Stories, so you might find them across Google Search and Discover apart from viewing them on your Website.

Examples of Google Web Stories

Google Web Stories are shown across the internet and in a visual content format.

Some examples of Google Web Stories are shown below:

Where Web Stories are seen?

You can see Google Web Stories across the internet on the below places:

• On Your Website

Unlike Instagram and Facebook stories which are seen there on their own platform, Google Web Stories are hosted on your own website.

This gives the publishers more flexibility and freedom with no restrictions on content as in many apps.

Google Web Stories can be used to drive huge traffic to your site.

• In the Search Results

Since Google Web Stories can be indexed like a web page and can appear in Google search results.

This feature of its accessibility from the SERPs is making it unique from social media story format.

• In Google Discover

It was a big announcement by Google in October 2020 to bring Web Stories to Google Discover feed in India, Brazil, and the U.S.

In October 2020, Google announced that they were bringing Web Stories to Google Discover feeds in India, Brazil, and the US.

You can find the list of stories at the top of Discover, called a “shelf” by Google. When a user taps on the story it will bring it to full-screen and allows the user to navigate through the list by swiping.

• Any Online Publications of Yours

Since Web Stories are hosted on your own servers, you can use them on all your assets like digital brochures, emails, digital cards, etc.

• On Multiple Devices

Based on AMP technology, web stories are suitable to be viewed on any device like laptop, mobile, tablet, and desktop browsers. Due to this, the utility is increased and there is no need to create desktop-friendly alternatives for responsive assets like websites.

Benefits of Google Web Stories

Google Web Stories offer several benefits to marketers as it operates differently than stories on other social platforms. Web stories can be very beneficial to your digital marketing strategy.

Let’s learn more about the uses and benefits of creating Google Web Stories.

1. Full Ownership

Story options are available on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media platforms. In this, you are fully dependent on the platform’s interface to create, share and manage your content. But in the case of Google Web Stories, you are in full control of the code. Also, you can embed them on your website and share them however you like. Web Stories allows you for cross-platform content creation.

As the Google Web Stories are hosted on the publisher’s own website so the copyright of the content belongs to them. Google does not take any rights over the content.

2.  Monetization of Web Stories

Google Web Stories can be monetized with the same concept as programmatic ads. As a creator, you can make engaging stories that include ads designed to run well with the rest of your story. You can add relevant CTA’s depending upon the reason for creating a story.

In the case of other social media platforms monetization of the content is entirely at the discretion of the publisher.

Any ads that appear in a Google Web Story are controlled by the content creator.

3. External Linking

The social media sites with story formats do not allow content creators from linking out to other websites. This means having to be creative in liking the comments or bio.

At the same time, Google Web Stories do not impose any such restrictions on linking out.

4. Google Analytics for Tracking is Possible

Web Stories is a web page and has a link and hence can be linked to Google Analytics. With the help of this, it is possible to have proper tracking and user analysis than on other social media story formats.

You can use this feature to assess how web stories are contributing to your marketing strategy.

5. Web Stories are Responsive

Web Stories are fully responsive to any device type, unlike AMP which is specifically designed for mobile devices.

You do not need to create any separate content to display on different devices like desktop, mobile, or tablets.

6. No Expiration

There is no expiration date on Web Stories. You can feature and promote your Web Stories as long as you want. Unlike other social media platforms, your web stories would not get lost in the timeline.

7. Easily Indexed and Linked to

Search Engines easily index Web Stories without extra effort. You can apply simple standard SEO on your part and get your content on the top pages and rank high.

8. Free To Use Any Branding Style

Google does not impose any design restrictions like using any fonts, colors, animations, and images. You are free to create Web Stories as per your branding need and style. Apart from the general technical requirements, you are free to create Web Stories in any style.

How To Create Google Web Stories?

When you are creating Google Web Story for the first time, you must understand how it will represent your brand’s image. Engaging and immersive web stories are some of the most powerful ways to engage with people.

It is always advisable to take out few minutes to chalk out a plan for your story. Plan out what you are going to convey with your story and for that how many panels you need. What kind of images or videos you will need on each panel. How would be the effective CTA’s and what should be the right place to put the ads.

When you are done with all these, it’s time to create your Google Web Stories.
If you are a coding engineer or have someone in your team, you can create a web story easily provided you are familiar with the AMP framework. You can easily find out a lot of documentation from AMP to support creators.

Even if you are not a developer and want to create Google Web Stories, nothing to worry about. There is a number of tools to create Google Web Stories.

Tools To Create Google Web Stories

Since most of the bloggers or creators are not proficient in coding, hence Google offers a number of third-party tools to create Web Stories.

Let’s know more about the most commonly used tools to create the Web Stories below:

1. Google Plug-In

You can create Web Stories directly on your WordPress site with the help of a Google Plug-in which Google has brought in partnership with WordPress.

Google can easily discover these stories as they are built within WordPress and included in the site’s XML sitemap.

This Google-Plugin allows creators to put their metadata for the story, cover image, excerpt, and logo as a part of SEO.

The plug-in is easy to use and offers drag-and-drop creation. You will find a lot of templates, elements, and much more to create amazing stories and publish your story right to your website.

2. Newsroom AI

Creators can make beautiful stories with the help of the Newsroom AI tool. The free version too allows you to create stories and embed them onto your website. It has an analytics reporting feature too to track the performance of your web stories.

You need to set up an account with your Google account and click “Create Story” to start. Here also you will have access to various templates to choose from.

3. Make Stories

Similar to the above two options, Make Stories also has easy-to-use features. You can use templates from its templates library. It has a drag-and-drop interface to create stories with a huge catalog of images, symbols, icons, etc.

You can integrate it with your WordPress or export each story in a zip file or publish to your FTP on your Website and can use iFrame options to embed too.

Final Words

Google Web Stories are a powerful way to share your stories with your followers. It will help you build and grow your online reputation and trust among customers and prospective customers.

Web Stories, unlike other similar social media storytelling formats are timeless and can be utilized in a number of ways. Since it has a benefit to be discovered on Google Search and discover, it can help you get more traffic to your site.

Use this amazing feature and see the results going up. If you need some help with your digital marketing strategy or execution, let us know! Also, we can help you build engaging web stories. Check out to know more about our Google Web Stories Services.

Also Read:

Complete Digital Marketing Guide with Strategy

FAQ’s on Google Web Stories

How long should Google Web Stories be?

It is recommended that each Web Story must have at least 4-5 pages and ideally 11-15 pages but less than 30. Web Stories should be engaging and able to convey your message. So the length should be according to your content.

How long do Google web stories last?

There is no expiration date for Google Web Stories as in the case of other social media platform’s stories.

Are Google Web Stories good for SEO?

Google Web Stories are good for SEO. You should include structured data in your Web Story to help Google understand the content of your Web Story. Also if you integrate Web Stories into your websites such as linking them from your home page or category page will improve your SEO

How to Monetize a web story?

Google Web Store can be monetized by creating an ad unit for web stories and embed the ad unit in your web story.