How swipe up instagram story

How to Use It & How to Get It Without 10K Followers

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world with more than 1 billion monthly active users. Plus, every day, more than 500 million daily active users are on the app to watch Instagram Stories. For brands and influencers, Instagram Stories provide an excellent way to create and share content, boost brand awareness, and get more sales and leads.

If you have the Swipe Up feature, that is.

The Swipe Up feature is available to Instagrammers with more than 10,000 followers and allows those users to add a link that their followers can get to by swiping up while watching their stories. This is a huge deal on a platform where you’re limited to a single clickable link in your Instagram bio.

With the Swipe Up feature, brands and influencers can promote specific products, content, or signup pages that followers can access right from Instagram Stories instead of going to the bio screen to click a link there. And, you can change the link from Story to Story, if you want.

The Swipe Up feature is a game-changer for brands and Instagram influencers. In this article, we’re going to tell you how to get the Instagram Swipe Up feature and use it effectively. We’re even going to share a trick you can use if you don’t already have 10,000 followers.

Using Instagram’s Swipe Up feature can boost your traffic, increase conversions, and build customer loyalty. Excited? Let’s get started!

• How to Get the Instagram Swipe Up Feature
• Use This Trick If You Don’t Have 10K Followers
• Instagram Swipe Up Best Practices
• How to Use the Instagram Swipe Up Feature to Increase Engagement
• Frequently Asked Questions

Instagram wants to keep the Swipe Up feature exclusive. As such, there are restrictions on who can get one. To get access to this coveted feature, you have to have an Instagram Business Profile and at least 10,000 followers or have a verified account. That means if you’re a public figure who has gone through the trouble of getting verified on Instagram you can get the Instagram Swipe Up feature even without 10K followers.

But once you have it, how do you use it?

Adding a Swipe Up link to your Instagram Story is a simple, 3-step process.

Start your Instagram Story as you normally would, either uploading an image or video or doing it directly in the Instagram app.

Tap on the link icon at the top of the screen.

Image Source: later.com

A new screen will come up so you can add your link.

Image Source: later.com

Type in the URL and tap Done (iOS) or the checkmark (Android). Now you should see that the image or video is linked and the hyperlink icon in the top right corner of the screen should be white.

For best results, make sure you’re using a specific link related to your post. Don’t just send your followers to your website and leave them wandering around. You want them to do something, right? You need to make it really easy for them.

Once you’ve added your link, it’s time to add a call-to-action. Most creators use a GIF or text that says “swipe up” to let viewers know they can swipe up and take action.

Your call-to-action should be eye-catching. We love GIFs for this. If you haven’t started using GIFs in marketing, you’re missing out.

After adding your call-to-action, just post your story as usual.

So, what if you don’t have 10,000 followers? You can use IGTV!

IGTV (Instagram TV) is an Instagram app that lets you share longer videos. The videos have to be at least one minute long and can be up to 15 minutes long if uploaded from a mobile device or up to 60 minutes long when uploading via web browser. Just download the IGTV app, click the settings icon in the right-hand corner, and click Create Channel.

Note: If you’re already logged in to Instagram, you can just click Continue as… and your channel will be created.

Next, create a video promoting whatever you want to drive Instagram traffic to. Be sure to add a call-to-action to get viewers to click on the title link in the top left corner.

Image Source: thepreviewapp.com

Once you’ve created your video, upload it to IGTV by clicking on your channel and choosing the video you just created. You’ll be able to preview the video and add a cover photo before clicking Next to add a video title and description.

Keep your title short. It should be a call-to-action that will encourage viewers to click. Then, in your description, add the URL to whatever you want to drive traffic to and post your video to IGTV.

After you’ve posted your IGTV video, head back to Instagram and create an Instagram Story as a teaser linking to your IGTV video. On the Story, add a call-to-action that tells viewers to swipe up. Then, you’ll click the link icon at the top and add your video from IGTV as the call-to-action before clicking Done.

Image Source: thepreviewapp.com

When your Story is posted, viewers will be able to swipe up for your IGTV video and click the link in the top left of the IGTV video, sending them to wherever you want them to go.

A little convoluted, to be sure, but if you don’t have a verified business account or 10,000 followers, you have to take special measures.

Now you have a couple of different ways to add the Swipe Up option to your Instagram Stories. Here are some Instagram Swipe Up best practices you can follow to improve your Instagram engagement.

Some people don’t pay attention to Instagram Stories. To make sure that your followers aren’t missing your Story, make a post about it and share it on your main feed. By posting a preview or teaser on your main feed you’ll generate interest and curiosity, not to mention building a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) since Stories are only available for 24 hours unless you save them to a highlight.

Highlights are great for driving traffic, too. Instead of disappearing after 24 hours, highlights stick around. That means your followers can continue to access your story and follow your calls-to-action to boost your engagement, conversions, and sales. Highlights show up on your profile just above your regular content:

You can get creative with your Highlight cover images, too. Here’s how to create custom Instagram Highlight covers.

Interactive content gets engagement. This could mean running a contest or Q&A on Instagram—anything that encourages your followers to participate and share your content. When you give your followers opportunities to engage and interact with your brand, they’re more likely to check out your Stories again and again for more ways to connect.

In this example from Abbi Jacobsen and Ilana Glazer, you can swipe up to make a donation to The Bail Project and enter to win a 30-minute Zoom call with Abbi and Ilana:

Source: instagram.com

Now that you know how to get more followers to engage with your Instagram Swipe Up content, let’s talk about the ways you can use this feature to promote your brand.

To promote a recent blog post or article, create a graphic, and share it to Instagram Stories. Make sure you have the correct Instagram Story dimensions so you can create amazing visuals that are a perfect fit. Your visuals should be relevant to the blog post you’re promoting and you’ll want to use colors and fonts that match your brand to encourage brand recognition and increase brand awareness.

Here’s an example from @diversifyvanlife:

Source: instagram.com

They’ve used an eye-catching screen grab of the article and a colorful “swipe up” GIF to direct their followers to an article they know will resonate with their target audience.

The Instagram Swipe Up feature is also great for promoting your products. Since Instagram is a visual platform, you’ll want to create eye-catching, high-quality images of your products and include direct links to specific product pages.

Here’s an example from @fatgirlflow:

Source: instagram.com

The professional, high-quality image is of a single product and the post includes text that’s easy to read along with a GIF that says “lovelovelove.” When you use the Swipe Up link, you’re taken to the page specifically for that product.

Pro Tip: You could even use Instagram Shopping to link your products with your Instagram account, letting viewers of your Stories make purchases without leaving the app.

Are you hosting a virtual event and want a huge turnout? You can use the Swipe Up feature to get viewers to register. Just create an Instagram Story using your event graphics and add a link to the event registration page.

Here’s another example from @diversifyvanlife:

Source: instagram.com

They shared a series of Stories about this event, including a “swipe up to register” CTA that takes viewers directly to the event registration page.

Regardless of where you’re linking to you want to get your message seen. Landing pages are particularly useful when you’re trying to get viewers to take action. Landing pages are largely transactional. This means that they exist to get users to convert, either through signing up for something or buying something.

Here’s an example of an Instagram Story from @techladies promoting a signup page:

Source: instagram.com

This is a simple post, but it grabs attention with the color and emoji. Plus, the incredibly colorful and vibrant “swipe up” GIF is hard to miss.

Have you recently published new video content on YouTube, IGTV, Facebook, or on your website? You can increase views on that content by sharing the links on your Instagram Stories.

Here’s an example from Northwestern University sharing their new video about the Northwestern Prison Education Program:

Source: instagram.com

The Swipe Up link takes viewers directly to the NPEP website where they can watch the video right away.

Instagram’s Swipe Up feature makes it easy to cross-promote your content from other social media platforms and marketing channels to your Instagram Stories by simply creating a graphic or video on Instagram, adding a link, and publishing.

Everybody loves podcasts these days. If you’re a podcast creator, you should definitely start using your Instagram Stories to send viewers to your new podcast episodes.

Chalene Johnson is pretty much the master of this. She posts a new podcast every day (mostly business-related, but she covers wellness, too) and shares the link in her Instagram Stories:

Source: instagram.com

Chalene normally uses video or audio to talk about the content of that day’s podcast, but sometimes she just adds in a picture and calls it good. This is one of the benefits of solid brand awareness—Chalene could post a black screen with a link included and a majority of her followers would swipe up without any context.

When you’re trying to grow your email list, leads magnets are a great option to encourage people to sign up. You can promote your lead magnets by using a Swipe Up link on your Instagram Stories that take viewers to your lead magnet landing page or signup page.

Instagram also has Instagram Story ads that let you add a signup form right on the swipe instead of sending users to a landing page off the platform.

The Swipe Up feature is an incredibly useful and valuable tool for Instagram influencers who use it to share their own content, promote affiliate links, share promotional content, and more. For peak eCommerce conversions, you can even add Shoppable Stickers to your Instagram posts!

No matter what you’re trying to promote, Instagram Swipe Up is a feature you’ll love. And, with the IGTV trick we shared, you can still benefit from Instagram’s Swipe Up feature while you’re getting more Instagram followers to hit that magical 10K number.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Instagram Swipe Up feature?

Instagrammers with other 10,000 followers can access the Swipe Up feature. They can use it to add a link that their followers can get by simply swiping up while they are watching their stories. As Instagram allows you only one clickable link in your Instagram bio, this Instagram feature is a big benefit. You can use the Swipe Up feature to promote specific products, content or sign-up pages that your followers will be able to access right via Instagram Stories.

How can I get the Instagram Swipe Up feature?

Technically, the Swipe Up feature is only available to users with an Instagram Business Profile that has at least 10,000 followers or a verified account. The good news is that if you do not have that many followers, there is another way. You can also use the IGTV (Instagram TV) app. All you then have to do is upload your video to IGTV and create an Instagram Story as a teaser that links to your IGTV video.

How do I add a swipe up link to my Instagram Story?

To add a swipe up link to your Instagram Story, you need to complete only three steps. The first step is to begin your Instagram Story as you normally would. You can either upload an image or video or do it directly via the app. The second step is to tap on the link icon at the top of your screen. A new screen will pop up where you can then add your link. Lastly, add a call-to-action GIF or text that says “Swipe up”.

How can I improve my Instagram engagement?

As some people do not pay attention to Instagram Stories, you can create a post about it which you then share in your main feed. Content that works well includes something interactive such as running a competition or a Q&A session. Highlights are also very effective for creating traffic. What makes them great is that they do not disappear after 24 hours which means that your followers will still be able to access your story and calls-to-action prompts.

How can you use Instagram Swipe Up to increase your engagement?

To increase engagement, you can use Instagram Swipe Up to promote lead magnets, podcast episodes, videos, landing pages, events, products and blog posts or other content. You can, for example, create a graphic about a recent blog post and share it to Instagram Stories, or share high-quality images of your products with a direct link to that specific product page. If you will be holding an event, you can use the Swipe Up feature to add a link to the registration page.

How to Add a Link to an Instagram Story (and Customize It)

Want to add a link to your Instagram Story? We have good news and then better news. (And as a bonus, we have a sweet new Instagram Story hack!)

The good news is that even though Instagram has retired its swipe-up feature, you can still add links to Stories using Instagram link stickers.

The even better news is that the 10,000 follower minimum is officially over, when it comes to adding a link in your Story. In theory, EVERYONE has access to link stickers on Instagram now. (Learn more about the update here.)

Which leads us to the other good news: we have a simple hack to customize your link sticker so that it vibes with your brand and design. Read on for all the steps.

Wait, what was the Instagram swipe up feature?

What is the Instagram link sticker?

How to use the Instagram link sticker

Who can use the Instagram link sticker?

How to customize your Instagram link sticker design

Other ways to drive traffic to your website from Instagram

Get your free pack of 72 customizable Instagram Stories templates now. Save time and look professional while promoting your brand in style.

Wait, what was the Instagram swipe up feature?

The Instagram swipe up feature helped brands and influencers reach their audiences and gain more followers by allowing them to add links directly to their Instagram Stories.

Viewers could swipe up on a Story or tap an arrow at the bottom of their screen to access a link without leaving the Instagram app or navigating all the way back to the bio to find that “link in bio.”

But in August 2021 Instagram announced it was retiring the swipe-up feature. Why?

There are a few theories. Perhaps Instagram has secret plans to make Stories move vertically like TikTok, rather than horizontally? The mystery remains unsolved. (Actually, Instagram did give its reasons, which we’ll get to in a second.)

Regardless, the end result is that now users can include links in their Instagram Stories by adding a link sticker, instead.

What is the Instagram link sticker?

The Instagram link sticker replaces the swipe up feature, letting users add an external link to an Instagram Story.

Story link stickers are the easiest way to drive traffic to external content and products on Instagram. You can also track link taps with Instagram analytics.

Instagram says that when it comes to links, the sticker has three major advantages over the swipe-up feature:

• Stickers are familiar and popular with users, who use them for music, questions, locations and polls, etc.
• Stickers allow more creative control over how a Story looks than swipe up links did.
• And most importantly, stickers allow viewers to engage with a Story, whereas the swipe-up feature didn’t allow replies or reactions.

Simply put: just like swipe-up before them, Instagram link stickers are an important tool for any Instagram business strategy.

How to use the Instagram link sticker

Instagram Stories only stay up for 24 hours, but adding a link to your Instagram Story is helpful for increasing your conversions, boosting organic engagement, and making it easier for your followers to access the content you want to share.

Source: Instagram

Here’s how to add a link sticker to your Instagram Story. (Spoiler: it’s the same as any sticker.)

1. In the Instagram app, tap the plus sign
2. Select Story (rather than Post, Reel, or Live).
3. Create your Story using all the gorgeous media you have at your disposal.
4. Tap the Sticker icon in the top row.
   1. Type in the URL
   2. Type in the sticker’s text or call to action (eg., Tap to read)
   3. Place the sticker on your Story
   4. Pinch to resize it
   5. Tap to shuffle through the available colour schemes (blue, black, white, beige, etc.)
5. Then send to your Story, and you’re done!

It’ll look something like this:

Who can use the Instagram link sticker?

As of October 2021, everyone is supposed to have access to the link sticker in their Instagram Stories (not just accounts with more than 10,000 followers).

Of course, as always, a roll-out across a billion accounts takes time, and we’ve heard from many people (including our own social team at Hootsuite!) who still don’t have the sticker popping up in their accounts. If this is the case for your account, all we can advise is to keep your Instagram app up to date and say a prayer. It’ll show up eventually.

And if you’re one of the lucky few who have contacts at Instagram HQ, maybe send those contacts a note?

How to customize your Instagram link sticker design

If you are finding that the Instagram link sticker isn’t living up to your brand’s aesthetic, you’ll be happy to know you can customize it even further in a few simple steps.

Watch the video below for a quick tutorial on how to customize your Instagram link sticker.

Here’s how to customize your Instagram Story link sticker design:

1. Create your Instagram Story and add a link sticker just as you usually would
2. Go to the design app of your choice
3. Design a sticker that is on-brand, visually pleasing, with a clear CTA (eg. , “Read more” or “Tap here!”)
4. Export it to your phone as a PNG file with a transparent background
5. Go back to your Instagram Story draft, and add your custom sticker from your phone’s photo album or files
6. Place the custom sticker directly over your link sticker

Voila! That’s it: you’ll have perfect aesthetic control over your Story, and people will still be able to tap through.

Pro Tip: Remember to track your Story metrics so you can optimize your click-through rate. If you aren’t getting as many taps as you want, make sure you have a clear call to action, and that you don’t overload one Instagram post with too much information.

Still stumped? Read our five other reasons that your Stories might be failing to convert.

Other ways to drive traffic to your website from Instagram

Sharing links with your audience is useful whether your goals are relationship-building or converting. If you don’t have access to the link sticker yet, here are some alternatives:

Link in bio

You’re probably doing this already, but you can add a call to action and a link in the bio section of your Instagram profile. Some IG users choose to put the one specific link they want in their bio or use link shortening tools for customization.

You can also use tools that allow you to host multiple links on one landing page (less updating your links, more conversions!). It’s called an Instagram link tree and it’s very easy to make.

Just remember to say “link in bio” in your caption when you post (we did an experiment, and don’t worry, it won’t hurt your engagement if you say it.)

Use your DMs

Post your Story and let your followers know that they can DM you for a direct link. It’s super easy for them, and a great way to build a relationship with your audience since it might feel even more personal when they receive the link directly from you.

Bonus Tip: Use the DM Me sticker: your followers can get in touch with you in one tap!

Create a poll

Share your content and then create a poll that asks people if they want to be sent the link. All you have to do is check who said ‘yes’ to your poll and you can follow up with a link sent via direct message in the Instagram app.

Ready to start driving traffic to your website from Instagram? Use Hootsuite to schedule Stories, posts, and carousels, engage your audience, and analyze performance—alongside all your other social networks.

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How to scroll and stop Stories on Instagram: navigation

Instagram has Stories navigation that allows you to quickly switch from one page to another. There is also the opening of links and the transition to publications.

Table of Contents

• What is “swipe” in History
  • How to stop browsing Stories
  • Scroll to the next Story
• Why swipe does not work
What is “9swipe 1” in History

0002 The swipe method was borrowed from the Tinder dating site, where “swipe” is to go to the next profile.

On Instagram, this mechanism has become very popular and the list of functions:

• up - see the attached link or send a “Quick Response”;
• one click sideways - scroll to the next page;
• hold on the side - go to another user;
• click on the added post - open the author's page or go to the post. nine0010

Stories also has a few secret features that few people know about.

The account owner can add publications to Stories:

1. Go to Instagram - go to your posts.
2. Click the airplane icon below the entry.
3. Add to History - place a thumbnail.
4. Publish to the public.

By clicking on such a Story, the viewer will be able to go to the publication. An icon will appear at the top: "Open Record". The same is true when adding a mark on the author of a post. nine0003

How to stop watching Stories

Scrolling forward on Instagram is available by clicking the side button, but you can also view videos, copy materials and zoom in.

How to stop the clip:

1. Go to the Story where the video was added.
2. Tap on an entry - hold your finger.
3. The clip will be stopped.

Another secret feature of Stories: zoom in on the image.

1. Go to Stories - click on the photo. nine0010
2. Use two fingers to enlarge the picture.

Alien Stories can be shared by clicking the airplane icon:

1. Click the button below.
2. Specify the recipient or your Story.
3. Publish.

Friends will be able to see the publication and go to the page of the person who added it to Instagram.

Scroll to the next Story

The user can scroll to the next Story by clicking on the side of the screen. Depending on the direction, you can go forward or backward. There is also a switch to the page of the next person:

1. Go to Stories - click on publications.
2. Left - go back, right - go forward.

To exit Stories, you need to press the button: "Back", "Home" or swipe down. The owner of the business profile can also navigate through the "Statistics":

1. Go to a previously added publication.
2. Click on the icon in the form below: "eyes".
3. A list of viewers will appear - switch to the second section.

Information about the viewers will appear: how many went to the next Story, left, sent to friends, visited the profile. Stories, like other posts on Instagram, can be promoted using your Facebook account. nine0003

Why swipes don't work

Some features may not work on Instagram if the app version is not up to date. View Stories is available on desktop and mobile versions. Therefore, the problem with scrolling may be related:

• incorrect sensor operation. You need to go to the device settings and check;
• outdated version of Instagram. Open Play Market or AppStore to update;
• Stories from other users are over. nine0010

To check the operation of the sensor, you need to open any application and click on the left, right side. Also for Android there is a separate utility: Touchscreen Test, with which you can check for empty spaces.

The second problem is that the application needs to be updated. Just go to the Play Market or AppStore to see if there are new versions. Before installation, it is recommended to delete the previous file and after, install a new one.

10 useful features of Instagram* Stories that you might not know about

June 13, 2018 Technologies

Fill your background, add music, add selfie stickers, and your Instagram stories* will become much more popular.

1. Expanded color palette

Colors can be changed for text and pictures in stories. The palette at the bottom of the screen contains 27 colors that you can scroll through with swipes. If your favorite is not among them, don't worry.

To open an extended palette and choose absolutely any shade on the color scale, just hold your finger on the circle of one of the colors. nine0003

2. Fill background

The feature that users who post inspirational quotes in stories really lacks. If desired, the background can be filled with color or made translucent.

To do this, you need to specify the desired color in edit mode, then select the Pen tool and hold your finger on the screen for about three seconds. If necessary, you can add a photo or picture to the story first. For a translucent fill, select the Marker tool. nine0003

3. Adding background music

For those who don't want to bother with third-party video editors to add simple background music, we have good news. By default, there is no function to import audio files, but you can still add music. This is done simply. Turn on your favorite track in the player on your smartphone, and then shoot the video as usual. An important point: the sound is recorded using a microphone, which means that all the surrounding noises will also fall into your story.

4. Publication of old photos

Instagram* only allows new photos and content from the last 24 hours to be posted to Stories, but this restriction can be easily bypassed. The trick is to select the desired photo in the gallery and take a screenshot. The screenshot will then become a new photo and can be selected in the Instagram File Browser*.

5. One-hand zoom in video

If you shoot video on the go and hold your smartphone with one hand, you should appreciate this useful but little-known feature. To zoom in or out while shooting, simply hold your finger on the shutter button and then slide it up or down. This feature also works in the "Free hands" mode. nine0003

6. Selfie stickers

In addition to the standard ones, stickers with your selfies can be attached to stories. The corresponding function is located in the stickers menu in the form of an icon with a camera.

Click the icon and a blurred area will appear on the photo with the image from the front camera. Take a photo using the small button below, then move it to the desired location and zoom in. If you click on the sticker, a round frame around the selfie will turn on. Clicking again will remove it.

7. Filters

Filters in stories do not have separate buttons or previews, but the filters themselves are still there. To change the style, after taking a photo, swipe to the left and scroll until you find a suitable filter. To cancel, you will have to scroll through all the filters back.

8. Saving stories

The following function is useful in situations where you don't want to lose a particularly good shot that got into the story. To save it to the gallery, you can use the corresponding button that appears before publication. Unfortunately, for other people's stories, this technique does not work. But there is a way out here too. Just take a screenshot while viewing the desired story, and it will be saved in the gallery. nine0003

9. Pause while viewing

Sometimes we don't have time to see all the details of a photo or read the text. In order not to rewind and not revise again, you just need to touch the screen with your finger.

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