How to create see more in instagram story
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
Download 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.)
- In the Instagram app, tap the plus sign
- Select Story (rather than Post, Reel, or Live).
- Create your Story using all the gorgeous media you have at your disposal.
- Tap the Sticker icon in the top row.
- Type in the URL
- Type in the sticker’s text or call to action (eg., Tap to read)
- Place the sticker on your Story
- Pinch to resize it
- Tap to shuffle through the available colour schemes (blue, black, white, beige, etc.)
- 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:
- Create your Instagram Story and add a link sticker just as you usually would
- Go to the design app of your choice
- Design a sticker that is on-brand, visually pleasing, with a clear CTA (eg.
, “Read more” or “Tap here!”) - Export it to your phone as a PNG file with a transparent background
- Go back to your Instagram Story draft, and add your custom sticker from your phone’s photo album or files
- 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.
Download your free pack of 72 customizable Instagram Stories templates now. Save time and look professional while promoting your brand in style.
Download the templates now!
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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Change Background Colors & More
Ready to take your Instagram Stories game to the next level?
Knowing the latest Instagram Stories hacks will keep your posts on point (and ahead of the trend!)
From little-known design tricks to engagement-boosting strategies, we’re sharing every Instagram story hack you need to know in 2022:
Instagram Stories Hacks You Need to Know in 2022Instagram Stories are getting a lot more creative — from responsive AR filters to interactive Instagram Stories stickers, there are tons of new features to experiment with.
Ready to get started? We’re sharing the best Instagram Stories tips and tricks you (probably) don’t know yet.
Discover the top Instagram story hacks in action! Watch the full YouTube tutorial here:
Table of Contents:
Instagram Story Design Hacks
Instagram Story Photo Hacks
Instagram Story Sticker Hacks
Instagram Story Video Hacks
Other Instagram Story Tips and Tricks
To change the background color of an Instagram story, tap the draw tool in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, and select a color.
Next, tap and hold on the screen for 1-3 seconds. If you’ve shared a feed post to stories, the background will fill with your chosen color behind the post.
If you’ve created a new story, the whole screen will fill with color, creating a layer of color on top of your photo or video:
You can then use the eraser tool to create a “scratch card” effect to reveal part of your image or video.
Tap the eraser icon on the upper right-hand corner of the screen and select the size of the eraser using the slider on the left-hand side of the screen. Now tap or swipe on the screen where you would like to reveal the underlying image.
And that’s it! If you’re looking to entice your audience and share just a tiny highlight, this Instagram Stories hack should come in handy.
Instagram Stories Hacks #2: Add a Background Image to Your Instagram StoryWhen you share a feed post to your stories, not only can you change the background color but you can also add in a background image from your camera roll!
If you want to add an image to your Instagram Stories background, here’s how to do it:
First, select the post you want to share to your Instagram Story and select “Add post to your story”.
Tap the sticker tray and select the Instagram “Add from Camera Roll” sticker. Scroll through your images and select the image you want to use as your story background.
Move the feed post to one side of your Instagram Story screen and expand the added photo using two fingers (in a pinch motion). While doing so, tap and hold the original feed post using your thumb. This will bring it to the front of the screen:
Positioning the feed post on the right-hand side of the screen will increase the likelihood of taps — as people typically tap here as they browse through stories.
TIP: If you don’t have access to the “Add from Camera Roll” sticker in stories yet, use an Instagram Stories template app like Unfold or Storyluxe.
Instagram Stories Hacks #3: Access More Colors in Instagram StoriesInstagram Stories are the best place to show off your brand’s personality. But, what if Instagram doesn’t offer your brand’s color in its default color options?
Luckily, there’s a hidden Instagram Stories hack that lets you access every color you could ever need!
Open your Instagram Stories and select the draw tool. Tap and long-hold any of the default color options at the bottom of the screen to open the color slider.
Then, swipe across the slider to pick a custom color for your story.
BONUS HACK: Make a rainbow effect on your Instagram Story text.
To do so, open Instagram Stories and type out a message. Next, tap on text and tap “Select All” to highlight.
While your text is highlighted, press and hold one finger down on the color palette tool at the bottom of your screen (like you did before) to open the entire color spectrum.
With one finger held down on the color slider, and one on your highlighted text, begin to drag both fingers toward the left side of your screen at the same time.
You’ll see your text begin to change color, letter by letter, as you drag your finger across the color spectrum! You can move your finger faster or slower for additional color variations, or alternate the direction that you drag your fingers across the screen to achieve an entirely different result.
Instagram Stories Hacks #4: Add an Effect to Your EmojisIf you’ve ever wanted to make your emojis stand out more on stories, this Instagram trick is for you!
To add extra depth or a glow to your emojis, open your stories, tap the screen to open the text tool, and scroll through each of the fonts until you find the style you like!
Instagram Stories Hacks #5: Add A Custom Font to Your StoriesIf you’re looking to make your stories feel a little more “on brand,” adding a custom font is a great option.
Here's how to add a custom, branded font to your Instagram stories.
Start by downloading the GoDaddy Studio (formerly known as Over) mobile app. Once downloaded, AirDrop your font’s .OFT file to your mobile device.
Select “Over” from the menu that pops up.
Once you’ve got your custom font added, you can design stories in the Over app (there are tons of story templates to choose from) or you can write a line of text on a transparent background, save to camera roll, and then add them to your stories via the “Add from Camera Roll” sticker.
Looking for more ways to create Instagram Stories that match your branding? Check out our free video workshop on how to design captivating Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #6: Create Cool Effects with the Eraser ToolDid you know you can actually use the eraser tool to create all kinds of cool effects on your Instagram Stories?
First, upload the photo of your choice and use the draw tool to draw an effect over the image.
Next, use the eraser tool to remove parts of the zig-zag to create a 3D effect.
This is just one of many ways you can use the eraser tool to create cool design effects on your Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #7: Add Your Brand Colors to Your StoryWhile Instagram’s full color palette is extensive, it can be hard to pick out an exact color.
Thankfully, there’s an Instagram hack for this.
Use the Instagram Stories “Add from Camera Roll” sticker to add an image with your chosen colors in it.
Next, use the color picker tool (the pipette icon on the left-hand corner of the screen) to sample your desired hue:
You can then use this color for your stories background, the draw tool, or your text.
You can remove your color reference by holding the image down with your finger and moving it to the bottom of the screen until the little trash can appears.
See more tips for branding your Instagram stories here.
Instagram Story Photo HacksInstagram Stories Hacks #8: Add Multiple Photos to Your Instagram StoryYou can now add extra images to your Instagram story! Here’s how:
#1: Use Instagram’s “Add from Camera Roll” Sticker
To begin, tap the Instagram story sticker tray.
Once you’re in, select any photo from your camera roll, change the size, and place wherever you’d like.
To change the shape of the image, tap the image and select from a circle, star, rectangle, and more.
#2: Copy and Paste an Image from Your Camera Roll
Start by opening a photo from your camera roll and tapping the “export” button.
Now tap “Copy” and head to your Instagram story.
Double-tap the screen to pull up the “Paste” option.
And that’s it! The photo you copied earlier should now appear on your story. Repeat this process for as many photos as you’d like.
NOTE: Only available to iOS users.
Instagram Stories Hacks #9: Turn Live Photos Into BoomerangsICYMI: You can turn live photos into fun Boomerangs!
Open Instagram Stories, swipe up, and pick a live photo from your camera roll (you’ll see the boomerang icon on eligible photos).
Once selected, press on the screen for a few seconds until you see the word “Boomerang” appear briefly.
Now you’ve turned your shot into a Boomerang!
NOTE: This hack only works for iOS users.
Instagram Stories Hacks #10: Create Videos That Are the Perfect Instagram Story LengthIf you add a photo to your Instagram Story, it’ll play for five seconds. If you add a video to your Instagram Story, it’ll play for 15 seconds.
However, there’s still a way to share longer videos to your Instagram Stories.
If you have a video that is longer than 15 seconds, the whole video will split into 15-second segments. However, you’ll have to add extra elements (such as GIFs, stickers, and text) to each segment. For more tips, check out Later's Ultimate Guide to Instagram videos.
Instagram Story Sticker HacksInstagram Stories Hacks #11: Share Multiple Question Answers on a Single StoryThe Instagram Stories question sticker has gotten a lot of love from businesses on Instagram — the only drawback is that you can only share one question sticker answer per story.
Luckily, there’s an easy workaround to share multiple responses on one story.
First, create a story where you share a response to your question sticker. Take a screenshot or save the image and exit out of the story.
Open that screenshot and create a second story using a different question sticker response.
Repeat this until you have multiple question stickers on a single story.
And that’s it! Your followers will thank you for saving their thumbs!
Instagram Stories Hacks #12: Pin Stickers, Emojis, Text, and GIFs to Your Instagram StoriesDid you know that instead of layering design elements on top of your Instagram Stories, you can pin text, stickers, emojis, and GIFs into your videos and boomerangs — so they show up at the perfect moment?
To do this, simply record your video then add a creative element like text, a sticker, emoji, or GIF. Then tap and hold the element that you added.
Use the slider bar at the bottom of the screen to scroll through the video and find where you want to pin your creative element.
Once you’ve found the right location in your video, tap “Pin.”
Instagram Stories Hacks #13: Find On-brand GIFsThere are thousands of GIFs available to make your Instagram Stories more interesting.
In fact, there are so many that it can be hard to find good options.
Here are some of our favorite keywords to search in the app to find the best Instagram story GIFs:
Instagram Story Video HacksInstagram Stories Hacks #14: Use “Create” Mode to Add a GIF BackgroundInstagram’s collaboration with GIPHY has been a huge win for businesses and regular users alike.
To create a GIF background to your Instagram story, head over to Instagram’s “Create” mode by tapping the letters icon in the Instagram Stories camera screen, and scroll across to the GIF tab.
From here, you can search from thousands of fun GIFs. They’ll either layer up or display in full length, depending on their aspect ratio.
This is a great way to share content with your audience if you’re running low on original content.
If you’ve been looking for a way to create fun GIF videos for Instagram Stories, look no further.
The ImgPlay app lets you select multiple photos to create your own looping GIF.
To begin, download the app and select the source for creating your GIF — whether it’s photos, live photos, or a video — then tap “Make.”
Once you’ve created your GIF, you can change the playback speed and duration, and add text, filters, and other customizations using the icons in the bottom bar.
Once you’re done, upload your new GIF to Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #16: Use “Hidden” Instagram Story FiltersDid you know there are a bunch of hidden Instagram Story photo and video effects? To access Instagram Story effects and add a filter to your stories, open up your camera and swipe all the way to the end and select “Browse Effects”.
Here you can scroll and find hundreds of fun effects.
Not sure where to start? Here’s a list of some of our favorite Instagram Story effects to search for:
“Presentation” by rendi_vendi
“Background” by luisgilson_18
“Greenscreen” by Instagram
“iPhone Screen 1” by pvikinga
“Presentation” by gulim.satekova
Adding music to your Instagram stories is a great way to make your content more entertaining.
Make sure you’re using the latest version of the Instagram app, open the Instagram Stories camera, and take or upload a photo or video.
Once that’s done, select the music sticker at the top of the screen (or search for “Music” in the Instagram Stories sticker tray).
This will open the Instagram music library where you’ll find thousands of songs to choose from.
You can scroll through a “For You” tab of suggested songs, browse by categories, or search for a specific song.
When you’re happy with your song choice, you can fast-forward and rewind through the track to choose the exact part that fits your story. You can also choose how long you want the music clip to play for (the maximum is 15 seconds).
Finally, you can customize what the sticker looks by tapping it before publishing (there are six variations in total!):
NOTE: If you have a business account, you may only have a limited selection of music due to Instagram’s licensing agreements.
If you don’t have access to music on stories, check out this blog post for our top trouble-shooting tips. Learn more about adding music to your Instagram stories here.
Other Instagram Story Tips and TricksInstagram Stories Hacks #18: Automatically Add Closed Captions To Your StoriesThanks to the new Captions sticker, it’s easier than ever to automatically add closed captions to stories.
Here’s how:
Head to the Instagram Stories camera and either record or upload a video from your camera roll.
Once uploaded or recorded, tap the sticker tray icon and select the “Captions” sticker.
At this stage, you can choose from four different text formats, move the text around the screen, and change the color.
And that’s it! Your captions will now be generated on your Instagram story.
Be sure to watch and read captions before posting as Instagram may not accurately transcribe your audio.
NOTE: The Instagram captions sticker is currently only available in English and English speaking countries.
Instagram Stories Hacks #19: Schedule Your Instagram Stories in AdvanceThe most successful stories have a clear flow, a consistent aesthetic, and tell a strong story.
Which is why it’s a good idea to plan and storyboard them in advance!
By scheduling your Instagram Stories posts with Later, you can visualize how your posts will flow together.
Planning and scheduling Instagram Stories posts takes just a few minutes and it can all be done from your desktop.
When the time comes to make your Instagram Stories live, you’ll receive a push notification to your phone and with just a few taps, you’ll be able to share your posts with your followers.
Ready to start scheduling your Instagram Stories posts? Later’s Instagram Stories scheduler is available now on all paid plans. Upgrade now to get access or start scheduling stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #20: Create and Share Multiple Stories at OnceIf you want to add a number of stories at once, Instagram’s multi-capture tool is the way to go.
To access it, press the multi-capture icon on the left hand side of the screen.
Here, you can take up to 10 photos in a row. When you’re happy with the photos you’ve taken, you’ll see the photos in a lineup at the bottom of your screen.
At this stage, you can tap and edit each individual slide. You can change your story background, add text, stickers, music, or effects to each slide.
Not sure the correct Instagram Stories dimensions?
Luckily you can share pretty much anything on Instagram Stories, as long as it has a minimum dimensions of 1.91:1 and a maximum dimensions of 9:16.
Because most people prefer their stories to take up the whole screen (no borders), we recommend using an aspect ratio of 9:16 with a size of 1080px by 1920px.
Instagram Stories Hacks #22: See How Many Times Your Post was Shared on StoriesInstagram collects a ton of great data about your post’s performance, like the number of impressions, saves, follows, and more. But there’s one piece of data you might be missing out on: story reshares.
You won’t find this in your Instagram Insights. Instead, you’ll need to tap the ellipsis in the top right corner of a post to pull up a menu with the option to “View Story Reshares”.
This will take you to a screen with a list of public reshares that are currently live.
You can tap one of the reshares to see it live on the user’s account.
If you don’t see the option to see reshares, this either means your post isn’t currently being shared in anyone’s public stories.
This can be particularly useful for finding and replying to shares that you’re not tagged in.
Given the number of updates and new features on Instagram Stories, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the cool features at your disposal.
Hopefully, these Instagram Stories hacks help you create fun, artistic, and creative Instagram Stories that set you apart from your competition!
Start scheduling your Instagram Stories with Later today, available on all paid plans.
The Complete Guide to Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories, aka “stories”, “moments”, “stories” or “stories” appeared in 2016, and since then have gained such popularity that Instagram is constantly updating and improving this format. Instagram Stories appeared thanks to the growing popularity of Snapchat, in which users could send short videos and photos.
Now more than 400 million Instagram users view Stories per day, and this figure continues to grow.
Any content on Instagram can be seen by all users - profile posts and “stories” - this is a very promising media format, moreover, stories are integrated with Facebook, and users can view them from the feed of this social network.
Stories can only be viewed for 24 hours, after which they disappear from the feed and are stored in an archive accessible only to the user. The time of one video clip is no more than 15 seconds.
“Stories” are actively used for advertising, personal brand and business promotion. They help the brand to remind about itself, attract a new audience, talk about promotions and new products. Stories is like your own TV channel.
How to view stories on Instagram?
Instagram Stories appear at the top of the app, to view stories, just click on the profile photo. Stories are rewound with a single tap on the phone screen: on the right - fast forward, on the left - back.
Stories are paused by long pressing the screen - this is usually used to read long texts.
To switch stories, swipe from right to left or vice versa.
How to make stories on Instagram
You can create stories through Instagram or third-party applications, upload photos and videos from your computer after editing them. We will tell you about all the ways to create and upload stories.
To add previously captured videos and photos to stories, you need to switch to the Stories shooting mode, click on the leftmost button to go to the gallery, and select the necessary files. Thus, you can shoot stories not only with the camera from the application, but also with any available phone camera that you use.
How to make a story on Instagram?
Instagram allows you to capture and edit your Stories directly from the app. To create a Story, click the camera icon in the top left corner of the app, or open the camera by swiping right.
Instagram camera has several modes and features.
Let's get to know each of them.
As soon as you switch to creating stories, the normal camera mode turns on. One short press on the central round button creates a photo, a long press - a video that lasts 15 seconds. If you hold the button and move it up, the camera will move closer to the object.
Below the photo and video button is a menu with other camera modes.
Boomerang
Boomerang is an analogue of live photos, that is, short looped videos made up of a series of photos. Frames taken one after another are played from beginning to end and in reverse order. Boomerangs are not as popular now as they were when they appeared, but users still love to make short videos and come up with new ideas.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Starbucks Coffee ☕ (@starbucks)
Superzoom
Superzoom allows you to shoot dramatic 3-second video music using a special camera close to the subject.
Instagram gives you the opportunity to choose several shooting options, from romantic to tragic. It remains only to choose the right one.
Reverse Capture
Reverse Capture creates videos with reverse playback, so you can diversify your content with an interesting idea.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by ReverX (@reverx.app)
Shooting one video will last 15 seconds.
Text
Text - a mode that allows you to insert text information into stories. There are several font options: modern, neon, typewriter, bold. Fonts are switched by touching the font name at the top of the screen. You can change the background color by touching the button with the current color on the bottom left.
Live
Live allows you to broadcast stories in real time, communicate with subscribers and get instant feedback.
The live broadcast cannot last more than one hour, and users see the comments and likes coming at this time on the screen with the broadcast. Starting a live broadcast is very easy. It is enough to select the desired mode, and the “On Air” button will appear. Subscribers who are currently online (they can be seen live) will receive a notification when the broadcast begins.
During the live broadcast, you can write a comment and pin it on the screen. You can turn off the ability to comment for everyone by clicking on the menu item and selecting “Turn off comments”. Live broadcast allows you to broadcast together with another user.
To end the broadcast, you must click “End” and confirm the action. By clicking the "Save" button, you will download the live broadcast without likes and comments. This function is made so that the video material is not lost. The live broadcast can be seen on Instagram in the recording for another 24 hours, like regular stories.
Remember: if you don't save the live broadcast, it will be deleted after 24 hours and you won't be able to restore it.
Instagram masks
Another feature of stories is adding masks. Masks are virtual face filters that make Stories even more colorful and funny.
Masks are available in almost all shooting modes. Just click on the smiley to the right of the record button and select the appropriate one. Masks can change along with the rotation of the camera, the surrounding space or the user's facial expressions.
How to repost stories on Instagram?
You can publish your posts from your Instagram profile to Stories to attract more attention to them. To do this, you need to click on the airplane icon under the post and select “Add to story”.
You can repost the story itself from another person's profile if your account is tagged in it. When this happens, you will receive a notification in private messages about the mention in the story, there is also an active link “Add this to the story”.
After clicking on the link, a window with editing stories will open.
How to edit stories on Instagram?
Once you've shot your story, it's time to edit it. Editing is available for both photos and videos.
How to add filters to Instagram?
To view and apply filters, swipe left and select your favorite.
How to add hashtags to Instagram Stories?
A hashtag is a special label that combines user content into one group. On Instagram, hashtags are used not only as a means of navigation and search, but also for promotion. We can say that hashtags are the keywords of your post, story and Instagram profile.
There are several ways to add hashtags to stories.
The first way: click on the sticker icon at the top of the screen and select “#Hashtag”. In this case, you need to enter the hashtag without the pound sign #, Instagram will offer several popular or frequently used hashtags.
Second way: enter the hashtag using the Text tool. In this case, you must enter along with the hashtag #, and Instagram will also offer to select popular or frequently used hashtags.
Some users use tricks to insert more hashtags into stories. They use two methods at once, write more hashtags in text, hide hashtags in a poorly viewed area of the screen (at the very bottom or top of the story), fill the text with a hashtag with a background color so that they are not visible to users and do not annoy when viewing.
These hashtags are also included in Instagram searches.
On Onlypult.com, when publishing stories, you can insert up to 9hashtags, while they are not visible in the story itself, but participate in the Instagram search.
How to geotag Instagram?
Instagram geotags are also used to promote and search for publications. Geotags or geotags are data about a specific position that are affixed to a frame as metadata.
Inserting a geotag into an Instagram story is very easy. Just click on the sticker icon and select . Choose from the proposed list or start typing the name of the location.
How to tag a person in an Instagram story?
To mark another Instagram profile in your story, you need to select the “Text” tool and enter the user's nickname, starting with the @ symbol. In this way, you can enter up to 10 profiles in one History. If you click on the sticker and select “Mention” from the menu that appears, you can add one profile without using the @ symbol.
In both cases, Instagram will prompt you to select a profile corresponding to the characters you enter, it remains to choose the one you need.
The user will be notified that they have been mentioned. He will not be able to remove the mark, but it will be possible to share this Story in his account.
After affixing such a mark, subscribers will be able to go to the specified profile by clicking on it in the story.
How to insert a link in an Instagram story?
This feature is only available to business accounts with more than 10,000 subscribers. A few days after reaching the required threshold, a link button appears at the top of the screen in the interface for adding stories.
With this tool, discounts and promotions are announced, Instagram users are directed to the site or a separate page of the site, links are added to blog articles, online and offline events, and so on. By clicking on the button, enter the desired link and create a story. When viewing your Story, users only need to swipe up to follow the link.
If after reaching 10,000 followers the link button still does not appear, try restarting your phone or updating the app, you can also contact Instagram support.
How to draw on Instagram stories?
Instagram Stories has a drawing tool. To use it, you need to click on the pencil icon at the top of the screen.
Several modes or brushes are available for painting. They differ in overlay style and line thickness.
Use the drawing tool to fill a photo with a solid color. Just select the desired color at the bottom of the screen and pinch the photo anywhere.
To fill with a translucent solid tone, choose a brush with a thick nib or a “marker”.
There is another secret to this tool. You can choose not only the standard colors indicated in the palette. If you press and hold the colors of the palette, a panel with a choice of an arbitrary color will appear. Without lifting your finger from the screen, move to the desired color to select.
How to add a selfie to Instagram stories?
You can add a selfie to the finished photo or video. To do this, click on the camera sticker. If you click on the finished selfie, the design will change: blurry edges or a white frame.
What else to add to stories?
Questions.
A form is attached to the story in which you can enter your question. Subscribers will be able to ask you any questions.
To insert a form, select the “Questions” widget while editing stories. You can choose the color and size of the published form.
Enter your appeal in the form. For example, “I will answer your questions. Ask!".
Responses can be viewed by clicking in the lower left corner in the story. You can share responses with subscribers, to do this, open the desired response and click "Share response". You can choose the color of the form, add a comment and publish to stories.
Polls
The "Polls" widget allows you to conduct a small survey among subscribers, where only two answers are available. The standard form is “Yes” and “No”, but you can enter your own question and short answers. After the survey is published, you will see the responses as a percentage.
In the story statistics, you can see which user clicked on which answer, and the total number of viewed stories.
Voting
Voting in stories is done using a scale. By selecting the appropriate widget, you can assign the color of the scale and emoji for the answer. Ask a question, and to answer it, subscribers will move the slider, expressing the degree of their reaction to the question.
Statistics will show exactly how users voted, as well as the average answer on the scale.
Quiz
This widget is also called “Test” because you enter the correct answer, and users, having chosen an option, immediately see whether it is correct or not. To insert a widget, click on the sticker icons and select "Quiz" in the story. In the form that appears, you can enter your question and several answers.
There can only be four answers. Enter the answers in order and press “Next” on the phone keypad for new options to appear next.
The color is changed using the setting at the top of the screen.
Do not forget to indicate the correct answer. To do this, click on the letter of one of the options, it will be highlighted in green.
To see user responses, go to your story statistics or swipe up. You will see the number of correct and incorrect answers, as well as the total number of viewed stories.
How to add music to Instagram stories?
Adding music to Stories has been available since 2018, but not in all countries. Therefore, if it is not possible to add music directly through Instagram, you need to use third-party applications. But we will tell you about all the ways.
How to add music through the Instagram app?
If you can add music through the Instagram app, click on the sticker icon and select “Music” from the menu. The application has a search by mood, genre and popularity. After selecting a song, you can rewind to the desired moment, and the track will be played from a given point while the story continues.
You can add a track before selecting a video. Open the camera, swipe the menu under the record button to the right and select "Music". Find the song and the right moment, and record a video while the song is playing.
How to add music to Instagram?
If there is no choice of music in the Instagram application, it is possible to add it to the story through third-party video editors.
You can download the video editor from the App Store or Google Play, here are some of them:
Storybeat - allows you to add not only music, but also small effects on photos and videos, you can record your voice or slow down the video.
InShot - can remove unwanted frames, suppress noise, add text and stickers. Music is added only from the device library.
PicMusic - photo and video editor, you can add music, voice, text.
How to publish a story on Instagram
When a story is ready and edited, it can be published.
To do this, just click the “Your story” button in the lower left corner, and the story will be published on your profile and will be available to everyone. You can limit your viewers by clicking the "Best Friends" button when posting. Then only those whom you add to your friends list will see the Story.
Stories can be sent to selected contacts if you click on the "Publish" button and select the desired profiles.
Within 24 hours, while the published History is available, it can be deleted, edited and adjusted. To do this, click on the three dots in the lower right corner and select the desired menu item.
To customize your story, select "Story Settings". By moving the sliders and checking the checkboxes, you can customize the display of stories for yourself. Here you can hide Stories from certain accounts, allow or block comments on stories, and create a list of best friends.
You can post multiple stories at the same time. To do this, select the story camera and click on the gallery icon.
The latest photos and videos taken by the device will be shown. Click the pages icon at the top right and select all the photos and videos you want in the order in which they should be posted. Each story can be edited before publication.
To publish stories from a computer, you need to use third-party services. For example, the Onlypult.com deferred posting service, with which you can select the date and time of publication.
Go to the service website, click "Stories", edit the publication card and set the time. Ready!
How to delete stories on Instagram?
Already published stories can be deleted. To do this, you need to open the Stories and at the moment the unnecessary file is displayed, click “More” in the lower right corner. When the additional menu of stories comes out, click “Delete” and confirm the deletion.
To delete the entire history, you must delete each file in it.
Actual stories on Instagram
Stories Highlights or Actual Stories - albums or sections with archived Stories that users can save in their profile.
Thus, all saved stories can be sorted or the main ones can be selected - as it is more convenient for anyone.
How to add stories to the Topical?
Actual stories you create yourself. They will appear on your profile above your photos. You can add to Topical those stories that have already been published. To do this, in the profile, click on the plus sign “+”, select the desired stories and click “Next”. Give a name to the new collection of "Actual", select the cover (initially it will be one of the stories) and click "Done".
Here you can save promotions, portfolios, products, case studies, workshops and much more. This will make it easier to navigate through your account and allow you to highlight the information you need.
When creating Actual Stories, it is important to remember:
- The title of the section with Actual Stories cannot be more than 16 characters;
- In order for stories to be added to Highlights, it is necessary to enable saving stories to archive in the settings;
- you can create any number of stories, but the last 4 will be visible in the profile without scrolling;
- One story can be added to several sections.
How to make icons for relevant Stories?
For the latest, you can create and upload your own icons. This will emphasize individuality.
There are several ways to create a story icon.
The easiest option is to use a pre-made Story and select it as the cover.
Click on the “+” in the Instagram profile, select the necessary stories and click “Next”. After that, give a name to the new album and click "Edit Cover". In this step, you can choose any story for the cover, zoom in or out, or select a specific part of the photo.
Click "Done" and your new album will appear on your profile.
Another way to create an icon is to make it in third-party applications and services. For example, in Canva or Photoshop. It is better to create regular square images, where the icon will be located in the center. The optimal image resolution is 1080x1080 pixels.
The finished picture can be uploaded as a story and selected as a cover according to an already known option.
Or, when editing a cover in Actual, click on the gallery icon and select from phone files.
To insert a cover into an already created album, you need to open it through your Instagram profile. In the lower right corner, click on the three dots with the words “More”, and then “Edit current”.
Click “Edit Cover” and select the desired icon.
How to view Instagram story statistics?
Stories statistics can be viewed by connecting a business account.
To view statistics, go to your Instagram profile, click on the menu icon in the upper right corner and select "Statistics". You will have access to account statistics and publications.
The “Stories” section displays statistics of stories posted in the last 24 hours. But you can find out the statistics of publications made in the last 14 days. To do this, click "All" in the "Stories" section.
In the filter above statistics, you can switch data and view statistics on impressions, reach, clicks, scrolls, responses, and so on.
Impressions - the total number of views of stories.
Reach is the number of people who viewed your stories. Impressions for the same account do not count here.
Scroll forward and backward - how many times users have moved to your next post or returned to the previous one. So you can understand whether the audience was interested or not, they were intrigued by the continuation of the viewing, they understood what you wanted to tell in the story.
Next story - transitions to the stories of other accounts. The data shows how many people moved from your story to the next without being interested in the content.
Exits - shows how many times users clicked the cross to exit your Story.
Replies - how many people have responded to your stories.
Reposts - how many other accounts reposted your story.
Clicks on the link - how many people followed the link published in the story.
Stories statistics provide detailed metrics and help you determine how engaged your viewers are when viewing Stories.
Useful
Where can I find ready-made templates and layouts for Instagram Stories?
Instagram stories can be created on third-party resources and use not only the standard tools that Instagram offers.
Here are a few services where you can create stories from ready-made templates, upload your photos or use ready-made backgrounds and fonts:
Easil is a platform with a number of ready-made templates that you can change. Templates already have the correct dimensions for stories, but in the paid version it is possible to change them.
Another popular platform for creating marketing materials, including Instagram Stories, is Canva. All templates you create will be stored on the platform and you can download them at any time.
Answers to questions about Instagram Stories
Is the list of viewed Stories displayed in order?
Instagram uses different ranking methods, and users sort differently.
Moreover, it can change every few months. Therefore, for some users, lists can be shown by viewing time, for others by the frequency of interaction with the profile, and so on.
How is the list of unviewed Stories formed?
Usually shows actual stories made in the last 4 hours. Then they are mixed with the earlier ones. But Instagram pays more attention to real people, so the stories of ordinary accounts are shown first, and then commercial or impersonal ones.
Viewing History will count as a profile visit?
No. According to Instagram, visits are the number of clicks on a username to go to a profile.
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Instagram Stories: Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask
How to add, view, share, and delete a story swipe right across the screen anywhere in your feed. To take a photo, tap the circle icon at the bottom of the screen (Normal) - for video, you need to hold it with your finger.
To select an existing photo/video from the gallery on your phone, tap on the gallery thumbnail at the bottom left, or simply swipe up anywhere on the screen. You can select multiple photos and videos at once. After taking or selecting a photo, you can apply one of the filters to it by swiping right or left on the photo. To add typed text, a freehand drawing (or again text), a sticker (on Instagram in Russia it is called a “sticker”) and emoji, tap the corresponding images at the top right of the screen. By selecting the sticker icon, you can also specify a location, mention a user with the @ tag, add a hashtag, add a gif, take and add a photo from the front camera of the phone, ask a question or invite other users to ask you a question, conduct a poll with two answer options (instead of the default "yes" and "no" you can write your own).
You can delete an added item by dragging it down to the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen.
Then you can either save your story or publish it right away by clicking on "Your story" below the "+" sign in a dashed circle.
This will make it available to all subscribers. Or you can pre-select a particular recipient or a group of recipients at the bottom right.
To share a published story in Direct, tap the paper airplane icon in the bottom right corner of a photo or video, select the people you want to share, and click Share. In order for a story to be seen on Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler or Odnoklassniki, your account there must be linked to Instagram. Then, after creating a story, click on it and click "More", select "Share in the publication ...", "Next" and mark the desired social network. In the "Advanced settings" you can select "Share posts on Facebook" - then your photo and video stories will appear on this social network automatically.
In a hurry, accidentally submitted a story for publication, or just changed your mind? No problem - just click on your own story, tap the vertical ellipsis "More" icon in the bottom right corner of a photo or video, and then select "Delete".
If, on the contrary, you want to save the created (not only in the feed and then in the archive), in the same "More" select "Save photo / video" - this is how it will appear in the gallery on your phone.
How to repost a story
In your story, you can repost someone else's post from the feed - but only if the user's account is public and reposts of his posts are allowed. Click on the paper airplane icon below the photo or video in the feed and select "Add post to your story." At the same time, everyone who views your story will see the signature of the real author of the content (Instagram profile name).
Stories can only be reposted using a third-party app — search Google Play or the App Store using story saver, story repost, etc. You can only repost other people's stories on Instagram if you are tagged with the @ tag. In this case, you will receive a corresponding message in Direct and you will be able to add this story to yourself, editing, if necessary, in preview mode.
Is it possible to add multiple stories
You can add multiple photos and videos, repeating the algorithm from the previous section over and over again, but they will all be combined into one common “Your Story” and displayed sequentially. You can switch between stories by touching the screen on the left or right side.
How to add a link in history
Not all users can add a link in history - only owners of verified accounts and business accounts with at least 10 thousand subscribers (if you have a personal account, when you reach this number of subscribers, it will automatically get business status).
In this case, when you create a story, at the top right, in addition to the usual icons, you will see an image of a pair of chain links. After clicking on it, a new window will open where you can add the URL. In the history, the link itself will not be visible, but a label will appear at the bottom: “More”, “More”, “Install”, “Register”, etc.
, depending on the content. You can go to the address only by swiping up on this mark with your finger.
In this case, the user viewing your story will be able to follow the link only by swiping up on it.
Keep in mind that Instagram does not track conversions and does not analyze URLs, so either put a link with a redirect or shorten the link with a UTM tag using a special service: Google URL Shortener, "Clicker" from "Yandex" , vk.cc from VKontakte, Bitly, etc.
How to tag a person in your story
The easiest way to tag another Instagram user in your story is to click on the sticker icon in the upper right when creating a story and select the ready-made @mention sticker ': All you have to do is enter your username.
But you can type the name in a font of a different size and/or highlight it in a different color (by clicking on the eyedropper image — any available on the photo/video). To do this, click on the text icon in the upper right, select the desired font size and color, and then put the @ symbol immediately before the username.
After that, the username in the story can be clicked and followed by a link to his profile page, and the person himself will receive a notification that he was mentioned. In total, no more than 10 people can be mentioned in one story.
How to add story covers
The photo or first frame of the video of the stories that you have added to the Highlights section automatically becomes the cover (and you can do this when viewing the story by clicking on "Select" at the bottom right). If you want a different cover, click on the story in the "Actual" and select "Edit cover" - this way you can change the look of the photo or video frame (for example, zoom in and move) or select any photo from your own photo gallery on your phone.
Music for stories - what is it? Is it possible to add in Russia?
At the end of June, Instagram added a new feature to the app - the ability to add music to a story right at the moment the story is created.
To do this, click on the sticker icon at the top right, and then select the appropriate Music sticker. This will open the audio library, where you can search for tracks or select something in the categories “Popular” (Popular), “Moods” (Moods) and “Genres” (Genres). The track can be trimmed and added to the story with a passage lasting from 5 to 15 seconds. At the same time, while viewing a story, a person, by clicking on a music sticker, will see the name of the track and the name of the artist.
The feature is currently unstable and not available at all in many regions, including Russia, due to music licensing issues. Therefore, not only will you not be able to add music when creating your story, but you will not be able to listen to it in the stories of other users. In this case, the only way to make a musical story is to record a video with music playing behind the scenes or choose a finished video with music already overdubbed on it. Well, or use a good old VPN so that the application does not recognize your region ;-)
However, even in the US, many users complain that even the latest iPhone and the latest version of Instagram do not have a music sticker, and contacting Instagram support remains unanswered.
Hidden stories - what is it? How to hide someone else's story, find out who watched yours, and hide it from a specific person
Tired of the intrusive flow of stories in the feed from overly active users? You can easily cover it up. To do this, tap and hold on the photo of the person whose stories you no longer want to see at the top of the feed, select "Temporarily block" and then "Hide story." The same can be done in the user profile by opening the context menu at the top right. To turn back stories, repeat and select Unblock Story (Android) or Show Stories (iPhone).
If you want to hide your own stories from someone, click on the context menu icon, select "Settings" at the bottom left, find "Story Settings" (Android) or "Manage Stories" (iPhone), and then tap "Hide My stories from. Here you will see a list of your subscribers, among which you can select those from whom you want to hide your stories. To show them your stories again, do the same and uncheck the box.
