How to do the swipe up on instagram stories

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!

Instagram Swipe Up: How to Use It & How to Get It Without 10K Followers:

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

How to Get the Instagram Swipe Up Feature

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?

How to Add a Swipe Up Link to Your Instagram Story

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

Step 1. Start Your Instagram Story

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

Step 2. Click the Link Button

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.

Step 3. Add a Call-to-Action

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.

Use This Trick If You Don’t Have 10K Followers

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.

Instagram Swipe Up Best Practices

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.

Post a Teaser on Your Main Feed

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.

Save Your Story as 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.

Create Interactive Stories

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

How to Use the Instagram Swipe Up Feature to Increase Engagement

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.

Promote Blog Posts and Other Content

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.

Promote Products

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.

Promote Events

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.

Promote Landing Pages

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.

Promote Videos

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.

Promote Podcast Episodes

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.

Promote Lead Magnets

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.

Use Instagram Swipe Up to Drive Traffic and Engagement

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.)

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.
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.)
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.

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

Get 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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How to swipe up on Instagram in Stories: Swipe Up in Stories

Share!

Swipe! Swipe up!” - most often, this call to action is accompanied by most advertising publications in stories. Let's see what it is and how you can do it.

In general, Swipe in translation from English means to swipe, spend . And by the way, not always up, as in Instagram, but for example to the right or left. Therefore, in the case of Instagram, it would be more correct to use Swipe Up - swipe up .

Program for promotion on Instagram - SocialKit:

Collecting and filtering the target audience
Masslooking, massfollowing, massliking
Delayed posting of photos, videos and stories
Mailing in Direct, autoresponder

Registration >>>

We figure out how to attach a swipe to a story, how to style it better and how to make it more clickable.

See also: How to attract followers of competitors

How to add an Instagram swipe to a story

At the moment, there are only 2 ways to add a swipe to a story:

Run ads in Stories. This is a paid option.
Add link to History. It's free, but with one condition, you need more than 10,000 subscribers on your account.

Choose and use the method that suits you. In this case, only a small, translucent arrow will appear pointing up and the signature "More" or "More". nine0003

Thus, our task is as follows: to create a story layout where the up arrow will be. Plus, you need to focus on the arrow using graphics. You can add a swipe on a photo or video.

How to swipe in Instagram Stories

In the photo

To add a swipe to the image that we will publish in the Story, you can use any free online graphic editor. For example, Canva or Crello. Consider creating a layout in Canva.

Step 1 . We go to the main page of the service, go through authorization or register. You can use your Facebook account.

Step 2 . A page will open where we can select a template. Find the template "Instagram Story" and click on it.

Step 3 . We are in the editor. We upload the photo that we want to publish in Stories with a swipe.

Step 4. Click on the image and apply filters or additional effects. nine0003

Add text and other elements as needed.

Step 5. Then we go to Google or Yandex, enter in the search [ Swipe up png ]. We select the element you like, download and upload the same way as a photo.

Step 6. Add a swipe to the story layout, adjust the size and position.

Step 7 . Finally, in the upper right corner, click "Download" and download the resulting layout in PNG format. nine0003

Now it can be used in ads or when posting regular stories.

On video

To make a video with a swipe or an animated swipe on a video, we will use the Supa service.

Step 1 . We go to their website and register.

Step 2 . Next, click "Create", select a selection of templates "Stories" and click on the template you like.

Step 3 . Edit the template and add your call to action. nine0003

Step 4 . Download video in MP4 format. You can download videos in low resolution for free.

You can now publish or run ads.

Article in the topic: How to schedule Stories posting

Conclusion

If you plan to publish a link or run an ad in Stories, be sure to prepare a layout in advance. On the layout, highlight the clickable element with a graphic or animation. Add a call to action. nine0003

How to swipe on Instagram in stories, what it is and what it is for

In modern applications, you can switch functions using a swipe, to do this, you need to swipe up, down, left or right on the screen. Instagram is no exception, the social network has built-in options for a quick transition to Stories and Direct. Let's figure out how to make a swipe on Instagram, what is Swipe Up.

Contents

What is swipe and how to use it
Why Swipe Up is useful
How to add a swipe on Instagram
Who can Swipe Up
Examples of using swipe on Instagram

What is swipe and how to use it

to unlock the device;
print messages without taking your finger off the phone display; nine0018
zoom in and out photo;
quickly navigate to settings or application features.

Instagram swipe is built in by default. With it, you can open the Direct chat, launch the camera to shoot Stories, change the size of the sticker when editing a photo. The option does not need to be configured or enabled. To quickly navigate, just swipe the screen in the desired direction.

Why Swipe Up is useful

You can add a swipe by yourself. It is usually used in Stories to go to ads or to a site with their own products. To use Swipe Up, you need to launch ads in Stories or add a link to the Internet portal. nine0003

When viewing a story, a subscriber can swipe up from the bottom and follow a pre-assigned link. When setting up, you can add a picture with an arrow or a caption. Often, companies use an unusual trick: they add a drawn hair to the publication, when the user tries to brush it off, he instantly clicks on the link.

Important. Using ads in Stories is a paid option. You must have at least 10,000 followers to add links to your posts.

How to swipe on Instagram

How to swipe on Instagram in Stories? To do this, you will have to use third-party services, create a layout and place it in the publication. To create a design for free, you can use the free service Canva .

How to create a design for Stories on Instagram:

Launch a browser on your computer and go to the service using the link.
Create or sign in to an existing account. You can use account 9 to login0033 Facebook and Google .
On the page that opens, select the appropriate option to use Canva .
Click on the search bar and type: "Instagram Story" , click on the search result.
Go to the Downloads tabs and download the photo you want to publish in Stories .
Add advertising text, additional photo, music using the panel on the left. nine0018
Download the finished image to your phone. To do this, click on the button with an arrow and select the option "Download" .

The resulting image can be used to attract customers or promotional publications. When adding a story, you need to add a link to the store, this is done using the button in the form of a chain on the panel at the top.

Who can swipe up

To swipe in Stories, you need to open the Story using the icons in the main Instagram window and swipe up from the bottom. After a few seconds, another publication or online store opens. nine0003

Users with more than 10,000 followers can create a swipe in Stories. Any member of the social network can follow the created link by swiping up from the bottom of the screen while viewing Stories.

Instagram swipe examples

How to use swipe on Instagram? To do this, you do not need to go to the settings and enable the option. Swipe is available by default and works on phones and tablets with touch screens. nine0003

How to use the swipe:

To go to chat Direct swipe the display from right to left. In the window that opens, you can select an interlocutor, send him a text message, record a voice message, send a picture or a link to a publication.
To quickly access Stories and open the camera, swipe the display from left to right. The smartphone will start the camera, using the buttons you can select the recording mode, apply effects, turn the flash on or off.
Learn more