How to get website traffic from instagram
8 ways to drive more website traffic from Instagram
(This story was originally published on later.com and was edited for content and style.)
Driving traffic from Instagram is one of the best marketing tactics for your brand. With the right strategy, you can send clicks to your website, product pages or latest blog posts. While Instagram posts and Reels aren’t exactly clickable, there are still plenty of ways to move users in the right direction!
We’re sharing eight strategic ways to drive traffic from Instagram:
Tip #1: Use a Link in Bio tool to create a mini landing page for your profileThe link in your Instagram bio is the most effective way to drive traffic outside of Instagram and for good reason! It’s available to everyone, regardless of follower count and can be a one-stop-shop for sending followers to a blog post, web page or YouTube video.
To capitalize on this feature, we recommend using a link in bio tool that lets you share multiple links from one easy-to-navigate landing page. With Linkin.bio by Later, you can build a fully customizable landing page with your important links, as well as a clickable version of your Instagram feed. When followers click the link in your bio, they’ll be able to tap on any button or image and be directed straight to the links you’ve added.
Whether you’re looking to drive traffic to an article or website, Linkin.bio’s buttons, featured media and linked posts are there to highlight your top content.
Tip #2: Use Instagram stories link stickersInstagram stories link stickers are a major tactic when it comes to driving traffic.
If you have a business or creator account, you can share links to any destination straight from your Instagram stories. It’s a great way to see a boost in clicks and get more eyes on your content. By using an Instagram stories scheduler like Later, you can sit down at your computer, batch content and plan out an entire week’s worth of Instagram stories in one dedicated session.
Instagram stories may disappear after 24 hours, but with an effective strategy, they can live on your profile page forever. Enter: Instagram stories highlights.
They’re the best way to extend the shelf life of your stories, giving them greater reach, more visibility and a boost in traffic. Through highlights, users spotlight their top stories by organizing them into clear categories and topics—letting their audience quickly find the content that’s of interest to them.
Make sure to keep your highlights up to date (and at the start of your story queue) to help visitors discover what you’re all about.
Tip #4: Add verbal and written call-to-actions (CTAs) to Instagram reelsIt’s no secret, Instagram reels are a one-way ticket to growth, but they can also be massive traffic-drivers with a clear CTA that encourages people to head to your link in bio. This could be with on-screen text placement, a verbal call-out, in your video caption, or all of the above.
Directing users to your link in bio is a great way to get more value from your profile and it only takes a few minutes to set up.
Tip #5: Partner with influencers (and ask them to use link stickers on stories or a Link in Bio)You know what they say, two is better than one. And no truer are those words than when a brand or business partners with an influencer on Instagram.
It’s an excellent way to leverage another community and with the right brand ambassador, you can reach a new audience on the platform.
The result? Sponsored posts that feel genuine and tap into your audience for those much-wanted clicks.
Tip #6: Set up an Instagram shopSetting up an Instagram shop is a game-changer when it comes to reaching new customers and driving traffic.
With the feature, brands can curate a list of shoppable products that are directly accessible through the “View Shop” button on their Instagram profile page. Even better, brands with an Instagram shop can also be featured on the Instagram shop tab, making their products even more discoverable by users on the app.
If you’re looking for a fast-pass route to drive more traffic from Instagram, create an Instagram ad. Instagram ads are a guaranteed way to reach more users and with the right strategy, they can be a huge advantage for your brand.
To make your Instagram ads as successful as possible, carefully consider your end goals. To drive traffic, focus on a strong CTA that encourages clicks.
Having a clear idea of your goals will help define your target audience, creative requirements and budget—making the whole process more targeted and efficient.
Use UTM tags to gain a deeper understanding of what content converts into sales.
Tip #8: Add action buttons to your Instagram profileOne of the easiest tactics to maximize your traffic opportunities on Instagram is to take advantage of your profile’s buttons. It’s a simple way that brands and businesses can connect on the platform, through action.
Whether you’re a nail salon, cafe, or fitness studio, adding an action button to your profile page is an interactive way to engage with your audience. The feature both drives conversions and traffic on the platform, directly.
To add your own action buttons:
- Head to Edit Profile and tap Action Buttons
- Select an action button: Order Food, Book Now or Reserve.
- Tap one of Instagram’s partners including Atom Tickets, Booksy, Eventbrite, GrubHub, Resy, etc.
- Tap Done
NOTE: This feature is only available for Business accounts.
With the right tools and strategy, Instagram can be a huge traffic driver for your brand or business. Equipped with the above tips and tricks you’ll soon be able to engage with your audience and convert followers into clicks and conversions, elsewhere.
9 Expert Tips to Earn Traffic from Instagram
Instagram is notorious for not being link-friendly, but this facade is quick to fade.
Sure, you can’t link a standard Instagram post, but this doesn’t mean the platform can’t drive significant traffic to your site.
Let’s dive into the strategic ways to add clickable links and earn free website traffic from Instagram.
1. Do More With Your Bio Link
When you originally set up your Instagram profile, you likely added a link to your site (I’d guess a link to your homepage) – and it’s been there ever since.
But this little bio link can do so much more.
You can update this link as often as you like to point to any page of your site.
- A campaign page.
- A newly launched collection.
- A featured story.
- A lead capture page.
Then draw attention to the link by adding strategic call-to-actions in post captions that explain the value of the link. Things such as:
- “Click our link in bio to find out more about…”
- “Read the full story at the link in our bio.”
- “For more insights, check out the link in our bio.
”
But there’s a gotcha with changing the link frequently.
How do you manage old posts?
What if someone goes to your bio to learn more and finds a different link or a post from six months ago?
This is where you need a “link in bio” tool, so one link can rule them all.
Different tools achieve this in different ways.
Many tools simply list links. This is unlikely to add significant value.
The better “link in bio” tools allow you to curate a page that looks similar to your Instagram feed but displays your posts as clickable images.
But don’t expect a “link in bio” strategy to deliver its full potential overnight.
You’ll need to commit and be consistent so your audience has time to learn to go and check the link in bio for the details.
To speed up the process, add a call-to-action to your Instagram bio itself.
A quick line of copy before your link in bio, such as: “Click to learn more about a post 👇” makes your link in bio more actionable.
This can have a significant impact when it comes to driving more traffic from Instagram.
2. Tag Products with Instagram Shopping
With Instagram Shopping, you can turn your feed into a storefront by tagging products to create shoppable posts:
- Up to 5 tags in standard posts or video posts.
- Up to 20 with carousel posts, which can act like a lookbook for your brand.
- One product sticker in your Instagram Stories.
You’ll also see a Shopping tab appear on your profile which shows off your tagged product range.
All of these features are opportunities for your audience to click-through to the product on your website.
This is the most organic way to promote shopping on Instagram.
But to use this feature, you must:
- Meet Instagram’s eligibility criteria.
- Connect to a Facebook catalog.
- Sign up in the app with your business profile.
3. Link IGTV Posts
IGTV posts can contain clickable links in their descriptions.
But to see the description, users have to tap on the post title.
To get the most traffic, encourage viewers to open your video descriptions by adding a call-to-action in the IGTV title or tell them about the link during the video itself.
4. Add Links to Your Instagram Stories
You can add a link to Instagram Stories that will send traffic to your site if a user swipes up or clicks the native “See More” text at the base of a linked story.
To encourage your followers to visit your website, be sure to keep the base of the frame free so the “See More” text is clearly visible.
You can also add “swipe up” call-to-action stickers.
The caveat?
You must unlock this linkable stories feature by having over 10,000 followers or be a verified account.
5. Curate Instagram Stories Highlights
To consistently drive traffic from linked Instagram Stories beyond 24 hours, use highlights.
This feature allows you to group stories and permanently feature them on your profile.
But not every story belongs in a highlight.
Strategically curate a library of evergreen stories you want to shine your spotlight on.
Or keep it simple and use a single story per highlight as navigation to the key categories of your website.
6. Send Links in Instagram Direct Messages
Encourage your Instagram followers to start up a conversion with you in DMs.
You can also start the conversation yourself, for example by welcoming new followers and asking a relevant question.
It’s not efficient to type out a unique message for every new joinee.
To scale, you can set up quick replies – previously formatted text you insert into a direct message to avoid having to type the same thing over and over to different people.
Be sure to monitor your inbox daily.
Not only will you get a deeper understanding of your audience, but you will be able to link them to relevant areas of your website.
If you have nowhere to send them to, you know the next piece of content you should create.
7. Enable Push Notifications
Amplify your reach of all these link methods by having your followers turn on Instagram push notifications for posts, IGTV, and stories.
This is a somewhat hidden feature.
Your audience must click on the follow button, then to notifications, and then opt-in.
Afterward, they will receive a notification on their phone every time you post new content of that type.
Getting that opt-in for even a small section of your audience will certainly spike you Instagram KPIs, including sessions.
So how do you get the opt-in?
You could run an elaborate incentive campaign.
Or you can just ask.
You’d be surprised how many people respond to a direct request to opt-in on social media.
But if you do get the opt-in, respect it.
If your posts are notification worthy, the opt-out will likely be swift and the relationship with that follower permanently damaged.
8. Partner with Instagram Influencers
What if:
- You don’t have a large Instagram presence?
- You get very few views on your post or IGTV?
- You can’t link stories?
While you work on it, partner with a brand ambassador who has the reach.
Not only can this amplify your brand message, but in parallel your sessions.
There are thousands of influencers on Instagram – but a high number of followers isn’t enough.
Consider how their audience aligns with yours and how the endorsement of your brand will be received.
As you’re working out the agreement, ensure you include guidance to the influencer to use effective calls to action to send their followers to your website.
9. Add Action Buttons to Your Instagram Profile
Sometimes it’s worth stopping and thinking about why you want to drive traffic.
Is it for people to contact you by phone, email, or text?
Maybe it is to book an appointment, reserve a table, or buy tickets for an event?
All these actions and more can be taken directly on Instagram with profile action buttons.
By cutting out the middle man of your website, you could drive more conversions.
Post & Track!
With the right tools and strategy, Instagram can grow traffic for your brand.
But don’t forget to use UTM tags on all links from Instagram to your site so you have actionable reporting on which tactics were the best session drivers.
More Resources:
- 22 Ways to Get More Instagram Followers Right Now
- 11 Tips to Increase Sales on Instagram
- How to Dominate Social Media Marketing: A Complete Strategy Guide
Image Credits
Featured Image: Created by author, October 2020
All screenshots taken by author, October 2020
Category Instagram
Driving traffic to the site from Instagram: proven methods
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Interested in driving traffic to the site? Have you used all the options available on Instagram for this?
In this article, I'll give you 4 strategies for posting links on Instagram, as well as tips for optimizing your links for clicks.
You will also learn the secret of how to link in bio for easy retargeting traffic on Instagram.
By the way, if you are interested in the topic of advertising and want to learn marketing on Facebook and Instagram, join the marathon here. nine0003
1. Add links to your IGTV video description
Let's start with IGTV. After all, any Instagram account can add a link to the description of their IGTV videos and make it clickable. If you have an audience engaged with IGTV videos, you can include a call to action (CTA) in your description to direct people to your site's landing page.
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Another feature that any brand or blogger with any type of Instagram account can use is Direkt posts. Yes, you can put a link in any conversation with a user and it will be clickable. This makes it easy to share links with people on Instagram.
3. Link in Stories Instagram
If you've ever used Instagram Stories, you're probably familiar with the swipe-up feature for posting links.
At the moment, only business accounts with more than 10,000 followers can use this option. Another condition is that the account must be verified. If these conditions are met, you can share links in Instagram stories. nine0003
Let's get back to the topic of messages in Direct. You can add a CTA to your story by sending your audience to Direct. For example, it might sound like this: “If you need a link, reply to this story and I will send it to you in Direct.” This move will help increase the engagement of the story, which is beneficial for your promotion as a whole. And as a result, you will create personal conversations with the audience.
Tip: Use a Direct sticker to make your post in the story easy for the user to read. nine0003
You can also place a CTA calling for a link in the bio section. To do this, include a CTA in the text or in the video by writing, for example, "click on the link in the bio." This way, your followers will know that they need to click on the link in the bio to see some content.
Tip: To make it even easier for your audience to find a link, create a mention of yourself in a story using a text box with a direct link to your profile. Then add a GIF or "Click here" text box on top of your username, hiding it behind a sticker but clearly stating "Click here." When someone clicks on this sticker, they will be taken directly to your profile, where they can follow the link in your bio. nine0003
4. Link to Instagram bio
The Instagram linking strategy started with feed posts. It used to be the only place where you could post a link. You can often see people adding a simple caption to their posts, such as "click on the link in the bio". This is the most common CTA and the most recognizable way to drive traffic on Instagram.
But, of course, the biography section is non-rubber. You can change it as often as you like, but it's tedious.
And if you post frequently with a “click on bio link” CTA, your audience may see an old post but click on a bio link that is no longer relevant. The new link in the bio will no longer refer to the old post people find in the feed. nine0003
In fact, a number of tools have been on the market for a long time to solve this problem. Third-party services allow you to create a landing page with multiple links. But even if such tools are handy, why would you send your hard-earned traffic to a third-party tool when you can keep all that traffic for yourself?
Getting traffic from Instagram: one secret
My advice for solving the problem of placing a link in the bio section is simple. Create a custom landing page on your own website. This page should be mobile responsive, have a simple, concise design without any pop-ups or sidebars. nine0003
Ideally, include only a few options in your list of links. This is more convenient for you and for your audience.
You can add one link for your blog page, one for your YouTube channel or Facebook page, one for a list of services or for product lines (not necessarily individual products, you can link to lines).
Once the page is set up, you don't need to change it often. Only make changes if you are adding or updating content promoted on Instagram. nine0003
What is the advantage of this strategy? This is driving traffic. You will be able to see which page attracts more people and which one less. Analysis of visit statistics will allow you to understand which pages are more visited from the landing page. You will also be able to study audience behavior and conversions.
You can add a Facebook pixel and retarget your Instagram or Facebook ads to the audience that came to you from Instagram.
And the best part is that it's free. nine0003
If you want to learn even more secrets of advertising in social networks, register for a free marketing marathon.
Conclusions
Don't be disappointed that Instagram has some restrictions on link sharing.
Of course, it's hard to manage traffic unless you have over 10,000 followers or keep changing links in your bio.
But take advantage of the methods indicated in this article. With them, you will be able to attract traffic from Instagram to your website. nine0003
Do you use driving traffic to your website from Instagram? If the article was useful, share it and your comments on the pages in social networks!
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We drive free traffic from Instagram without bribing Zuckerberg - Marketing on vc.ru
Step-by-step instructions
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Now social networks are an integral part of any business. What store, beauty salon, or even finance professional doesn't have an instagram profile? If earlier this site was for personal purposes, now Facebook is doing everything possible to make it convenient to run your business on it. Business profiles, shopping tags (someday they will appear in Russia too), targeted advertising, branded content.
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Back in June last year, Instagram developers announced that the number of active accounts has exceeded 1 billion, and even with the caveat that this number does not equal the number of unique users, the figure is impressive.
Number of Instagram users in millions
According to Hootsuite research, the reach is 898.9 million, 15% of which are adults and respond to advertisements.
Hootsuite 9 infographic0003
The number of daily active users of Instagram is 500 million, which makes this social network more popular than Twitter (36 million active users), Snapchat (150 million) and Pinterest (250 million).
Instagram audience overview
- 894.9 million is the audience that can be reached with Instagram ads.
- 15% of this audience are people over 13 years old. nine0139 +4.4% — audience growth compared to the previous quarter.
- 50.3% - the percentage of the female audience.
- 49.7% - the percentage of the female audience.
When comparing instagram with another popular platform, Snapchat, 72% of teenagers use Instagram and almost the same number (69%) are Snapchat users. The share of adult Instagram users by 2018 increased to 35%, and young adults (from 18 to 24 years old) increased to 71%. nine0003
Of course, every year it becomes more and more difficult to develop your instagram account for free. Every day I hear those who complain “There is nothing to do in instagram without money”. This is understandable, any popular site thinks about the correct monetization of its services. In 2019, a quarter of all Facebook ad revenue is expected to come from instagram. By 2020, the share of instagram in this income will grow to 30%.
But there are still free ways to drive traffic to your site from this social network.
My team has developed a step-by-step strategy that will help you turn your subscribers into leads for free, increase website traffic and increase the number of applications. nine0003
An important point: before you start implementing our instructions, make sure that your site is adapted for the mobile version. This is logical, because all users who go to the site from Instagram will do it from their phone. Plus, I advise you to test the download speed - it should be maximum, otherwise people will not wait and just close the application.
Step 1: Create an account
Creating an account is the first, very important step. When you think about filling out a profile, remember the brand book (if you have one) or just take into account the branding features of the site so that the profile and the site are made in the same style. When doing it, consider the branding features of your site. The logo, corporate colors and fonts must be used to create an association of a single system from your website and instagram account.
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The account header should be filled in briefly and clearly so that the user immediately understands the essence of your activity. You have 3 seconds to interest the person who went to your account:
- The profile name is the query by which they will search for you. This can be a brand name / your name and description, for example Natalia Zabuben / Photographer MSK
- Specify a geolocation if your business is linked to a location. It's great, of course, to receive orders from all over Russia, but it's not great when you can't deliver from Moscow to Vladivostok. nine0140
- Indicate USP - that is, how you differ from competitors. And remember, everyone likes brevity and numbers: 5 years of experience, 80 projects, 500 knitted hats.
- And, of course, do not forget to insert a link to the site and an explanation: here you can order goods, buy products, discounts or something else: it is important to motivate the user to go to the site.
Step 2: Develop a content strategy
Although Instagram is no longer just a social network with beautiful photos, visual and text content is still very important here. By the way, an interesting observation is that such attention to visuals and long reads is given only to the Russian audience. In the US, only world brands have beautiful accounts, otherwise they simply don’t bother and spread according to the principle “And so it will do.” And it works for them. Take note if you are going to work with the American market.
But for Russia, I repeat, a beautiful visual is extremely important. Take the time to create high-quality and beautiful thematic photos that reflect the essence of your activity. Don't forget about videos that you can use when creating stories. nine0003
Free services will help you create beautiful images and inscriptions on them:
- Canva is one of the most popular in the SMM field.
- PicMonkey
- Pablo
And to create vivid videos, you will need applications for creating stories MOJO, Storylux, InShot, as well as functional video editors Movavi Clips and iMovie.
MOJO app for making colorful videos
If high-quality thematic images attract the audience, then captions to them hold attention to the entire page.
Texts do not have to be long, it is important to understand whether your audience will read them. In order to decide what to write, create a content matrix, a rubricator, and then a content plan for posts and stories.
Content matrix: compiled in a table, this will be the most convenient. Write “collections” horizontally - this is all content that is “5 reasons why ...”, “TOP 3 places”. “Cases” - I think no need to explain, “Entertainment” and “Team”. On the vertical, you can write down the types of your target audience or the services you provide. nine0003
Example of a content matrix for a beauty salon
Rubricator: The rubricator is a useful tool that will help you quickly write a content plan. Here you specify the type of rubric: selling, expert, informational and entertaining.
Pain of the client or objections, filling options and frequency. For example, pain is an expensive service. Filling options: show the expertise of the masters in the beauty salon or make discounts every Monday.
An example of a rubricator for a beauty salon
Content plan: after compiling a matrix and a rubricator, it will be easier to prescribe a content plan for posts and stories. If 3-4 posts a week are enough, then you must make at least 3 stories every day. Pay special attention to them! Well, develop a hashtag system - it will help you navigate the variety of your posts. It should become a convenient navigation through services, products and topics.
Step 3: Consider Audience Engagement
What could be better than entertainment and gifts? This is the main reason why people come to instagram and this is what will stimulate them to subscribe to your account.
Instagram contests are a proven method to increase audience engagement.
Various mechanics can be used. Most popular: STOP is when people write an unlimited number of comments while waiting for your STOP. This mechanic greatly increases the activity within the profile. Another typical mechanic is to tag friends in a comment. Someone asks for another like and save the post, but you need to remember that when summarizing the fulfillment of conditions such as saving your post, it is impossible to check. nine0003
But our task is still to attract traffic to the site, so it's worth considering the contests that will lead to it. Example: invite people to participate in a "quest" on your site - to find the "best" product or service, guess a rebus, the parts of which are hidden in different sections. Reward the winner with a prize, discount or gift upon purchase.
The main thing is to focus on interaction with the site. If you're selling something, note that the full catalog can be found on the site, or that you can find out more in a specific section there.
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Step 4: Promote your
account for freeMass following and mass liking can be used to quickly promote your account. These are good ways to promote, however, manually implementing them is long and tedious. It's better to use services. For example, install the SocialKit service for mass following - it has a free demo version and the ability to purchase additional features.
The Tooligram service is suitable for mass liking - it is the oldest and authoritative service in Russia. And he also has 7 free days to try. nine0003
Now the masslooking trend is gaining popularity - these are views of stories from your account. It can be tested on the Instaplus service.
If likes and subscriptions have their own limits per day (so that instagram does not block you), then there are no restrictions on viewing Stories yet. In practice, we did about 1000 views, but you can try more. This method allows you to increase the reach and views of your account.
Thanks to all this, you will gradually begin to recruit your audience on Instagram for free - people who can increase traffic to your site. Even a small audience is already a value. nine0003
Step 5: Don't try to cover all
It is important to understand your target audience. If you are trying to make content for everyone and attract everyone, it is more likely that you will not attract anyone. First, look at relevant accounts, collect an audience from there and interact with them. To collect the audience, you can use various parsing services - they collect and analyze the audience of competitors, which you can then subscribe to or launch targeted advertising. nine0003
If you have knowledge or interesting experience, you can offer the owners of relevant accounts affiliate broadcast (big stars will not agree to this, but average bloggers can agree for free if you prove that this is a win-win).
Step 6: Analyze
Do you remember Pareto's law about 20% of efforts and 80% of results? So, to determine what simple efforts give you the maximum result, analyze your steps.
