How to link something on instagram
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.
- 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.
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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Expanding Sharing Links in Stories to Everyone
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By
Max Eulenstein
October 27, 2021
Today, we’re expanding the ability to add links in Stories to all accounts. Over the years, businesses, creators and change-makers have shown how sharing resources and information can inspire their communities.
From organizing and educating around equity, social justice and mental well-being to showcasing new product drops to customers, link sharing is helpful in many ways — so now we're giving access to everyone.
Equity, Expression and Enablement
When we first introduced Stories links, the feature was limited to verified accounts or those with a certain number of followers. We’ve heard from the rest of our community that they also want to share things that matter with their friends and family. Whatever you’re into, from cooking to volunteering or shopping, you now have a space to share in Stories — regardless of your account size.
We continue to be inspired by the change-makers on our platform and those who want to turn their passion into a living by sharing links. We recently introduced new ways for creators and businesses to reach more fans, engage their community and grow their reach, and we aim to further support them with access to links.
How to Add Links to Your Stories
Use the Link sticker to add a link to your Instagram story.
When people tap on the sticker, they’ll be redirected.
To add a Link sticker:
- Capture or upload content to your story
- Select the sticker tool from the top navigation bar
- Tap the “Link” sticker to add your desired link and tap “Done”
- Place the sticker on your story — like our other stickers — and tap on the sticker to see color variations
We’re also working on ways to customize the sticker so it’s clear what someone will see when they tap your link.
Keeping Instagram Safe
As part of our ongoing efforts to limit harmful content on Instagram, new accounts and accounts that repeatedly share things like hate speech and misinformation, or other content that violates our Community Guidelines will not have access to the Link sticker. To learn more about our rules, you can visit our Community Guidelines. To learn more about your account status and how to make an appeal if you think we’ve made a mistake (which happens), you can read our blog on helping you understand what’s going on with your account.
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How to make a collab post on Instagram
The Collab feature on Instagram* is another way to collaborate with brands and bloggers, or simply make a collab post with a friend or family member.
We tell you how to set up the function, about its advantages and the purposes of introducing it into the social network.
What are collaborative posts on Instagram and why
A feature known as “Collab” or “Invite a Collaborator” was tested in early 2021 in several countries, including the UK and India, and launched worldwide in October.
Collaborative posts are now available for any open account.
Collab allows you to share posts and videos on Instagram* with another person so that no one has to duplicate content. Both authors of the post will be listed, and the post will collect total likes, views, and comments.
Through shared posts, media personalities can announce collaborations, opinion leaders can interact with brands, and ordinary users can post a video about a vacation with their best friend.
For example, Kourtney Kardashian and her fiancé Travis Barker used this feature on Halloween to show couples' costumes from Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands.
At the top right, you can see that the post has two authors, kourtneykardash and travisbarker. Click on the accounts and find that both users have the post, with the same engagement ratesThe feature is very easy to use after a little practice.
How to post a joint post on Instagram*
To make a joint post, click on the plus in the upper right corner or in the bottom center of the screen.
You will be taken to the creation menu. Next, follow the usual steps to create a post or rils. When you go to the menu where you can add a signature, click "Tag people" - a separate screen will open.
Next to the "Add tag" option, you will see the "Invite collaborator" function. Click and then find the account of the person you would like to invite to create a shared post.
You need to know what a collaborator's username looks like in order to search for it.Multiple users can be selected, up to a maximum of 20. Note that 20 is the total number of participants. It includes both co-authors and people you simply tag in a post. You can tag 10 people and 10 co-authors, or 20 co-authors and no one else.
In the process, you will see a pop-up message "If [co-author's name] accepts the invitation, this person will be credited as the author of your post and it will be made available to their followers."
This means that you cannot unilaterally designate someone as a co-author of a joint publication.
You can only invite a person to cooperate, and he can accept or decline the invitation.
Have you added all the co-authors you wanted? Click the "Done" button in the upper right corner of the screen to save the settings, then publish as usual.
To recap:
- Create a new Instagram post* as usual.
- Click Tag People when you get to the headings screen.
- Click "Invite Collaborator" - the button is next to the "Add Tag" option.
- Use the search box to find collaborators you want to collaborate with.
- Click "Done" in the upper right corner of the screen to send the invitation to the shared post.
- Post as usual.
For Reels co-publishing, the process is the same - record and edit as usual. Check Preview that everything looks correct, then click Next to get to the sharing options.
On this page, click "Tag People" to access the "Invite Collaborator" label, and then follow the diagram.
Read also: How to check Instagram* for cheating: instructions.
Benefits of collaborating on Instagram*
Collab is a great feature to reach new, relevant audiences, but you have to make sure the content works for all collaborator channels. For example, you sell high-quality coffee makers, and the co-author sells great coffee. Co-authoring a post is a good idea, as the audience is interested in both.
Several clear advantages for joint posts on Instagram*:
- Collab eliminates the publication of almost identical posts with friends.
- The collab increases the reach of the audience, as it is available to both your subscribers and the co-author's subscribers.
- A new audience can easily turn into subscribers if you collaborate with someone from your own or a related business niche. You can also reach your audience with hashtags.
Read about it in the article “Hashtags for gaining followers on Instagram*: varieties, effectiveness, examples”. - You can get more likes and comments. It has not yet been proven that this will help boost the Instagram algorithm *, but it is possible that the social network will begin to give preference to this type of publication.
But consider the inconvenience : a joint post will be placed in the profile grids of both authors. This can be awkward when scheduling your posts in the same style. Consider the aesthetics and layout of both accounts before co-writing something.
Instagram head* Adam Mosseri: co-posts on Instagram* VS TikTok duets
Instagram co-authorship* is for general posting, not co-creation.
Duets on TikTok allow you to record your own video along with the original based on another user's video.
A diction lesson is an example of a TikTok video created specifically for duets. Any user can take it as a template and complete the task by filling in the pauses after the speaker's words Duets on TikTok and co-authorship on Instagram* introduce the creator of the video to a new audience, which is usually not very good on Instagram*.
This is not my opinion, the thought was voiced by the head of the social network Adam Mosseri.
Instagram* is a platform where brands and influencers can stay connected to audiences they have built elsewhere. It's getting harder and harder to use Instagram* to acquire followers from scratch.
This is a problem for Mosseri, who wants Instagram* to be just as good at getting new creators noticed as TikTok.
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram*
“Instagram* is much better at helping content creators who have already made a name for themselves on the platform. TikTok is better at identifying new and young talents, and, first of all, helping them to open up.
And we want to be really good at it. Historically, we have paid less attention to this, but I am pushing my teams in every possible way to ensure that this “boy” (Collab) becomes better.
Mosseri acknowledges TikTok's ability to create social media stars, which he believes Instagram should also have*.
Collaborative posts compensate for one of the main weaknesses of Instagram * and allow you to attract followers without an existing audience.
Theoretically, the function of joint posts will help to identify smaller accounts, but for this there must be connections - promoted accounts with which they could begin to cooperate.
Content creators who don't have good connections or a large audience won't benefit much from collaborative posts, but this is a step towards Mosseri's goal of doing more with this "boy", Collab.
It can be concluded that the company plans to develop and improve joint positions.
The delayed posting service SMMplanner works in a similar way: it constantly adds new functionality and improves the existing one. Now this is a whole set of SMM tools with analytics, photo and video editors, a reposter from Instagram * and the site's RSS feed to all popular social networks and various other features.
Register here - to test all the features you will have 14 days of free access to the professional plan instead of the standard week.
Then choose any of the PRO plans or the free version, depending on your needs.
How to connect Instagram* with Facebook*
And what is it for. Answers to everything in our article ↓
Amplifier
revision
You can link InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. with FacebookThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation to manage and set up advertising from a single window, work with Direct and, of course, automate work through API.
How to connect
InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. with FacebookThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation.
To link InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. with FacebookThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. you must have a public Facebook page on The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. and a business account in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. How to change the type of account in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation.
When all conditions are met, you can link accounts. Go to the public settings through the “Page Management” section, find the item “InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation.”and connect your account:
Connect Instagram* to Amplifer and schedule a feed for several weeks
FacebookThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation.
will ask you to enter a login and password from InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. - everything is in order :) So FacebookProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. will access your page on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation and will link them.
Done! Now your account in Instagram Product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. linked to Facebook The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation.
What are the restrictions
To the public page on Facebook The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation.
