Do you want to increase the number of people visiting your website from Instagram?
Want to know the secret to making Instagram Stories links that can be swiped?
Learn the ins and outs of using Instagram story links in your marketing strategy and how to add links to your Instagram stories by reading this article.
Who Can Add Links to Instagram Stories and How?
Clickable links in stories, like many other Instagram marketing capabilities, were initially only available to verified accounts. However, in May of 2017, Instagram secretly opened out this tool to more Instagram businesses. Business accounts (not personal profiles) with over 10,000 followers on Instagram now have access to clickable links in their stories as well.
We can only hope that as the popularity of Instagram’s clickable story links grows, the company will continue to make it available to many more users throughout the world.
There are only a few simple steps required to add a link to your Instagram story.
Kick Off Your Instagram Tale
Instagram Stories allows you to either take a photo or video within the app, or to import an existing photo or video from the last 24 hours by swiping up on the Story screen.
Incorporate the Hyperlink’s Address
To add your own link, select the chain link icon that appears at the top of your post.
When you click on a link, you’ll be taken to a new window where you can type the address of the destination page. Simply enter the full url of the website you want to bookmark and hit the “Done” button (on iOS) or the green checkmark (on Android) to store it.
To evaluate traffic and conversions, you’ll need to use a link that can be tracked independently from Instagram Story analytics, as the platform does not yet support tracking of URL clicks. Use a link shortener like Bit.ly or Rebrand.ly to make a shortened URL so that you can monitor its performance.
The chain link icon will be highlighted to let readers know your story has a link once you’ve successfully added a URL.
keep revising your narrative
Upload your finished story to your profile like you would any other story, complete with text, stickers, and filters.
To encourage readers to click the link you provided, you should put a call to action (CTA) in your story. Examples of call-to-action phrases are “Swipe up to see more” and “Tap ‘See More’ to visit our website.”
Tips for Including Links in Instagram Stories
It’s possible that marketers will overdo it with the number of links they include in their posts because at the moment, the only option to add a specific link to each single post on Instagram is to add it to a story.
You may wish to include one or two posts that connect to the full tale collection, but this will depend on how many parts your story has. If your tale consists of multiple posts, only one of them needs a link. You can put the link in two of your six to eight posts if your narrative is long enough.
Also, keep in mind that not all collections of stories require hyperlinks. If you’re a marketer, you need to make sure that the linked resource improves your audience’s experience with the article.
If you want to add value to your tales by including links, consider the following.
Increase Views of Your Blog Posts
If you use a blog as part of your marketing plan, you understand the importance of spreading the word about each new post. You may let folks know you have a new blog article up and send them straight to it by including a link in your Instagram Story.
Finish Your How-To Articles or Accounts
If you want to direct your followers to a more in-depth tutorial or DIY guide on your website, you can do so by adding a website link to the conclusion of your Instagram Story.
If you’re sharing a recipe with your followers, you might start by posting the completed dish, then show them how it’s made in the following posts, and end with a picture of the finished dish on a plate with a prompt to Swipe Up for the full recipe.
Reveal Private Material
One clever application of tale URLs is to create suspense by teasing something more substantial.
In order to reveal the names of the contest winners, Zach King posted a story to Instagram and directed viewers to a page on his website, which they could only see by swiping up.
This strategy is also useful for sharing behind-the-scenes details, previews of upcoming products or projects, or outtakes from a film production. Think outside the box when it comes to tease your target audience.
Advertise Your Goods and Services
Obviously, you’ll want to include promotional material in your Instagram stories if you’re trying to sell something. In moderation, this is acceptable, as is the case with most social media strategies. It’s not appropriate to utilise every narrative to sell something.
When promoting your items using story links, you should also include links to other strategies presented below. This prevents readers from interpreting every in-text link as an attempt at salesmanship.
Keep the tone light and the design consistent with your usual narrative if you’re running an ad campaign or promoting a product.
Conclusion
Many advertisers have been waiting eagerly for this link-clicking feature, since they want to increase traffic from Instagram. Marketers with access to this functionality will unquestionably be able to boost visitor numbers when used effectively and creatively.