How to Add a Link to Your Instagram Story: A Complete Guide
Hi Online Friends,
Do you want to share your favorite websites, articles, or products with your Instagram followers? If so, you might be wondering how to add a link to your Instagram story.
Adding a link to your story is a great way to drive more traffic, engagement, and sales from your Instagram account. It can also help you grow your audience and establish your authority in your niche.
In this article, I will show you how to add a link to your Instagram story in 2022, whether you have 10K followers or not. I will also share some tips and best practices on how to use links effectively in your stories.
Let's get started!
What is the Link Sticker on Instagram Stories?
The link sticker is a new feature that Instagram introduced in October 2021. It allows all users with a business or creator account to add a clickable link to their stories, regardless of their follower count.
Previously, only accounts with over 10K followers could add links to their stories using the swipe up feature. However, Instagram decided to replace the swipe up feature with the link sticker, which is more visible and customizable.
The link sticker shows the first part of the destination URL (i.e., the domain name) and can be placed anywhere on the story. You can also change the text and color of the sticker by tapping on it.
Why Use the Link Sticker on Instagram Stories?
The link sticker is a powerful tool for driving more traffic from your Instagram stories. You can use it to:
- Share valuable content with your followers, such as blog posts, podcasts, videos, newsletters, etc.
- Promote your products or services, such as online courses, ebooks, coaching programs, etc.
- Grow your email list by offering a free lead magnet or opt-in incentive.
- Increase your conversions by sending people to a landing page or sales page.
- Build trust and credibility by linking to testimonials, reviews, case studies, etc.
- Boost your engagement by asking people to vote, comment, or share their feedback on a topic.
- Create fun and interactive stories by linking to quizzes, polls, games, etc.
How to Add a Link Sticker to Your Instagram Story
Adding a link sticker to your Instagram story is very easy. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Open the Instagram app on your phone and tap on the camera icon in the top left corner or swipe right from anywhere in the feed.
- Select a photo or video from your gallery or take one with the Instagram camera.
- Tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen and scroll down until you find the link sticker. Tap on it.
- Paste the URL you want to share into the text box or tap on "+ URL" and select one from your clipboard. Tap on "Done".
- Move and resize the link sticker as you wish. You can also change its text and color by tapping on it.
- Add any other stickers, filters, text, or effects to your story.
- Tap on "Your Story" in the bottom left corner to publish it or tap on "Send To" to share it with specific people or groups.
How to Optimize Your Links for Instagram Stories
Now that you know how to add a link sticker to your Instagram story, you might be wondering how to make sure that people actually click on it. Here are some tips and best practices to optimize your links for Instagram stories:
Use Short and Simple URLs
The link sticker only shows the first part of the URL (i.e., the domain name), so you want to make sure that it is clear and recognizable. Avoid using long and complicated URLs that might confuse or deter your viewers. Instead, use short and simple URLs that convey what the link is about.
You can use tools like Bitly or Rebrandly to create custom short URLs that are easy to remember and track. For example, instead of using a URL like https://www.example.com/blog/how-to-add-a-link-to-your-instagram-story-2022-guide/, you can use something like https://bit.ly/ig-link-guide or https://rebrand.ly/ig-link-guide.
Add a Clear Call-to-Action
Just adding a link sticker to your story is not enough to get people to click on it. You need to add a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) that tells your viewers what to do and why. A CTA can be a verbal or written instruction, an animated GIF, or a combination of both.
For example, you can say something like "Tap on the link to get my free ebook on how to grow your Instagram account" or "Swipe up to read my latest blog post on how to add a link to your Instagram story". You can also use GIFs like "Tap Here", "Swipe Up", or "Link in Bio" to draw attention to your link sticker.
Make Your Story Visually Appealing
The design and quality of your story can also affect how many people click on your link. You want to make sure that your story is visually appealing, relevant, and consistent with your brand. You can use tools like Canva or Adobe Spark to create stunning graphics, videos, and animations for your stories.
For example, you can use a catchy headline, an eye-catching image, or a teaser video to entice your viewers to click on your link. You can also use filters, stickers, text, or effects to add some personality and flair to your story. However, don't overdo it and make sure that your link sticker is still visible and legible.
Test and Track Your Links
Finally, you want to test and track your links to see how they perform and what works best for your audience. You can use tools like Google Analytics or Later's Linkin.bio Analytics to measure the traffic, clicks, conversions, and revenue generated by your links. You can also use Instagram's native analytics to see the reach, impressions, taps forward, taps back, replies, and exits of your stories.
By testing and tracking your links, you can learn what types of content, formats, and CTAs get the most engagement and results from your stories. You can also experiment with different variables, such as the time of day, the length of the story, the position of the link sticker, etc., and see what makes a difference.
A Detailed Table Breakdown Related to the Topic
| Topic | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| How to add a link to your Instagram story | A feature that allows you to add a clickable link to any destination in your Instagram story using a link sticker. | Drive more traffic, engagement, and sales from your Instagram account. Share valuable content with your followers. Grow your audience and authority in your niche. |
| How to optimize your links for Instagram stories | A set of tips and best practices on how to make sure that people actually click on your links in your stories. | Increase your click-through rate (CTR), conversions, and revenue from your stories. Create more appealing and relevant stories for your viewers. Test and track what works best for your audience. |
| Tools for creating and managing links for Instagram stories | A list of tools that can help you create short and custom URLs, design stunning graphics and videos for your stories, and measure the performance of your links. | Save time and effort in creating and managing links for your stories. Enhance the quality and consistency of your stories. Analyze the data and insights from your links. |
FAQs About How to Add a Link to Your Instagram Story
Who can add a link to their Instagram story?
Anyone with a business or creator account on Instagram can add a link to their story using the link sticker feature. You don't need to have a minimum number of followers or a verified account.
How many links can I add to my Instagram story?
You can only add one link per story using the link sticker feature. However, you can create multiple stories with different links if you want to share more than one URL with your followers.
How long does the link in my Instagram story last?
The link in your Instagram story lasts as long as the story itself. That means it will disappear after 24 hours unless you save it as a highlight on your profile.
Can I edit or delete the link in my Instagram story?
You can edit or delete the link in your Instagram story before you publish it by tapping on the link sticker and making the changes you want. However, once you publish it, you cannot edit or delete it anymore. You can only delete the wholestory itself.
How can I see who clicked on the link in my Instagram story?
You can see who clicked on the link in your Instagram story by swiping up on your story and tapping on the link icon at the bottom of the screen. You will see the number of link clicks and the names of the users who clicked on it.
What kind of links can I add to my Instagram story?
You can add any kind of link to your Instagram story, as long as it is not spammy, malicious, or violates Instagram's community guidelines. You can link to your own website, blog, podcast, YouTube channel, online store, landing page, etc., or to any other external website that you want to share with your followers.
Can I add a link to my Instagram story from my desktop?
No, you cannot add a link to your Instagram story from your desktop. You can only do it from your mobile device using the Instagram app.
Can I add a link to my Instagram feed post or reel?
No, you cannot add a link to your Instagram feed post or reel. You can only add a link to your Instagram story using the link sticker feature.
Can I add a link to my Instagram bio?
Yes, you can add a link to your Instagram bio. You can edit your bio from your profile page and insert one URL in the website field. You can also use tools like Linktree or Later's Linkin.bio to create a landing page with multiple links that you can add to your bio.
How can I get more followers on Instagram?
There are many ways to get more followers on Instagram, such as posting high-quality content, using relevant hashtags, engaging with your audience, collaborating with other creators, running contests and giveaways, etc. You can also use tools like Later to plan, schedule, and optimize your posts and stories for maximum reach and growth.
Conclusion
Adding a link to your Instagram story is a great way to share valuable content with your followers and drive more traffic, engagement, and sales from your Instagram account. It can also help you grow your audience and authority in your niche.
In this article, I showed you how to add a link to your Instagram story using the link sticker feature, which is available to all users with a business or creator account. I also shared some tips and best practices on how to optimize your links for Instagram stories.
I hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below or send me a message on Instagram.
And if you want to learn more about how to use Instagram effectively for your business or personal brand, make sure to check out my other articles on this website.
One of them is How to Add Music to Your Instagram Post, where I show you how to spice up your posts with some tunes.
Thanks for reading and happy linking!
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