Swipe-up no more! Say Hello to Link Stickers

Instagram Stories are hugely popular, but until recently, only large accounts could drive people to a website link using the “Swipe Up” feature. That’s now changed. Let’s dive into the way things used to be, and then share how to use the new “Link Stickers” feature that is available to everyone.

BEFORE: Swipe Up

One-third of Instagram’s most viewed stories are created by brands and/or verified accounts. The Swipe Up feature was clearly designed so that with Instagram stories, business organizations and communities could leverage it to drive traffic, engage with their community and advertise their businesses more efficiently.

The Swipe-up feature allowed major accounts to add links on Instagram to overcome one significant drawback of the platform: that links can’t be shared in-feed posts. Brands and influencers could post exciting content about a new product, service, or event and encourage their followers to literally swipe up to check out more information or details about it.  However, before a user could swipe up, Instagram had set up certain requirements for the poster:

  • You must have a business profile
  • It must be verified
  • And at least 10,000 followers
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AFTER: Link Stickers

On a recent update, however, Instagram announced that they’re ditching the “Swipe-Up” link in favor of new Link Stickers. This feature allows all users to have access to a link-sharing feature through Link Stickers. Also, you can check out our “How-To Guide for creating Instagram Stories” and “Best practices for Creating Instagram Stories that Will Help Your Brand”

Instagram said in a statement that link sharing has been beneficial and impactful and that’s why they are enabling everyone to share what they want in their stories.

“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,” https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/expanding-sharing-links-in-stories-to-everyone

To add links to your stories, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Upload content to your story on Instagram

Step 2: Select the sticker tool from the top navigation bar.

Step 3: You now need to tap on the “Link” sticker to add your desired link. After this, tap “Done”.

Step 4: You can place the sticker anywhere on your Story and tap on the sticker as well to see available color variations.

Step 5: For better tracking, use a tracked link, so you can see how much traffic Instagram stories drove and how that traffic performs for your brand.

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