Instagram Stories links are now available to everyone – even accounts without 10K followers! Find out how to add links to stories now.
Following a major new update, all accounts (regardless of follower count) can now add links to Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories have become one of the most popular ways to share quick videos, images and messages. But you may not know that you can also add clickable links to your Instagram Stories, allowing viewers to tap and open a web page directly within the app.
This opens up huge opportunities to drive traffic sales and engagement with your followers.
In this comprehensive guide I’ll show you step-by-step how to add working links to Instagram Stories. Whether you want to drive visits to your website share an article, promote a product or any other link, this tutorial has you covered.
We’ll cover:
- The Basics of Linking in Stories
- Where to Paste in Your URLs
- Link Stickers vs Swipe Up
- Tracking Link Taps
- Tips for Using Links Effectively
- Driving Traffic with Links
- Growing Your Audience with Links
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
Let’s get started and learn how to use links in your Instagram Stories like a pro!
The Basics of Linking in Stories
The ability to add links to Instagram Stories launched in 2016 and has become more prominent since.
When you add a URL, it appears as a sticker that users can tap to open the link. This provides a seamless way to view external content without leaving the Instagram app.
You can use links to connect your Instagram audience with all types of destinations:
- Your website or blog
- Online products and shopping sites
- Promotions and contests
- Helpful resources and articles
- Podcast or video episodes
- Registration forms or email lists
Links make your Instagram content more useful, actionable and engaging. Let’s look at how to add them.
Where to Paste in Your URLs
Adding a link to your Story is simple:
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Create your Story as usual by uploading photos/videos
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Tap the sticker icon at the top and select “Link”
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This opens a text field to paste in any URL
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Position the sticker where desired
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Post the Story
When viewers see your Story, the URL sticker will be tappable to open the link.
You can customize the text and color of the sticker before posting so it fits your branding. But the main thing is having a live link your audience can access.
Link Stickers vs Swipe Up
Instagram gives you two options for adding links to Stories:
Link Stickers – Available for all users. Let you add a tappable link sticker as covered above.
Swipe Up – Unlocks once you have over 10,000 followers. Allows viewers to swipe up on your Story to open the link.
Swipe Up used to be the only hands-free linking option. But now Link Stickers give everyone a simple way to add tappable links, even without 10K followers.
Tracking Link Taps
How do you know if followers are actually tapping your links?
Link stickers provide basic analytics to see how many taps your links are getting:
- In your Story viewer list, tap the smiling face icon
- Switch to the “Interactions” tab
- This shows each sticker and a tap count
This allows optimizing your links to improve engagement over time.
For more advanced tracking, use a link shortener like bit.ly. This gives click-through data, location stats, and link performance.
Tips for Using Links Effectively
Here are some tips to use Instagram Stories links successfully:
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Tease the link – Don’t just say “link in bio”. Give users a compelling reason to tap.
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Place links strategically – Put them near the end so users have to view most of the Story.
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Use stickers creatively – Customize colors and text to match your brand.
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Link to your best content – Promote your most valuable website pages.
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Use a consistent CTA – Such as “Tap for more” so users know to tap stickers.
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Shorten links – Use a service like bit.ly to avoid long ugly URLs.
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Use data to optimize – See which links perform best and do more of those.
Driving Traffic with Links in Stories
One of the top benefits of Instagram link stickers is driving traffic to your own website or other online properties.
For example, you can share Stories linking to:
- New articles and blog posts
- Product pages
- Promotions and sales
- Lead magnets and freebies
- Podcast or video content
- Events and webinars
The key is linking to high-quality resources your audience will find valuable.
Add stickers enticing viewers to “Learn more”, “Sign up here” or “Get this free guide”.
Then track clicks and double down on what resonates most with your followers.
Growing Your Audience with Links
Beyond your current followers, links in Stories can help grow your audience and reach new people.
Some growth tactics include:
- Linking to your Instagram profile or posts
- Driving sign ups for email lists and newsletters
- Sharing “tag a friend” style stickers
- Promoting giveaways and contests
- Collaborating with other brands via links
Getting creative with links allows showcasing your Instagram presence and engaging new potential followers.
Measure which links attract the most clicks and apply those lessons to expand your audience.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While links can add huge value to Stories, there are some pitfalls to avoid:
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Overusing links – Don’t make every Story swipe up or you’ll annoy followers.
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Linking too early – Place stickers near the end so people view most of the Story first.
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Sending poor traffic – Only link to your best content that users will appreciate.
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Using long complex URLs – Shorten links for simplicity.
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Not customizing stickers – Make them visually stand out.
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Not providing context – Give users a compelling reason to tap before sending them away.
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Not tracking performance – Monitor clicks and optimization opportunities.
Following best practices will lead to higher link engagement and clicks.
Putting It All Together
Adding clickable links is one of the most powerful ways to utilize Instagram Stories for your business.
You can drive website traffic, showcase products, grow your audience and much more.
Make sure to:
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Paste URLs into link sticker fields
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Make stickers visually stand out
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Strategically place links near the end
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Use concise, compelling call-to-actions
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Track performance and tap rates
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Promote only your best content
With great links that captivate your audience, you can take your Instagram Stories to the next level.
So now you know how to add clickable links to your Instagram Stories! Use this guide to start driving more traffic, sales and followers with the power of linking.
How to Drive More Traffic from Instagram Stories with Link Stickers
If you really want to drive traffic from stories, it’s important to add a clear call-to-action.
This could be a verbal call out, some on-screen text, an animated GIF, or all of the above.
Viewers could take a while to get used to the new link stickers, so prompting your followers to follow your links can really boost your clicks (and sales!).
ICYMI: You can visually plan and schedule your Instagram Stories in advance with Later. You’ll get all your assets, links, and copy delivered straight to the Later mobile app when it’s time to publish, so you can share a story in two taps!
Schedule Instagram Stories to post whenever you want with Later.
Jillian is a Content Manager with over 8 years of experience in marketing, editing, and social media strategy.
How to Add Links to Instagram Stories – FINALLY Available for Everyone
Can you add a link to an Instagram story?
In October, Instagram announced that it would expand the ability to add a clickable link directly to a story post. The new feature gives users the ability to easily promote their work or fundraising campaigns. Only users with verified accounts or large followings could previously include links in their stories.
How do you promote a story on Instagram?
Include a filter, text, or sticker to the story. Insert the link by tapping on the ‘Insert Link’ icon. Create call-to-action inviting viewers to ‘swipe up’ to get to your clickable link. If you don’t have the swipe up feature, promote your Instagram Stories either via the Instagram app or through paid Instagram Ads.
How do I add a hyperlink to an Instagram post?
After you’ve installed the InstaChamp app on your Instagram Creator or Business account, connect an autoresponder to the Instagram post that will automatically send the hyperlinked URL, simply pasting the link in the text field of the InstaChamp autoresponder and selecting the post to connect it to from a drop-down in InstaChamp. 1.
