How to put clickable link in instagram story

How to put clickable link in instagram story

  • You can add a link to an Instagram Story using a link sticker.
  • The link sticker replaced the swipe-up feature, which was only available for accounts with more than 10,000 followers.
  • You can use Instagram Story link stickers to send followers to blog posts, products, and more.

Instagram Story links are one of the many ways you can customize your posts. When Story links were first launched, they took the form of a swipe-up feature, and were only available to Instagram accounts with more than 10,000 followers. 

The swipe-up feature is no more (except for sponsored story ads), and has been replaced with a link sticker that is available to all users. 

In this article, we'll go over what Instagram Story link stickers are, how to use them, and what to use them for.

What are Instagram Story link stickers? 

Like other types of stickers on Instagram — such as location, polls, and questions — Instagram Story link stickers are another way to personalize your Story posts. 

Unlike the now-retired swipe-up feature, which was only available for accounts with more than 10,000 followers, the Story link sticker is available to all. 

It can be used to share links to products, YouTube videos, or online articles like this one.

How to add a link to your Instagram Story

1. In the Instagram app home tab, tap the plus sign on your profile icon at the top-left of the screen, or swipe right.

2. Select a photo or video from your phone library, or tap Create to build a post from a blank background.

3. Tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen.

The sticker icon has a smiley face on it. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

4. Tap link.

Links, location, and mentions are just some of the different sticker types available for Instagram stories. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

5. Paste the URL of the website you want to point your followers to, then tap Done.

Paste the url from a browser tab on your mobile device. Abigail Abesamis Demarest In this example, the sticker text has been customized to a call to action. Abigail Abesamis Demarest

6. Tap the link to change the font color, drag to move the link, and pinch the link to resize it as desired.

7. Finish creating your Story post as usual, then share it.

Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a contributing writer for Insider based in New York. She loves a good glazed donut and nerdy deep dives into the science of food and how it's made. 

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According to an Instagram survey, 50% of people have gone to a website to purchase a product or service after seeing it in Stories. Once you learn how to add a link to an Instagram Story,  you can drive traffic to your website and increase conversions and sales.

Here's a quick step-by-step guide on everything you need to know about adding Instagram's new link sticker to your stories.

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Instagram recently replaced the 'swipe-up´ link option from stories with a clickable link sticker. Previously, the Instagram swipe-up feature could only be used by accounts with over 10K Instagram followers. But now, any Instagram account, regardless of its size, can add a link to Instagram Stories! So you don't have to be an influencer or have a verified account to take advantage of the sticker feature.

Link stickers appear on your screen just like any other Instagram Stories sticker — but with a clickable link icon.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Example of how several brands use link stickers in their stories. Source: Instagram

They are easy to customize based on your content and branding. You can move them around, rotate and resize them, or change their color. And when Instagram users tap on a link sticker, they are taken to the landing page of the URL you linked to.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Example from Fenty Beauty’s Instagram Account

Adding link stickers to your stories is quick and easy to do. Just follow the steps below.

1. Open the Instagram app on your phone and tap the plus icon in the upper-right hand corner. Next, select Story from the menu and then upload a photo or video to create new content.

How to put clickable link in instagram story

2. Select the sticker icon from the sticker tray and then choose the link sticker from the options available.

How to put clickable link in instagram story

3. Paste your URL in the link field and then tap done.

How to put clickable link in instagram story

4.  Adjust the color and size of your link to match your brand aesthetic.

How to put clickable link in instagram story

Now that you know how to add a link to an Instagram Story, you can use this new feature to promote different types of content.

Promote blog posts

Before Instagram introduced link stickers, it was tricky to share links to articles, especially if you didn't have access to swipe-up links. But now, it's much easier to get your followers to click directly to your blog.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Example of how HoneyBook uses link stickers to promote its blog posts

Direct people to specific products

Make it easy for your fans to buy products you showcase in your Instagram Stories. Whenever you post a video or image of something you sell, include a link sticker that takes your customers directly to the product page on your site.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
How Herschel uses link stickers to promote its products

Encourage people to book your services

Use Instagram Stories to share photos or videos of your service in action, answer questions about the service, or feature happy customers. Then, add a link sticker to send people directly to your booking page.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Freshii shares photos of its meals along with link stickers for customers to make an order

Whether you’re using your website to promote an event or an external tool such as Facebook Events or Google Events to keep track of RSVPs, be sure to add a link sticker to your Instagram Stories so your fans know exactly where to sign up.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Insomniac Events uses a link sticker to send customers to its website to purchase event tickets

Make link stickers an effective part of your social media marketing strategy by keeping some of the following tips in mind.

One of the best things about link stickers is that your followers can react to and respond to your stories. This option wasn't available with the previous swipe-up feature. You can use link stickers in your stories to promote your products and engage with your audience at the same time. For example, you can engage your followers with carousel posts, polls, or by asking questions.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Sakara Life engages its audience by combining carousel posts and polls along with link stickers in its Instagram Stories

Another advantage link stickers have over the old swipe-up feature is they can be sized and placed anywhere in the story, so make sure they align with your brand guidelines and visual aesthetic.

To help you stay consistent and on-brand, you can create templates for your Instagram Stories in Canva, and then when you're ready to go live, just add the link sticker in a spot that doesn't interfere with your message or aesthetic.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
Here’s an example of how we use link stickers in our stories to match our branding

Drive traffic with a clear and strong call to action

With link stickers, you can be more creative and impactful with your CTAs. For example, rather than just saying "swipe-up," you can now use a variety of more deliberate wording like "see more," "learn more," "try it out," "see why," etc.

And because you have greater control over where in the story your link goes, you can also be more deliberate with your CTA placement and create eye-catching stickers that grab attention and compel your followers to take action.

How to put clickable link in instagram story
To drive followers to its Pinterest Account, Apartment Therapy has a strong CTA and an arrow pointing to its sticker link

Every day, 500 million people use Instagram Stories. That’s a lot of potential eyes on your Instagram Business account. Adding convenient links to your Instagram Stories is an extremely effective way to drive more people to your website. Whether you’re selling products, offering services, or promoting content, Instagram Stories Link Stickers give people a hassle-free way to see more of what you have to offer.

Did you know you can schedule Instagram Posts and Stories ahead of time with Buffer Publish? Now that you know how to add a link to an Instagram Story, you can step up your Instagram game even further by planning out your Stories in Buffer. Sign up for a free trial and get started with Buffer, the all-you-need social media toolkit for small businesses.

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Why can't I add a link to my Instagram story?

How do I get qualified to add links to Instagram stories? There are currently only two ways to “earn” the option to add links into Instagram stories: Either have 10,000+ followers or have a verified account. Links in Instagram stories were originally only available to users with a huge number of followers.

How do you get a click on your story link on Instagram?

Navigate to the insights tab on your profile. Click on “stories” under the “content you shared” tab. Using the drop-down menu in the top right corner of your screen, “link clicks.” View the number of clicks each link received and strategize how to better use this feature in future content.
The most utilized and well-known place to add a link to your website on Instagram is in your Instagram bio. Many Instagram users will include a CTA to “Click the link in our bio” in their Instagram feed post captions. Be sure to make the most of your Instagram bio link by using tools such as Linktree or Link.