A few years ago, Instagram streamlined its link features by giving everyone the ability to add Instagram story link stickers. While these stickers are effective at drawing users to your site, they’re not very intuitive to use.
Below, we’ll go over how to get started with link stickers and some of the best ways to use them.
What is an Instagram link sticker?
A link sticker is an interactive sticker that you can use to add an active link to an Instagram story. It looks like a sticker with a link icon and a shortened URL.
Instagram users employ stickers to add visual and interactive elements to their Instagram stories. The sticker appears as an overlay on top of the story and can be static pictures, gifs, interactive polls, or a number of other things.
While you can add as many regular stickers as you want, you can only add one link sticker to each image or reel in the story. You also can customize the text on the link sticker.
This Instagram link example shows how an uncustomized link will look. The link sticker in this story points to a longer URL (https://regencyreads.com/books/lady-next-door), but you can see that the sticker only includes the domain. When a user clicks on the story, it will take them to the extended URL.
Instagram used to require users to have 10,000 followers and a verified account to add link stickers to stories, but that’s no longer the case. Any Instagram account owner can add a clickable link to a story.
However, if you’ve violated Instagram community guidelines—for example, if you posted graphic content—you may lose your option to add a link sticker. Earning back your link sticker privileges could take an indefinite amount of time.
Why should you use Instagram link stickers?
Not everything happens on the Instagram app. The ability to direct users away from scrolling and toward engaging with your site has created unlimited possibilities for creative ways to promote your business.
If you use Instagram stories as part of your social media strategy, links should be a key part of your content. With links, you can:
- Encourage engagement through interactive elements.
- Reduce friction in sales by linking directly to where customers can purchase.
- Promote your owned media, including newsletters and podcasts.
- Reach customers where they are with calls to action.
- Align links with your brand via a variety of design options.
- Push compelling messaging with customizable text.
- Ask your customers to act now.
How to add a link to an Instagram story step by step
Step 1: Tap and hold your profile image
There are a couple of ways to open the Instagram story creator. You can tap your profile photo in the upper left of your home screen or Instagram profile page. Your photo will have a blue plus sign, indicating that you can add content.
From your home screen, you can also simply swipe right, opening up the creator.
Step 2: Take or upload a photo
Once the Instagram story creator is open, you can choose an image or video to feature in your story. You can take a photo or video by tapping the Capture button at the bottom center of the screen. Or, you can choose media from your gallery by swiping up.
Once you’ve selected your image or video, it will fill up the screen. At that point, you can move or resize the media.
Step 3: Tap on the top ‘sticker’ icon
The sticker icon is in the upper right. It looks like a small square with a smile and a folded corner. Tap on it to open your sticker menu.
Step 4: Choose ‘link sticker’ from the sticker menu
Select link sticker from the menu. It’s instantly recognizable by the link icon and the word Link. If you don’t see it on your screen, you can also search “link” in the search bar, which should pull it right up.
Step 5: Add the link, tap ‘done,’ and place it on your story
When you select the link sticker, your link creator will open with two fields:
1. The URL field
2. The custom sticker text field
The URL field is required, but the custom sticker text field is optional. Without custom text, the link sticker will simply appear as your domain.
Select Done in the upper right corner. Once you place your link sticker, you’ll have a chance to customize the design.
How to enhance your Instagram link sticker design
The best thing about link stickers is that they’re far more than a link. You can customize the text and design to grab attention, compel clicks, and align with your branding or marketing initiatives.
Customize the text on an Instagram link sticker
Link stickers default to the URL’s domain. That doesn’t tell viewers what to expect when clicking on the link. Use the customize text feature on the mobile app to change the default text on a link sticker.
To customize the text copy:
1. You need to customize the link text before placing it in your story. If you accidentally place a sticker before customizing the text, drag it to the trash bin at the bottom of the screen and start again.
2. When you select the link sticker from the sticker menu, select Customize sticker text and add your copy (up to 46 characters).
3. Select Done to move on to other customization options.
You can also change the color of the text. This is great for aligning the sticker with your brand guidelines and creating more aesthetically pleasing posts. You can also choose colors that stand out to draw more attention to the sticker.
There are two ways to customize the text color:
- Briefly tap the text multiple times. This will rotate the text through the three default color options:
- Blue text on a white background
- White text on a transparent gray background
- Black text on a white background with a pink link icon
- Press and hold the sticker to open a small menu with a color selector tool. Drag the sticker to the color selector. This will allow you to select any color in your background image, transforming the sticker to match that color.
Create your own link sticker for an Instagram story
If you place either text or an image over a link, the link will still be clickable behind it. This hack lets you make links look however you want. Thus, you can create more appealing, eye-catching, and brand-aligned link stickers in your stories.
To make a custom text overlay for your link:
1. Follow the steps above to create a link sticker and place it where you want.
2. Tap the text icon in the top right. Type your custom text, like “Read More!” Adjust the font and color to match your needs.
- Drag the text over the link sticker. Ensure that the text is about the same size as the link sticker, as the link will only work if a user taps the text directly over it.
To make a custom image overlay for your link:
1. Use Canva or another graphics editor to create a custom image with your brand colors and fonts.
2. Download the image and save it to your phone.
3. Add the image to your Instagram camera roll.
4. Go to create a story.
5. Create a link using the above steps.
6. Select the sticker icon to open the sticker menu. This time, select the image icon. Choose your custom image from the gallery.
7. Tap, hold, and drag the custom sticker over the link sticker.
Find the best link sticker placement
You can change the link placement by tapping and dragging it. You can also change the size by using two fingers to drag it to either expand or shrink. With the same two fingers, you can also adjust the angle.
Link sticker placement is an important design decision that can help maximize engagement and click-through rates. Here are some best practices to consider:
1. Put the link in a prominent location without covering any important information.
2. The link placement should align with your brand. For example, if your brand is understated, a large link with a loud design might turn off your unique audience.
3. The sticker should be large enough to easily click, even on smaller smartphone screens.
4. Be sure not to place the sticker in a location where it will be underneath Instagram buttons on the user’s screen. This will make it harder to click.
Examples of effective Instagram link stickers
Link stickers direct users away from Instagram and to your content, allowing you to promote your products, engage with your audience in different spaces, and share information.
Jenn Herman, a social media consultant, speaker, and Instagram expert, teaches her members how to become an Instagram pro. She shares some link sticker examples that highlight the importance of context.
What makes link stickers so effective is that they’re a frictionless transition from the user’s social media experience to engaging directly with your brand. With link stickers, you can grow your brand and connect with your audience in new ways.
Product promotions and launches
Instagram stories are a great way to promote products and even launch new offerings. Link stickers are a powerful tool for turning user engagement with this content into action.
Linking the promotional story to the product page can prompt users to buy the product as soon as they think about it. From the product page, it’s just a few steps for the customer to add the product to their cart and check out, leaving few opportunities to change their mind.
Blog and article sharing
Link stickers can attract your followers to engage with your blogs (or even podcasts). When you upload new long-form content on your website, your stories are a great way to highlight the immediacy of your new post. Adding links gives your audience the opportunity to leave Instagram and read your new blog right now.
To maximize click-through, you can post an intriguing quote from your blog that leaves your audience wanting more.
Event invitations
Social media marketing has long been a powerful tool for event promotion, but there’s no way inside the platform to RSVP. When you’re promoting an event, you can pair an incredible photo from last year’s event with a link sticker that directs users to an event registration form.
Charity and fundraising campaigns
Instagram stories are an opportunity to put a heartfelt, compelling message in front of Instagram users who care. If you’re fundraising, you can use relevant images in your stories and add a link sticker so that your audience can donate right in the moment.
Exclusive offers and discounts
The urgency of Instagram stories makes it a perfect medium for promoting limited-time deals or exclusive discounts. When you make an attention-grabbing Instagram post about a big sale, add a link sticker that directs users to the product landing page.
Instagram link sticker best practices and creative strategies
Instagram stories are all about grabbing a user’s attention when they’re mindlessly scrolling. Link stickers can benefit your marketing strategy if you do it right. Experts say customizing, branding, and tracking link stickers should all be part of your Instagram strategy.
Add a CTA (or make the link sticker a CTA)
A call to action (CTA) asks the user to take the next step after engaging with your content. For example, the next step may be to make a purchase after viewing product content.
Make the CTA brief but also as specific as possible. For example, instead of adding a sticker that states “tap here” with an arrow to the link sticker, say “tap here to shop.” If your story is a video, you can also have the CTA be an on-screen callout directing people to tap the link to shop.
Encourage followers to request more info
Posts with higher interactions get more reach, so it’s smart to encourage followers to interact with your post. You can make the most of the link sticker by inviting people to send you a direct message (DM) for more information about a product or a promo code. If you use the “DM me” sticker, all your Instagram followers have to do is tap to leave a message. Plus, it’s a great way to use the site to build and foster relationships.
Track links with Instagram analytics
Monitoring and evaluating the performance of your link sticker can help you optimize future campaigns that use them. Some important metrics to look out for include click-through rates, interactions, and comments.
The only way to tell how well a story does is to track links. You can use Instagram analytics or a link management tool to see if your link sticker resonates with your audience.
Brand your links
Making an impression in a sea of countless Instagram stories is a challenge. You want to make sure you’re staying true to your brand in terms of style when creating a custom link stinker. Even if the text you use on a link sticker is a CTA, the actual URL should be a branded link. That’s when using a vanity URL can help. Plus it’s a lot easier to type a vanity URL into the URL field of the link sticker.
Be sure to use best practices for vanity URLs for the best results.
Integrate your story links into a comprehensive campaign
Consistent messaging is key for a comprehensive campaign. To integrate your story links into an ongoing campaign, you may want to ensure you have similar CTAs and matching branding across all your links. This consistency will help reinforce your message as well as build trust with your audience.
Create better links for your social media profiles with Bitly
If you’re looking to maximize your social media experience and stand out from the sea of link stickers, Bitly can help.
Using Bitly branded links can help your content stand out from competitors, attract more clicks, and inspire trust in your audience that you aren’t sharing spammy links. Our links are built for social media and can transform your content into recognizable branded assets.
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