How to Add a Link to an Instagram Story? The Step by Step Tutorial

The link in an Instagram story is a feature that allows you to redirect your followers to external content with a simple click. It is therefore an excellent way to promote your website, your YouTube channel, or any other type of online content from your Instagram account.

The problem is that until recently, adding a link in a story was only reserved for verified accounts or those with more than 10,000 followers… But good news, this function is now easily accessible to all users, and it is ultra-easy to use! Debugbar will therefore explain step by step how to use it.

Why share a link in an Instagram story?

Sharing a link in an Instagram story has many advantages for content creators and brands. Indeed, it allows you to:

• Generate traffic to your website, blog, or online store.
• Boost your conversions by facilitating access to your products or services.
• Increase engagement by sharing content complementary to your Instagram story.
• Promote your latest news, such as a new blog post or YouTube video.
• Redirect your audience to a specific page without going through the link in bio.

In short, links in stories offer new opportunities to interact with your community and grow your business. So, you should use it ! Let’s see how.

How to add a link in an Instagram story?

Integrating a clickable link in an Instagram story is very easy:

1. Open the Instagram app on your smartphone.
2. Tap on your profile picture in the top left corner, on the “+” icon at the bottom of your screen or swipe right to create a new story.

3. Take a picture, record a video, or select content from your gallery.
4. Tap on the “sticker” icon at the top of the screen.

5. Select the “link” sticker.

6. Paste the URL of your choice in the dedicated field, then Tap on “Done“.

7. Position the link sticker wherever you want on your Instagram story.

8. Optionally customize the color of the sticker with the proposed options.
9. Publish your Instagram story by clicking on the “Your story” arrow in the bottom right corner.

It’s as simple as that! Your followers will only have to tap on the link to be redirected to the web page in question.

The proposed sticker doesn’t necessarily please you? You want to customize it to make it more attractive? It’s possible!

How to customize the link sticker on Instagram?

Although this social media does not offer many advanced options to customize the appearance of the link sticker, it is possible to work around this limitation by creating your own custom stickers.

Here’s how to proceed to have a unique and aesthetic link sticker in your Instagram story:

1. Create your Instagram story normally by adding your visual (photo or video) and the official link sticker.
2. Open your favorite graphic design application on your smartphone, such as Canva, Adobe Spark, or Unfold.
3. Design your custom sticker respecting your brand’s graphic charter. Opt for a sleek and visually appealing design. Integrate a clear call-to-action encouraging clicking, such as “Learn more” or “Read the article”.
4. Export your creation in PNG format with a transparent background and save it in your phone’s photo gallery.
5. Go back to your Instagram story and import your custom sticker as an image sticker. Resize it and place it over the official link sticker to give the illusion of a unique sticker.

And there you have it, your Instagram story is ready to be published with an original link sticker that will capture the attention of your followers! This little design trick will allow you to stand out and increase the click-through rate on your links.

But be careful, it’s not enough to insert a custom link in your story for people to tap on it. You’ll therefore need to implement some simple practices to maximize the engagement rate.

The best practices to follow to get people to click on your links in Instagram stories?

To get the most out of links in your Instagram stories, keep these tips in mind:

• Be explicit about the link’s destination and use an effective call-to-action. For example, “Click to discover my latest blog post!”
• Use graphic elements such as arrows, stickers, or GIFs pointing to the link to draw attention.
• Take advantage of the link sticker customization to match it to the colors of your visual and make it more visible.
• Vary the shared content (articles, videos, products…) to bring value to your audience without being too promotional.
• Remember to shorten your links with tools like Bitly for clarity and to track statistics.
• Always respect Instagram’s community rules and do not share inappropriate content or suspicious links.

By applying these best practices, you will maximize the impact of your links in Instagram stories.

Limitations and restrictions to know before adding a link in an Instagram Story

While Instagram has relaxed the rules and now allows links to be opened in stories for all accounts, some restrictions still exist:

• You can only add one link per story; it is not possible to insert multiple URLs.
• Links are not clickable in multi-photo or video stories.
• Some links are blocked by Instagram, such as those from prohibited or malicious websites.
• It remains impossible to share a clickable link in comments, post descriptions, or private messages. (But you can add one in your bio).

In short, links in Instagram stories: an opportunity to seize!

In summary, the arrival of the link feature in Instagram stories for all users opens up new possibilities for sharing and interacting with your community. With just a few clicks, you can now redirect your followers to your latest content and let them discover your world beyond social media.

So what are you waiting for to test this feature and add a link in your next Instagram story?