While Instagram ranked fourth in Statista’s “most popular social networks of 2021”, it ranked second in tightfist finance’s “social media platforms that pay you”. So, it is safe to say that business accounts have very high chances of expanding their customer base on Instagram.
But there’s a problem here.
Business owners find it difficult to direct their Instagram followers to their website when compared to facebook’s business owners. Which is funny since these two popular social media platforms are what I call “brother apps”, and should have similar functionalities -in my opinion.
So, the most common way to send traffic to one’s website from their social media account is by sharing or publishing links. And on Instagram, the simplest way of sharing your website’s link is by placing it in your bio, but that too isn’t as simple as people think it to be. So this is what I’ll do for you.
In this article, I will succinctly explain 6 different ways you can share your website’s link into your Instagram account -screenshots and how-tos included. So, stick with me.
1. Add a link to your Instagram Bio
This is the first and the commonest way you can share your link on Instagram. Just like new web readers, visitors and customers will walk straight to your “about us” page to better understand your website’s mission, new and old Instagram followers will most likely check out your bio to get to know your brand better. Thankfully, Instagram didn’t place many criteria on link sharing in bios, so, both personal and business brands can insert a link in their bios.
How to insert a link to your Instagram bio
- Go to your profile
- Click on the “Edit profile” button that is beside your username
- Add your link in the space provided for websites.
But there’s a little problem with this Instagram link-sharing method. Instagram Bio offers one space for just one link, so, you either exchange your home link with links to offers, promos, and other short-timed events, or you permanently leave your home link on your bio. And that is where link services come in.
These tools can be used to assemble all your links into one single link. In that way, if your audience clicks on that one link, they’ll be redirected to other links that are represented as texts or pictures.
In the screenshots below, Facebook used Linktr.ee to merge links to their about page, Facebook fundraising, support black business, and other links.
Some well trusted Instagram link tools that you can use to fit your links together are
2. Add a link to your Instagram post.
Don’t get me wrong, Instagram hasn’t permitted clickable links on feeds -which we pray they approve sooner than later, but there’s a way you can add your link to your Instagram post.
Image source: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/instagram-link-in-caption-example-300.png
Since your audience cannot click on links added to your feed, you need to shorten those links and make them easy to remember or cram. That way, your customers, will correctly type your link into their URL and check out what you have to offer. Below are some link shortening tools you can use:
Link shortening is not the only way you can add a link to your Instagram post, you can also add a link to your story (more on this later), and upload a screenshot of it to your post. Or you can give your audience clear directions to your link in your post’s caption
3. Add a link to your story
An alternative way to can add a link to your Instagram account is by adding swipe-up links to your stories, but there’s a condition to this link-sharing method (more on this later).
Now, this is where I recommend that you add links to your time-sensitive events -in your story, that is. That way, your viewers can participate with your brand without having to unseat your home link in your bio.
Since most people tend to see just what they want, I advise you to direct their attention to where they can access this link and ask them to go visit what you want them to visit. You can draw your audience’s attention to your story’s swipe-up link by using emoticons, GIFS, stickers, or even a picture of someone pointing to your swipe-up link.
Image source: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/instagram-story-with-arrow-pointing-to-link-example-300.png
Now, about that condition attached to sharing links on your Instagram story; Instagram allows only business accounts with 10,000+ followers to have the swipe-up link sharing option. But don’t worry, you can still share links to your story by uploading a picture or screenshot that contains the said link. But remember to point your audience’s attention to that link and specify what you want them to do with it.
How to add a swipe-up link to your Instagram story.
- Tap the camera icon on your Instagram business page
- Take a photo or video or choose from your gallery.
- Tap on the link icon on your screen and paste your link.
- Preview to see how it looks.
- Tap “Done” or the check icon.
4. Add a link to your Instagram shoppable post
For those that don’t know, shoppable posts are like Instagram stories, only that they are about a brand’s physical product and can contain a link to that product. You can tell that a story is a shoppable post if it comes with a shopping bag at the lower-left corner of your screen.
Since its inception during the Covid era, shoppable posts have increased Insatgammers’ thirst for shopping so much so that Later reports that 130 million Instagram uses click on shoppable posts every month. To have a shopping list on Instagram, all you need to do is to have a physical product sold in one of Instagram’s selected countries, follow the commerce policies, and have a Facebook page. While you’re at it, make sure you’re using an Instagram business account or all this will be for naughts.
How to create Instagram shopping
- Connect your Instagram business to a Facebook product catalog or create one
- On your Instagram business account, tap Instagram shopping to sign up for shopping and follow the steps that will appear.
- Wait a few days for Instagram to approve.
How to create a shoppable post on Instagram stories
- Tap the camera option on your Instagram account, take a photo or upload one from your gallery.
Image source: https://later.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/kkkksss.png
- Tap the sticker button
Image source: https://later.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/1-1.png
- Select the “product” sticker
- Select a product from your catalog
Image source: https://later.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/2-1.png
5. Share a link in your direct message
This is the most underestimated link-sharing method on Instagram. This is because sending direct messages to your audience gives your brand a personal touch and makes your followers feel that they are treated as individuals, not just as customers. People tend to shy away from sending a DM to their followers because of the number they have to cover, but that shouldn’t be a problem if one uses Instagram’s quick reply option.
Image source: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/instagram-direct-message-with-new-user-example-350.png
With quick replies, you can answer your customers’ popular questions, send a welcome message to new followers and insert both your home link and links to your brand’s other events. The beautiful thing about quick replies is that, not only are they automated, you can have more than one at a time. Below are steps you can follow to create a quick reply on Instagram
How to set up quick replies on Instagram
- Switch to your instagram business account.
- Click on “Saved Replies”
- Tap the + sign that will appear on your screen, and enter the message you want to automate.
- Add a shortcut or keyword that will be used to activate the quick reply
6. Add a link to IGTV
While the engagement provided by video content cannot be compared with what infographics bring, a survey carried out by okdork (on 100 million articles) shows that videos give heightened audience participation on all social media platforms, especially on Instagram. And that is why I always advise brands on social media to add a link to the IGTV.
Thankfully, there are no restrictions when it comes to adding a link to your IGTV. All you need to do is to mention your link in the video or insert it into the video.
That said, Instagram has grown to be one of the best social media platforms where any brand can expand its popularity. It has been a source of website traffic to a lot of popular brands, and it can be that jackpot for you too. All you need to do is to follow one or two, or all the methods that I have mentioned above and enjoy its result. Don’t forget to reach out to us if you have any problems while carrying out those steps, we’re always here for you.
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