Instagram is one of the most powerful tools for social media out there. You can engage with people all over the world with just a few clicks. With constant upgrades, new features, and updates, Instagram is changing the way people consume content. With the launch of Instagram Stories, people spend up to an approximately ten additional minutes on the app. This extra time means additional focus and attention on your brand.
If you are an entrepreneur or wish to use Instagram for your personal content, you need to create a marketing strategy tailored for you. By using this kind of attention and engagement, you can channel it towards your site and convert those leads into something effective. The Instagram Swipe Up feature is the latest tool in its arsenal and is proving monumental in driving traffic.
What is the Instagram Swipe Up feature? Users or marketers have found adding links to bio tedious and exhausting. It requires followers to visit your profile and click on the link to visit your website or purchase link. This can be annoying if you publish several times a day or have a lot of products on offer. Instagram has listened to its users and added a new option. Accounts that have more than 10,000 followers can now have the Swipe Up feature. When a Swipe Up link is added to a story, viewers can simply tap on the arrow at the bottom of the screen or Swipe Up on the story to access the link. This is an extremely smart move because it allows followers to click directly on the story and avoid visiting a profile or other pages. It leaves you no time to waste or consider and takes you directly to the source. You can link articles, pages, blogs, posts, and products using the Swipe Up feature.
Instagram wants to keep the feature exclusive due to its efficiency. The criteria to get the Swipe Up feature is that you need to have 10,000 or more followers and your profile must be an Instagram Business profile. Or it must be a verified account. It means that celebrities, public figures, or profiles that are verified can access the Swipe Up feature even if they don’t have 10,000 followers.
You can post a story using the regular Instagram story feature and once you have met all the criteria, you will be able to see a hyperlink icon to the top right of your screen. Once you tap it, the window that allows you to add a link to your story pops up. Add any link to your website, whether its a blog, post, article or landing page to share with your audience.
In the Swipe Up feature, you will also need to share information about brand partnerships. If you are sharing sponsored content or have been paid to talk about something, then you have tag your business partner. It limits your ability to edit but it has to be disclosed according to Instagram guidelines.
Making the most of the Swipe Up feature is something you should definitely consider. You can promote your blog post and gain more readers and followers towards your blog or website. Sharing your blog on Instagram Story is an amazing way to get traction. Many trends and news have been shared by celebrities or influencers on their stories. By using the Swipe Up feature, they allow followers to go right to the source and get their news or information.
Swipe Up makes it really easy for followers to see something and click on the product. You can link the product page so followers go directly to it and purchase it immediately. Create simple, effective, and precise graphics to attract customers. Use great photos and call to action in the stories so customers know where they are going. Check the technical links and if they don’t work, make the necessary changes. Nobody wants to click on a broken link and find themselves dissatisfied with your marketing strategy.
You can even promote virtual events, workshops, and online seminars or webinars. There is no limit to what you can use the Swipe Up feature for. You have to tailor your marketing strategy smartly so your traffic gets diverted and converted into sales. You should set specific goals for your business or brand and work towards it by using the Instagram tools at your disposal. Whether it is gaining more followers, blog readers, consumers, customers, or attendees, you can do it all using the Swipe Up feature.
Create effective Swipe Up stories instead of bland, basic templates. You can find them online or create one yourself using sensible design strategy. Include a call to action, arrow or GIF, and explain what exactly the follower is going to click on. You should also post regularly and consistently to stay relevant and visible.