How to get the swipe up feature on Instagram

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Hey Time Traveler! Instagram replaced the swipe up feature and now everyone can have a link sticker. 🎉 Click here to go to the updated guide!

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“Want the deets? Check the link in my bio!”

“Sign up at the link in bio!”

“Love it? Link in bio!”

Are you tired of seeing all of the “link in bio” shout-outs on Instagram?

Want to leverage your Instagram following to drive even more traffic to your website, blog posts, freebies or online shop?

Then you need to get the “swipe up” feature on Instagram.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to get this sexy feature, what to do once you have it, and how to craft a powerful Instagram Story that converts your followers so you can GROW your business!

Sound good?

What is the “Swipe Up” Feature and Why is it Important?

The ability for your followers to “swipe up” in your Stories is a pretty big deal.

Why? Because this is the first time that Instagram users can add another link for their followers to click – that isn’t in the bio.

But here’s the catch.

You can only get the swipe up feature if you have a business account with more than 10,000 followers.

Why The Swipe Up Feature is One of Instagram’s Most Powerful Features for Businesses

Before the swipe up feature, you only had one clickable link in your bio.

And you had to be strategic in its usage:

• Are you going to change the link every time a new blog post went live?
• Are you going to use a tool like Linktree to draw attention to multiple pages on your website?

But the hardest part with the bio link is actually getting people to click it.

Users have to click out of your story or post, go to your profile, click on the link and only then do they arrive on your website. 🙄

It’s a lot of steps.

And with the short attention span common in the online world, most accounts don’t see a lot of click-throughs.

The Swipe Up Feature Changes The Instagram Game

Imagine you’ve just launched a new product. A course, a dog toy or an e-book.

All you need to do is create an Instagram Story, add a link to your website and BOOM.

Your followers can purchase your latest offering without having to leave the app or jump through hoops.

It’s the easiest way to boost traffic and sales with a single tap.

Need some proof?

Here’s how the Swipe Up feature is boosting Team4Runner‘s website traffic:

“We average over 4,000 impressions on most linked Stories and see a jump in website traffic each time (typically for the full 24 hours) it is live and active. It has most certainly helped us gain extra traction on products especially during peak hours of the day or week”.

How to Add Swipe Up Links to Your Stories

STEP 1: START YOUR INSTAGRAM STORY

Take a photo or video directly within the Instagram Stories app or import an image from your camera roll or gallery.

Now you’re ready to add a link!

STEP 2: CLICK THE LINK BUTTON

Tap on the link icon on top of the right-hand side of the screen.

A new window will appear that will allow you to paste a link of your choice.

Type in your URL and tap on the green check mark (for Android users) or “Done” (for iOS users) to save the link.

You should be able to see now that the image is ‘Linked’ and the hyperlink icon in the top right should be white! 

Hot tip: Make sure you’re linking to a SPECIFIC blog post, page or product on your website.

You want your followers to take action once they arrive on your site. Whether it’s reading your article, signing up to your mailing list or whipping out their credit card. 🤑

STEP 3: ADD A CALL-TO-ACTION IN YOUR STORY

If you want to drive traffic or sales to your website, merely adding a link isn’t enough.

You need to entice users and draw their attention to the fact that they can “swipe up.”

Here are some ways you can add a call-to-action to your link:

1. Use a GIF. There are tons of animated “swipe up” GIFs for you to choose from inside Instagram Stories. Go with a basic flashing text or if it’s on brand, select one of the quirkier options.
2. Add text. It’s simple, but it works! All you need to do is write something like “swipe up to see more” or “swipe up to claim your free Instagram cheatsheet”.

Once you’re done, all that’s left to do is to upload your Story!

How to Hit 10K Followers on Instagram: The Best Growth Strategies for 2020

Are you eager to hit 10K followers so you can put the “swipe up” feature to use?

Here are some of my favorite growth strategies you can use to give your account that much-needed boost (no bots or fake followers required!).

1. CREATE A CONTENT SCHEDULE AND STICK TO IT

If you want to hit 10K on Instagram, you need to post consistently.

Why?

Because the algorithm thrives on engagement. And you being predictable.

Think about your Stories feed.

The accounts you watch all the time are moved to the front of your queue. But if someone doesn’t post in a while, you’ll find that other accounts you engage with are now in front of that account.

You don’t want to be pushed to the back of your follower’s Story feed.

The same principle applies to your Instagram feed.

The algorithm shows posts from accounts you engage with the most FIRST. In the latest update, Instagram explained that it ranks the different interactions to decide what content you see on your feed.

For example: if someone is liking, commenting, saving and sending you DMs on the ‘gram, it tells the algorithm that the user is highly engaged with your content.

But if you aren’t posting consistently, other accounts that are keeping that user engaged will take your place and you’ll notice a drop in your engagement.

2. CREATE CONTENT YOUR AUDIENCE WILL LOVE

If you want to boost the number of likes and comments you get, make sure your post triggers an emotion.

• Take the time to craft a captivating story.
• Don’t caption your post with a generic quote you found on Pinterest.
• Use the space you have to capture people’s attention and show off the value you can offer them.

Do you want to inspire people, make them laugh or educate them?

Think about your aim before you post and make sure your image and text triggers that emotion.

If you need help writing engaging captions, check out my blog post on that here. 

3. CREATE AN INSTAGRAM THEME

Want to know what all successful Instagram accounts have in common?

They maintain a consistent aesthetic theme.

It reaffirms their brand identity and helps users know what type of content they can expect from the account.

Here are some examples of my favorite accounts with consistent themes:

There are tons of ways you can create a theme on Instagram. Here are some examples:

• Use the same filter on every photo. It makes your images recognizable, and your feed looks instantly professional.
• Only use specific colors in your feed. You can adopt a monochromatic look or post images that use your brand’s colors.
• Use repetition. Use the same subject in all of your posts. It creates familiarity and affinity for users.

4. USE HASHTAGS TO HELP YOU HIT 10K FOLLOWERS

Don’t underestimate the power of a good hashtag.

If used correctly, it can help you boost your visibility on the ‘gram, get you new followers and even a few paying customers.

All you need to do is some hashtag research.

Here are some of my top hashtag tips:

• Use a mix of high and low performing hashtags. Choose 10 popular hashtags that have between 500k to over one million posts. Next, find hashtags related to your content that are between 10k to 50k. This tactic will help you get as much exposure as possible and help you trend in the “most popular” posts page for that hashtag.
• Discover the top-trending hashtags relevant to your niche. Use Tags for Likes and TagFire to help you with your research.
• Research which hashtags top influencers in your niche are using. It’s a simple tactic that will make your posts discoverable by people who have already shown an interest in the type of content you’re creating.
• Don’t use one set of hashtags. Create around three different sets consisting of 30 hashtags. Rotate them, so your posts reach different people in your niche. Save them on your phone in a notes file or use an app like Later.

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INSTAGRAM TAKEOVERS

I’ve written an in-depth guide on how to use Instagram Story takeovers to increase your reach, gain new followers and develop long-lasting relationships in your niche.

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Sell more by doing less in my free Instagram workshop!

If you loved this blog post and want even more how-to tips on making sales through your Instagram account, join me for my FREE hands-on workshop.

In this ~co-working~ style workshop, we’ll check off:

• What your best Instagram strategy is – even if you’re new in business or are just starting to use Instagram for your business (PLUS, we’ll give your profile and bio a total makeover)
• What your current season of business is and which features you should focus on to get the most results for your efforts
• How to navigate making reels for your business, especially if you feel silly pointing or dancing on camera (PLUS, we’ll generate 80 content ideas for your next posts – yes, 80!)
• Future-proofing your account for inevitable changes that are coming to Instagram (including an evergreen formula that’ll never go out of style)

Join me at this FREE workshop now ⬇️

---

Sell more by doing less in my free Instagram workshop!

If you loved this blog post and want even more how-to tips on making sales through your Instagram account, join me for my FREE hands-on workshop.

In this ~co-working~ style workshop, we’ll check off:

• What your best Instagram strategy is – even if you’re new in business or are just starting to use Instagram for your business (PLUS, we’ll give your profile and bio a total makeover)
• What your current season of business is and which features you should focus on to get the most results for your efforts
• How to navigate making reels for your business, especially if you feel silly pointing or dancing on camera (PLUS, we’ll generate 80 content ideas for your next posts – yes, 80!)
• Future-proofing your account for inevitable changes that are coming to Instagram (including an evergreen formula that’ll never go out of style)

Join me at this FREE workshop now ⬇️