Secrets of How To Add a Link To Instagram Stories in 2021

For all of Instagram’s strengths, the platform still presents a number of significant challenges to the business world. Top among these challenges is learning how to use Instagram to drive traffic to your website. The challenge has been so prevalent that more than 55% of marketers don’t even know how to add a link to Instagram Stories, posts, or anywhere other than the link in their Instagram bio, for that matter.

That’s all about to change in 2021.

Imagine all of the additional traffic you could capture by adding a link to your Instagram Stories? Well, there is one existing way to add a link to an Instagram Story, as well as one brand new and exciting way that we’ll touch on first.

For those new to Instagram marketing, you may be asking yourself, “Why are Instagram marketers so desperate to learn how to add a link to Instagram Stories?”

Adding links to your Instagram Stories is a guaranteed way to increase your conversions, boost organic engagement, and make it easier for your followers to access the content you want to share.

Here are the secrets for how to add a link to Instagram Stories:

• Instantly reply to mentions on Instagram Stories.
• Use the Instagram Swipe-Up feature.

How to Add Links to Instagram Stories by Instantly Replying to Mentions

Did you know that there’s an application where you can create instant replies every time you’re mentioned in an Instagram Story?  And better yet, this same tool allows you to add a URL to an Instagram Story.

Here’s how it works.

The process is fully streamlined and only needs to be set up once. Here’s how to do it:

• Create an automated chatbot dialogue that works for your business goals in Customers.ai.
• When someone mentions you or your brand, your Instagram bot will start a chat conversation by automatically replying with your chat dialogue. 
• If the person wants to learn more or is interested in your offer, provide a link to one of your marketing funnels.  

Or at the very least, say thanks for the mention! 

Here’s what an Instagram Story Auto Reply to Mentions might look like:

Let’s say I find this cool new tool and I want to tell my marketing friends about it, so I share this Instagram Story:

Instantly, I receive a notification message from Customers.ai along with a text in the Messenger app.

If I tap on the notification, the Messenger app opens automatically to show me the rest of the message I just received from Customers.ai. 

This is just one example of how to add a link to Instagram Stories using Customers.ai. However, you have some options regarding the user experience. For instance, what if you want to give people multiple options? In a different mention reply message, you could let people choose to learn more about your product, browse your pricing page, or maybe a relevant article on your blog. 

In the following example, we ask the person who mentioned Customers.ai if they’d like to know more. If the user replies with an answer of “YES” then a new message is instantly sent via Messenger. 

Then, as you can see there are actually two links (in the form of buttons in this case) for the user to choose from. 

Test out how to add a link to Instagram Stories for yourself by tagging @Customers.ai.ai in your next Instagram Story! 

How to add links to Instagram Stories using Customers.ai

Customers.ai is a chat marketing platform that lets marketers create and launch multi-channel chatbot campaigns in Messenger for Instagram and Facebook, SMS, WhatsApp*, live website chat, and more.

In 2021, Customers.ai began rolling out new Instagram tools. One of the most popular of which allows users to add a link to Instagram Stories.

Here’s how to add a link to an Instagram Story using Customers.ai:

Step 1: Create a Free Forever Customers.ai account

Go to Customers.ai and claim a free Customers.ai account to get started.

Step 2: Sign up for the Customers.ai Instagram tools Beta using the partner code “UNICORN” to jump to the top of the list.

Instagram Tools are still in Beta, but qualified accounts can get started now before the tools are released publicly. 

Jump to the front of the list today and find out if you qualify for early access to highly desired Instagram marketing tools! 

Step 3: Connect your Instagram account to Customers.ai

Once you’ve created your Customers.ai account and have gained access to Instagram marketing tools on Customers.ai, it’s time to connect your account.

Connecting your account is as easy as locating your Instagram handle and clicking a button to connect.

Step 4: Use the Customers.ai chatbot builder to create instant replies to Instagram Stories

In the Customers.ai platform, under the Chatbot tab, go to the Chat Starters menu and select Instagram Story Mentions tool. 

Then click on the +Create Instagram Story Mention button.

Now you’re in the super easy to use, Customers.ai chatbot builder. 

Scroll down past the Instagram Story example and create your dialogue. 

Remember, this is an instant response to someone who has mentioned you or your brand in their Instagram Story.

How to add a Swipe Up link on Instagram

Before Customers.ai released Instagram marketing tools that allow you to easily add links to Instagram Stories, the Instagram Swipe Up tool revolutionized the way companies and influencers reached their audiences and gained more followers by allowing them to add links directly to their Instagram Stories. 

Viewers can swipe up on a story or tap an arrow at the bottom of their screen to access a link without leaving the Instagram app or navigating back to a business’s bio. It’s also an easy way to promote different content and products while providing powerful analytics to optimize posts.

Instagram swipe up requirements

Here’s the catch when it comes to this feature: There are certain requirements you need to meet before you’ll have access to it.

To use the Instagram swipe up feature you must:

1. Have your profile set up as a Business Profile, and
2. Have over 10,000 followers

OR

• Have a verified account (The blue check next to a profile that means Instagram has confirmed that an account is the authentic account of the public entity the account represents).

How to Add Links to Instagram Stories with Swipe-Up

Here’s how to add a link to your Instagram Story for people to “swipe up” on:

• Step #1: Log in to Instagram and tap the camera icon at the top left of your screen.
• Step #2: Take a photo or video in the app or choose from your camera roll.
• Step #3: Tap the link icon in the top middle of your screen.
• Step #4: Paste your link (either a URL or IGTV).
• Step #5: If you’re on an iOS device, tap Done. If you’re using an Android, tap on the green check.

Best Practices for Adding Links to Instagram Stories

There are a few different opportunities to add links to your Instagram Stories including:

• Basic link sharing: Share an insightful article, link to your external shop, send your followers to your latest blog post, and more.
• Product details: This allows your followers to tap on shoppable links so they can view product details in real-time on the app.
• Instagram Shop: Bring people right to your Instagram profile shop with this option.
• Collection or product gallery: Direct people to view a collection of your products (you can create collections by going to your Commerce Manager and setting up a promotion).

Note: You will need to turn on Instagram Shopping before being able to use the last three link options above.

Once you’ve begun adding links to Instagram Stories, don’t forget to track your metrics so you can optimize your Instagram marketing campaigns. If you aren’t getting the engagement you desire, make sure you have a clear call to action and that you don’t overload one post with too much information.

Followers are important on Instagram, but just like Faecbook, engagement is the name of the game.

Getting Started with Adding Links to Instagram Stories

Use the Customers.ai code-free chatbot builder and marketing tools for Instagram to instantly connect your business with customers and prospects in order to generate leads, re-engage customers, and offer real-time support. 

Each of the Customers.ai Instagram tools — from email list growth tools to segmenting an audience or sending Instagram bulk message blasts — not one Instagram tool in Customers.ai requires any advanced programming knowledge (other than the Customers.ai API)

Use buttons, images, notifications, Zapier connections, and much more to automate your Instagram chatbot dialogue.

How To Add a Link to an Instagram Story: Next Steps

Important Next Steps: