On November 16, 2020, Instagram expanded a new feature – Instagram Guides. Unfortunately, the launch went under the radar, mainly because of the stress and confusion around the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, we’ve seen at least four other feature launches by Instagram in the last 12 months, with Live, Reels, and the new home screen getting more attention.
So, what exactly is Instagram Guides, what does it do, and why should you care? Let’s jump right in and find out.
Instagram Guides is a new feature that allows Instagram users to consume and share content more intuitively.
Think of it as a cross between blog posts and Instagram carousels. Instead of sharing your carousels and blog posts separately, Guides allows you to merge them. This creates a long-form post to educate and enlighten your users on a single topic. It also allows you to share more than just image content on Instagram.
Now, the feature first became available in May 2020. However, at the time it was only accessible to a select group of creators who focused on mental health and well-being content. It wasn’t until the end of November that Instagram made it available to all users globally.
The primary purpose of Instagram Guides is to increase engagement on Instagram. At least, that’s what the Instagram team hopes. However, brands and consumers can stand to benefit as well.
Guides can help keep users on your Instagram channel for longer. This is because the posts are longer than traditional posts. Additionally, these posts should contain more photos and videos. Instagram Guides can also eliminate the need to send users to your website or blog posts via a link, as you can now bring your blogs to Instagram.
Above all, there’s potential for more leads and on-platform sales. Instagram Guides allows creators to cover more topics and to bring their product guides to Instagram, effectively boosting the chances of conversion.
Consumers will benefit from a more enjoyable experience thanks to more content, especially photos and videos. Guides also save them from clicking links (some of which are malicious) and leaving Instagram to visit merchant websites and blogs.
Although it’s a new feature and many people are still learning the ropes, there are a few straightforward ways to take advantage of Instagram Guides to benefit your business.
The first application that comes to mind is a “how-to” post. You can easily use the platform to teach your audience how to make a dish, apply make-up, clean their AC, or even paint rooms in their house.
For those in the travel industry, Guides provides a great platform to share destinations and things to do in specific locations. You can also give your fans helpful travel tips. Remember local and national travel is popular while the pandemic restrictions are in place.
Instagram Guides allows businesses to repurpose product offers into gift guides for annual events and holiday shopping. For instance, you can create a dedicated Christmas shopping guide rather than posting individual gifts and offers.
If you’re a fan of “Top X” lists, you’ll instantly fall in love with IG Guides. The new feature makes it easy to create a ranked list of your best sellers, most popular new products, and top recipes. Even better, you can infuse the post with quality videos and photos to drive engagement.
Storytelling has always been a great way to evoke emotions. Instagram Guides gives you the platform to tell your story, complete with images and your best videos.
You could even use Guides to partner with creators, promote causes in your community, and shout out the people doing great things in your area. However, ensure the content you produce is for your audience and fits your brand. Also ensure you continue to use the right hashtags to boost your blog, apps like Flick.tech can help. The ability to add blog posts to your business Instagram could be the boost in engagement you are looking for!
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