Instagram announced last Wednesday that all users now have access to its Link Sticker feature in Instagram Stories. The growth comes as the company recently discarded the “swipe-up” link in Instagram Stories in courtesy of the new Link Stickers. Both the previous “swipe-up” link and new Link Sticker feature have been actually limited to businesses and high-profile creators.
As explained by Instagram:
“When we first introduced Stories links, the feature was limited to verified accounts or those with a certain number of followers. We’ve heard from the rest of our community that they also want to share things that matter with their friends and family. Whatever you’re into, from cooking to volunteering or shopping, you now have a space to share in Stories – regardless of your account size.”
Instagram introduced as the primary link sharing option, instead of ‘Swipe up’ links, back in August.
Which, in itself, has been a source of controversy, and some confusion in the case of Instagram ads, which still use swipe-up links. But the addition of link stickers, as opposed to swipe-up links, gives users more creative control over how links appear within their Stories frames, which could be a good way to drive more referral traffic.
And now, everyone will be able to add their own links, expanding the potential value of Stories for driving audience action.
For brands, that will likely put more focus on Stories as a communications tool – and with Instagram increasingly looking to put more focus on video content, like Stories and Reels, you can also expect the platform itself to increasingly emphasize Stories usage as it seeks to drive more engagement.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said so much in Facebook’s most recent earnings announcement.
Instagram is also talking about its ongoing effort to keep its community of users safe. To facilitate safety, new accounts and accounts that repeatedly share content, including hate speech or misinformation, as well as anything that violates community guidelines, won’t have access to the Link sticker.