Guides are an underrated Instagram feature that allow you to share curated content with your community. They enable the ability to categorise your content and further a story-telling element across your page; as well as provide a means for brands to build long-form content.
In short, they give Instagram users a simple way to consume a collection of your posts in an easy-to-digest format. But how should you use them?
Why Should you use Instagram Guides?
Essentially, Instagram Guides are like a miniature blog right on Instagram. They allow users to scroll through a curated category of content. They can be utilised for a variety of purposes, from gift guides, Q&As, Stories, educational content and so much more. They are a brilliant feature as they allow your audience to easily locate more information on your products or services in a single guide, eliminating the need to navigate through all of your content.
As well as a curated collection of posts with commentary, guides live in the dedicated ‘Instagram Guides Tab’ on your profile, meaning access for your audience is simple. Additionally, when a user clicks on a post in a Guide, they are directed to the original post- allowing your older content to have a new lease of life.
How to Create an Instagram Guide
So, you want to take advantage of this feature? Great! To create your first Instagram guide, tap the ‘Plus’ icon on the top-right of your profile page and select ‘guide’.
Instagram Guides are categorised into different formats:
Places- Recommend places in your city or further afield. These are brilliant if you are as travel blogger, or if your business is location specific.
Products- It goes without saying that these are great for product based businesses, with a format to recommend your favourite products!
Posts: Recommend posts you created or saved. This format is great for story-telling narratives, allowing you to link posts together with commentary to tell a story.
Once you’ve selected the Places, Products or Posts that you want to feature in your guide, you can re-arrange the content blocks, add a title and change the cover photo. You can also add titles and commentary for each content block where necessary. Once you’re happy with your Guide, simply hit ‘share’ as you would with a standard Instagram post.
Why Should you use Instagram Guides?
Aside from enabling your older content to have a new lease of life, there are a few reasons why you may want to utilise Instagram guides for your brand:
Keep Users on Your Page- Longer-form, scrollable guides have the capacity to keep potential customers engaged with your content for longer periods of time, enabling them to learn more about your brand without having to leave the app to find out more.
Utilise Keyword Searches- Instagram guides can be found by searching for content using keywords. Users no longer need to know your brand name to find you.
Extend Your Reach- Guides provide an opportunity to put your brand forward as a subject matter expert in your industry. You can focus on the problems and pinpoints by developing content that addresses these.
Build Brand Loyalty- This feature is another great way to increase loyalty through valuable content, establishing you as an authority figure within your industry.
Increase Conversions- Product guides enable the capacity for consumers to shop right from Instagram, cutting the buyers journey in half.
Are you utilising guides for your page? Let us know in the comments below!
