Instagram guides is a new feature on Instagram that helps users share and consume content on the platform.
An Instagram guide allows you to group Instagram posts together under a single theme and add commentary.
To check other people’s guides on Instagram, simply click on the “guide” icon below all the Instagram stories displayed. The Instagram guide symbol looks like a newspaper symbol.
Then you’ll see the thumbnail for each Instagram guide, the title of the guide over the thumbnail and how many posts have been included in each Instagram guide.
Guides on Instagram can be shared to Instagram stories or shared with other Instagram users, by clicking on the paper plane icon.
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To create an Instagram guide, simply click on the “plus” sign on the top right hand corner. Then, click on “guide”.
You’ll then have to choose between 3 different categories:
- Places: This is for Instagram guides about places and locations. For example, a compilation of Instagram posts about New York city.
- Products: This is for Instagram guides about different products. For example, you can create an Instagram guide under that category to promote multiple products, or to create a compilation of different reviews about a product.
- Posts: This category is for creating a compilation of Instagram posts that fall under a certain theme. For example, you could choose this category to create a guide on vegan recipes or dog training tips.
The posts you include in Instagram guides as part of your Instagram campaigns can be your own posts, other users’ posts or both.
After you’ve selected the posts you want to include in your Instagram guide, you’ll need to add a cover photo, a title and a description.
Make sure that the title and description is keyword rich, descriptive and attention-grabbing.
Don’t use generic titles such as “recipes”. Instead be more descriptive and specific. For example, “top 10 keto summer recipes” or “5 gluten free cake recipes”.
Concerning the cover image, you’ll have to choose one from your Instagram feed or saved posts. You can’t upload a customer cover photo.
So when selecting a cover photo, make sure it is attention grabbing and illustrates what your Instagram guide is about. Don’t choose just any cover photo.
There are many benefits to using guides on Instagram as an Instagram marketing strategy.
The first benefit is it allows you to quickly curate content on a specific topic to allow people to consume a wide range of information and conversations around one single topic, in one single place.
Instagram guides as an Instagram marketing strategy really help provide your followers with a 360 degree perspective on a topic because you’re not only compiling your posts, you can also include other accounts’ posts.
The second benefit of including guides in your Instagram campaigns is that guides allow you to categorize your Instagram posts according to their topic. If for the past few days you’ve published posts about a range of topics, you can create Instagram guides for each topic.
If you’d like to take your Instagram marketing to the next level, and increase the results you’re getting from your current Instagram marketing efforts considerably, download my FREE Instagram report, titled The Top 15 Instagram Marketing Strategies That Drive Traffic And Sales. Simply enter your name and email and I’ll instantly send you the report.
A third benefit of using Instagram guides as an Instagram marketing strategy is that they can give more exposure to some of your Instagram posts.
Posts that would otherwise not been seen by some people, might be seen as part of an Instagram guide you create. This added exposure will allow your posts another chance to get more engagement.
A fourth benefit of using Instagram guides in your Instagram campaigns is that they can be more convincing than a standard post because they allow you to share more information.
For example, if you wanted to promote an event, you could create an Instagram guide combining posts covering everything from speaker bios, reviews, testimonials, description of the event, topics covered about the event and anything else that would help you attract more attendees.
Alternatively, if you were promoting a product, your Instagram guide could be a compilation of product demonstrations, product reviews, coupon codes, product features, social proof by displaying people using and enjoying the product, and anything else that would help convert sales. You could even include Instagram posts from other accounts that talk positively about your product.
With Instagram guides, if you want to include posts from other users, you will need to save them by tapping on the save icon on the bottom right hand side of posts.
You can only include posts in your Instagram guides, not Instagram stories. And if you want to include IGTV videos or Instagram reels in your guide, then they need to be shared on the Instagram feed first.
In order to increase the popularity of your guides on Instagram, there are a few tips you can implement.
The first one is not making them too long if they don’t need to be. Instagram users don’t want to have to scroll through lots and lots of posts.
The second secret is making sure that your Instagram guides follow a clear structure with a beginning, middle and end, to entice people to keep on scrolling to get the whole picture.
The third secret is to make sure you don’t include posts that are repetitive. If you do, people will exit your Instagram guide.
The fourth secret to create quality Instagram guides is to make each post congruent with the next one like a story that has a beginning, middle and end. When you do, people will want to continue looking at your Instagram guide until then end.
The fifth secret is to increase the exposure of your Instagram guide by sharing it to your stories or through direct messages.
Simply click on the paper plane icon to share it. If you to decide to share your Instagram guide by direct message, don’t just send it to anyone, as this can come across as spammy. Instead, pick from followers who are more likely to be interested in the guide.
Also, add a personal message when you do and invite people to share your Instagram guide too.
For example, your message could say, “Hi firstname, I’ve just put together an Instagram guide on vegan recipes you might be interested in, the recipes are easy and delicious. Please share this guide to anyone you know who would benefit from it”.
If you’d like to take your Instagram marketing to the next level, and increase the results you’re getting from your current Instagram marketing efforts considerably, download my FREE Instagram report, titled The Top 15 Instagram Marketing Strategies That Drive Traffic And Sales. Simply enter your name and email and I’ll instantly send you the report.
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About the Author
Corinna Essa is known internationally as the go-to person when it comes to social media marketing.
Corinna owns a social media marketing company helping businesses around the world leverage the power of social media without doing any of the legwork. Her company has been featured in many media outlets including Sky Business news, Working Women magazine, Ymagazine, Tasmanian Times, Channel 7 and 101fm.
Corinna is also the author of 2 bestselling books “Money On Demand – The 16 Fastest Ways to Becoming a Millionaire Online” and “Reach: The SECRETS to converting your social media audience into your network marketing downline fast”
Hey Corinna, this was something new for me regarding doing business leveraging Instagram. This platform is indeed appropriate for every business, from small businesses to established ones. But Instagram guides can be this useful; I got to know from this article. Thanks for sharing this