The Demise of the Swipe Up on Instagram and Why It Matters
Instagram’s previous Head of Product, Vishal Shah, told the Verge in June 2021 that the company was experimenting with a replacement for the swipe up feature, which, as a refresher, allows users to direct viewers to external links.
According to what Shah told the Verge, stickers work better with Instagram’s current system. He explained that “[This test] brings links into the same kind of overall system,” which is beneficial from a clarity and ease of design standpoint.
The August statement stated that decals would take the place of the swipe up option. An Instagram representative said in a statement that the addition of decals would “simplify the stories creation experience” and give users more “creative control.”
The Path Forward for Brands
In a manner analogous to the slide up function, the link sticker lets businesses publicise things like fresh product pages, forthcoming events, and the main website.
However, you should only use these URLs rarely. Your audience will get bored quickly if every article they read has a link in it that takes them somewhere else.
Your link’s relevance to the article’s subject matter is also important. Instead of sending fans to your homepage when announcing a new product, send them straight to the product page.
You can also use the link badge to prompt your fans to do the following:
- Promote your other social media pages by linking to them. Put up a teaser for a longer sponsored movie on YouTube and direct people there.
- The best way to get people to visit your site is to write relevant content and connect to the complete piece.
- Make use of Instagram’s advertising tools to create special offers. Tell your readers that if they click on the link in your tale, they can get 10% off, enter a contest, etc. You can boost Instagram interaction and purchases with this.
Some innovative brand uses of the link label are shown below.
ASHYA
New York City-based purse and luggage maker ASHYA recently shared a tale promoting their newest autumn offering.
To emphasise the novelty of the new product, the post’s design is spare; ASHYA’s link sticker (which leads straight to the product page) is dark and white so that it doesn’t stand out too much.
Small Books®
In order to promote a forthcoming book signing, the cute bilingual picture book shop Lil’ Libros® made a narrative post. The post’s colour scheme of brown, black, and white is complemented by the bright blue of the link label.
Lil’ Libros® also highlighted the sticker by including “Click link” text with an arrow that takes readers straight to the sticker. Think about how you can incorporate the badge into the layout of your post to make it clear to readers what action you want them to take.
Nested Neatly
Neatly Nested, a home goods store in Boston, maintains a consistent, stylish aesthetic throughout all of their Instagram photos. The team showcases their upcoming autumn collection in this video by employing a colour palette of mostly browns and neutrals. To avoid any distraction, the picture was put below a sticker of the same colour as the backdrop.
And that wraps it up! You’ve already come a long way towards becoming an expert link sticker user. Remember that, as with any aspect of social media, you should prioritise the needs of your followers.
As you put the link badge through its paces, make note of which sites receive the most clicks. You can improve your approach over time to win over a larger portion of your target group. Have fun establishing those hyperlinks!