Links in Instagram: This is How it Works Without a Verified Account

The biggest shortcoming of Instagram Stories right now? In terms of user interactions, they are quite a dead end at the moment. Apart from a comment function and individual interaction stickers, there is not much.

It would be so nice if you could store a link with which the user can get out of the story to an external website. Although, there is: just not for everyone so far.

Instagram had already introduced the Story Link function in November 2016. Since then, however, it has only been available to verified accounts.

This hurdle seems to have been removed in the meantime:  we can now also set links in individual, unverified accounts. But with the limitation of 10,000 or more followers. 

How do I use the new function?

If you have already been activated for the function, you will see a “Link” button in the upper right corner after the normal recording of your story in the edit mode.

If you click on this, you currently have two options for the call-to-action. Either with a link to a website or with reference to an existing IGTV episode. If you choose the web link, you can also see how it will look in the Instagram browser. This preview function is the subtle hint from Instagram that you should definitely optimize the target page for mobile use.

If you confirm the link, your story will receive a “See more” note at the bottom in the middle.

Depending on the size of the screen of the user who is looking at the story, the notice is displayed either on or under your story slide.

Best practice

If you use this function, you should include a clear call-to-action within the story. So either by saying yourself: “Click down here”, or by writing a note on the story or even drawing an arrow.

Otherwise, you run the risk that the user will not notice your link. Because the “See more” note from Instagram is not particularly noticeable.

We have put together a few examples for you here:

When do I get the function?

As noted above, from 10,000 followers, that means all of them do not yet have the function. There are also no secret tricks or tweaks.

If you have just reached 10,000, but the function is not yet visible, you should restart your app. Linking is usually possible within minutes.

So you don’t need a separate account verification anymore, but just enough followers. 

Should I buy followers for this?

Definitely not. Buying for your account follower destroys the community and sends Instagram false signals about who belongs to the target group. You certainly do not want the network to optimize the display for your fake followers in Asia or South America in the future!

Last but not least, the purchase of followers can also fall back on you in the context of unfair competition with a warning.

Stay away from buying followers!

But what you can, of course, do are Instagram interaction ads. With good content on the channel, you get not only the paid interactions but also a good amount of new followers as a bonus.