How to Add a Link to an Instagram Story

Want to turn Instagram Story viewers into website visitors, readers, or customers? The link sticker is your direct line to making that happen. Learning how to add a link to your Instagram Story is a fundamental skill for anyone using the platform for growth. This guide will walk you through the exact steps, plus best practices and creative ideas to get more taps.

Good News: Everyone Can Now Add Links to Instagram Stories

Let’s clear up one big piece of old news first. For years, the ability to add links to Stories (the old "Swipe-Up" feature) was reserved for accounts with over 10,000 followers or verified profiles. That has changed completely.

In late 2021, Instagram retired the "Swipe Up" functionality and replaced it with the Link Sticker. The best part? The link sticker is available to everyone, regardless of follower count. Whether you have 100 followers or 10 million, you can now directly share links in your Stories. This was a game-changer, giving small businesses, creators, and individuals a powerful tool to drive traffic directly from a highly-engaging content format.

So if you've been waiting to hit that 10k milestone, you don't have to wait any longer. You can start driving traffic today.

How to Add a Link to an Instagram Story: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adding a link is straightforward once you know where to look. Here is the process broken down, step-by-step.

Step 1: Create Your Story

Open the Instagram app and swipe right or tap the plus (+) icon at the top and select "Story." You can either take a new photo or video or choose one from your camera roll. Design your Story as you normally would - add text, GIFs, music, or filters to make it engaging before you add the link. It's best to have your core content sorted before adding the CTA sticker.

Step 2: Open the Sticker Tray

Once you’re happy with the background of your Story, tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen. It looks like a square smiley face. This will open up the full menu of interactive stickers you can add to your content, including polls, quizzes, location tags, and more.

Step 3: Select the "Link" Sticker

In the sticker tray, find the one labeled "LINK" (it often has a small chain link icon). Tap on it. A new screen will appear, prompting you for a URL.

Step 4: Paste Your URL

This is where you’ll add your destination link. You can type it in manually, but it’s much easier to copy the URL from your web browser beforehand and simply paste it into the "URL" field. Double-check to make sure the link is correct - a broken link won't do you any good!

Step 5: Customize the Sticker Text (This is Important!)

By default, the sticker will display the domain of the link (e.g., yourwebsite.com). However, you can make it much more compelling. Tap on "Customize sticker text" and type in your own call-to-action (CTA).

Think about what you want the user to do. Instead of the plain URL, try using phrases like:

• "Read the New Blog Post"
• "Shop the Collection"
• "Listen to the Podcast"
• "Grab Your Free Guide"
• "Register for the Webinar"
• "Watch the Full Video"

This customized text is what people see on your Story, so make it clear and enticing. Once you're finished, tap "Done" to create the sticker.

Step 6: Place and Adjust the Link Sticker

After you finalize the text, the sticker will appear on your Story. From here, you can:

• Resize it: Pinch and zoom with two fingers to make it bigger or smaller. Make it big enough to be noticed, but not so big that it covers important parts of your image or video.
• Move it: Drag and drop the sticker anywhere on the screen. Place it in a high-visibility spot where people are likely to tap.
• Change the color: Tap the sticker once it's on your Story to cycle through a few different color variations to better match your brand or design aesthetic.

Step 7: Finish and Publish Your Story

Add any final touches to your Story - like GIFs pointing to the sticker or additional text telling people what to do. When you’re ready, tap "Your Story" in the bottom-left corner to publish it for all your followers to see. That’s it! Your link is now live.

Creative Ways to Use the Instagram Link Sticker

Now that you know how to add a link, you can get strategic about what you link to. The possibilities are huge, but here are some of the most effective ways to use the feature.

• Drive Traffic to New Blog Posts: Created a new article? Tease it on Stories with an interesting stat or quote, then use the link sticker with a CTA like "Read More Here."
• Promote Products or Services: Showcase a new product with a photo or a video of it in action. Use the link sticker to take people directly to the product page. A CTA like "Shop This Look" or "Get Yours Now" works great.
• Grow Your Email List: Offer a freebie - like an e-book, checklist, or template - and use the link to take people to the sign-up page. "Download the Free Guide" is a powerful CTA for this.
• Fill Spots for Webinars or Events: Announce an upcoming webinar or online event and tell people what they'll learn. Use the link sticker so they can register right away.
• Share Affiliate Links: If you’re a content creator who recommends products, you can use the link sticker to share affiliate links. Just remember to be transparent and disclose the affiliate relationship (e.g., using #ad or clearly stating it's a commissioned link).
• Link to Other Social Profiles: Want to grow your YouTube channel or TikTok account? Create a short, engaging preview on your Instagram Story and use the link sticker to point people to the full video with a CTA like "Watch the Full Tour on YouTube!"
• Increase Podcast Downloads: Share an audiogram or a behind-the-scenes clip from your latest podcast episode. Then, add a link that directs followers to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or a dedicated landing page.

Best Practices for Getting More Clicks on Your Links

Simply putting a link in your Story doesn't mean people will click it. You have to be intentional about encouraging them. Here are a few tips to increase your tap-through rate.

1. Use a Strong, Direct Call-to-Action (CTA)

Don’t just drop the sticker and hope for the best. Tell people exactly what to do. Use arrows, GIFs pointing to the sticker, or add text like "Tap here to...". You can even film yourself speaking directly to the camera and pointing in the direction of the sticker. Human direction is very compelling.

2. Make the Sticker Visually Obvious

Place your sticker in a clear, uncluttered area of the Story so it doesn’t get lost. Don't hide it in a corner or place it over a busy background. Some creators find placing it in the lower-middle portion of the screen works well, as that’s where thumbs naturally rest and tap.

3. Always Customize the Sticker Text

Almost no one clicks on a raw, generic URL. Using custom text is not optional - it’s essential. Your text should clearly communicate the value of clicking. Instead of `myblog.com/post-123`, use "Learn My Top 3 Tips." This little bit of effort builds curiosity and clarifies intent.

4. Build Context and Hype First

Build up to the link. A single slide with just a link sticker feels abrupt and salesy. Create a few preceding Story slides that tell a story, provide value, or build excitement. For example, if you're linking to a recipe, show snippets of the cooking process first. If you're linking to a product, show how it solves a problem before you give the link to buy it. This "warms up" your audience so they are ready to act when you present the link.

5. Test and Track Your Results

Pay attention to your Story analytics. See which types of Stories and CTAs generate the most link clicks. If you're more advanced, you can use UTM parameters in your links to get even more detailed data in Google Analytics, which helps you understand exactly how much traffic your Stories are generating.

Final Thoughts

Adding a link to an Instagram Story is no longer an exclusive feature, it's a simple, powerful tool available to everyone using the link sticker. Mastering this skill can help you meaningfully connect with your audience and turn their engagement into real-world actions like website visits, newsletter sign-ups, and sales.

As you incorporate linked Stories more frequently into your content strategy, planning ahead becomes a necessity to stay consistent. At Postbase, we designed our visual content calendar with exactly this in mind, it allows you to see your entire content plan at a glance. You can schedule your primary posts and plan your Story narratives and link goals alongside them, making sure every piece of content works together and supports your bigger objectives.