How to Add a YouTube Link to an Instagram Story

Sharing your brand new YouTube video with your Instagram audience feels like it should be simple, but the process has changed over the years. Gone are the days of needing 10,000 followers to unlock a swipe-up feature. Today, anyone can direct followers to their content using Instagram's link sticker. This guide breaks down exactly how to add a YouTube link to your Instagram Story step-by-step, and more importantly, how to get your followers to actually click it.

Rethinking the "Link in Bio" Strategy

For years, "link in bio" was the universal call-to-action for creators and marketers on Instagram. While it still holds value, it forces your audience to take multiple steps: leave your Story, navigate to your profile, find the link, and click it. Every extra step is an opportunity for them to drop off. People watching Stories are in a rapid-consumption mindset, scrolling quickly from one piece of content to the next. Asking them to leave that environment for your bio link introduces a lot of friction.

The Instagram link sticker changes all of that. It places a direct, clickable link right inside your Story, making the path from discovery to watching your YouTube video nearly seamless. With a single tap, followers are taken from a compelling teaser directly to your full video. This directness dramatically increases the likelihood that someone will follow through, making it a much more effective tool for driving immediate traffic.

Why Focus on Story Links?

• Instant Gratification: Audiences get immediate access to the content you’re promoting without leaving the app’s flow completely, reducing friction.
• Higher Conversion Rates: The easier you make it for someone to act, the more likely they are to do it. A single tap is as easy as it gets.
• Contextual Promotion: You can build a narrative within your Story - show a behind-the-scenes moment, a GIF, or a thirty-second teaser - and follow it up immediately with a direct link to the full experience. It connects the "why" with the "what" in a powerful way.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Adding a YouTube Link to Your Instagram Story

Ready to get started? The process is refreshingly straightforward. Here’s how you can add that clickable link to your story in just a few taps.

Step 1: Get Your YouTube Video Link

First things first, you need the URL for the YouTube video you want to share. You can grab this from either a computer or your phone.

On Desktop:

1. Go to YouTube and open the video you want to share.
2. Below the video player, click the ‘Share’ button.
3. In the pop-up window, click ‘Copy’ next to the video link.

On the YouTube Mobile App:

1. Open the YouTube app and find your video.
2. Tap the ‘Share’ button located directly under the video.
3. Tap ‘Copy link’ from the new menu that appears.

Now the link is copied to your clipboard, and you’re ready to head over to Instagram.

Step 2: Create a New Instagram Story

Open the Instagram app and swipe right from your home feed or tap the plus icon (+) in the top right corner and select 'Story'.

At this stage, you need to create the visual part of your story - the image or video that will serve as the backdrop for your link. Don't just use a random photo! This is a marketing opportunity. The visual should be relevant to the YouTube video you’re linking to. Some good ideas include:

• A screenshot of a compelling moment in the video.
• A short, 15-second teaser clip from the video itself. (You can screen record this or use an edited clip).
• A custom graphic created in Canva or a similar tool that teases the video title.
• A friendly selfie of you talking to the camera, explaining what the video is about.

Think of this as the movie poster for your YouTube video. You want it to grab attention and make people curious enough to tap.

Step 3: Open the Sticker Menu and Select the "Link" Sticker

Once your story's visual is in place, tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen (it looks like a small square with a smiley face). This opens Instagram’s sticker tray, which is filled with GIFs, polls, quizzes, and other features.

Find the sticker labeled "Link". It's usually near the top with other popular stickers. If you don't see it immediately, you can use the search bar at the top of the sticker tray to find it. Tap on it.

Step 4: Paste Your YouTube Link and Customize the Sticker Text

After tapping the "Link" sticker, a new screen will appear where you can add your URL.

1. In the ‘URL’ field, paste the YouTube link you copied earlier. Just tap and hold in the box and select ‘Paste.’
2. Next, you get a chance to customize the ‘Sticker text’. This is super important! By default, the sticker shows the plain domain (e.g., youtube.com), which isn't very enticing. Change it to a strong call-to-action.

Some ideas for custom sticker text:

• "Watch the Full Tutorial Here!"
• "New Video is LIVE!"
• "Tap to Watch Now"
• "See My Reaction 🙋"
• "SECRET REVEALED"

When you're happy with your text, tap ‘Done.’

Step 5: Position Your Sticker and Publish Your Story

Now, the link sticker appears on your Story preview. You can treat it just like any other sticker:

• Resize It: Pinch with two fingers to make it bigger or smaller.
• Reposition It: Drag it anywhere on the screen. Be mindful of not covering important parts of your image or video.
• Change its Color: Tap on the sticker to cycle through different color options offered by Instagram to find one that stands out against your background.

For maximum effect, make your sticker stand out. Add GIFs of pointing arrows, draw around it with the pen tool, or add text like "TAP HERE" to guide your followers' eyes directly to the clickable link. Once you’re satisfied, simply post it to your Story.

Beyond the Basics: Strategies to Actually Get More Clicks

Just adding the link is only half the battle. Getting people to tap on it requires a bit of smart marketing. Professional content creators don't just drop links, they build anticipation and give their audience a reason to click through.

Create Unmissable Teasers

Your Story should act as a trailer for your YouTube video. Don’t show the best part, but hint at it. Share a short clip that cuts off right at a climax, or ask a question that your video answers. This creates an open loop in your viewer's mind, making them much more likely to click to see how it resolves. People are naturally curious, use that to your advantage.

Use a Direct Verbal or Text Call-to-Action (CTA)

Sometimes, the simple approach is the most effective. Talk directly to your audience if you're using a video for your Story. Say something like, “Hey everyone, my new video on [topic] is officially live. I’ve put a direct link right here on this story - just tap it to watch the whole thing.” This verbal command, combined with pointing at the sticker's location, is incredibly powerful. If you're using a static image, add large, bold text on the Story that says, "TAP THE STICKER TO WATCH." Don't assume people will know what to do, tell them explicitly.

Leverage Other Story Engagement Features

Warm up your audience before you drop the link. On the Story slide right before your link, use an engagement sticker like a poll or a quiz. For example, if your YouTube video is a travel vlog about Paris, your first story slide could be a poll asking, "Have you ever been to Paris? (YES/NO)." The second slide could then be your teaser with the link sticker, saying, "Our FULL Paris vlog is now live! Tap here to see what we got up to." By getting them to interact once with a simple tap, you've primed them to click again.

Create an On-Brand Visual Experience

Make your Stories look polished and intentional. Instead of plain screenshots, use a tool like Canva or even Instagram’s own creation tools to design compelling graphics. Use your brand's fonts and colors to build consistency. You can create templates with a dedicated space for the link sticker, arrows pointing to it, and a clear headline. When your content looks professional, it builds trust and makes the entire call-to-action feel more legitimate.

Repost Audience Reactions

Once your video is live and people start watching, share any positive comments or DMs you get to your Story (with their permission, of course). Screen capture comments from YouTube or Instagram DMs saying how much they loved the video. Adding this social proof to your stories afterward can encourage latecomers to watch, too. Showing that other people enjoyed your content is often the final push someone needs to click your link.

Final Thoughts

That's really all there is to it. The Instagram link sticker is a simple but incredibly effective way to cross-promote your YouTube content and grow your channel. By creating a compelling Story teaser and adding a direct, clickable link, you eliminate the friction that holds audiences back, making it easier than ever to turn your Instagram followers into YouTube subscribers.

Once you get into a rhythm of promoting your YouTube channel on Instagram Stories, you might find yourself managing content across multiple platforms at once - Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts, and more. This is exactly why we built Postbase. We realized that juggling all these different formats and platforms felt chaotic, so we designed a tool to bring it all together. With our visual content calendar, you can plan, schedule, and publish all your social media content from a single, clean dashboard, saving you time and keeping your branding consistent across all your channels.