When Instagram announced its new Guides feature in May 2020, it was an instant hit. After a short test run, Instagram opened Guides up to all users, and brands and creators are quickly adding them to their pages. Still, Guides are relatively new, so you might not know what they are or how to use them. Learn about Instagram Guides, so you can add them to your account.
What Are Instagram Guides?
Instagram Guides allow you to group content together to provide tips, recommendations, and more to your followers. You’ll basically collect the information into a single guide instead of spreading it out on your page. Once compiled, you’ll have a scrollable list with visuals and text. It’s similar to a listicle and a great way to convey information to your audience.
Guides come in three forms. Places Guides allow you to recommend places for people to visit. Products Guides are used to recommend products, and you can use Post Guides to feature your favorite posts.
While the three formats might seem pretty rigid, you can actually do quite a bit with Instagram Guides. Let’s take a closer look at how you can use Guides to your advantage. Then, find out how to browse Guides from other brands and creators and the steps you must take to upload your own.
Use Instagram Guides to Create Lists
You can turn a Guide into an engaging list your followers will cover. For instance, if you are in the travel niche, you could create a Places Guide for the 10 best hotels in New York City. Don’t worry if you don’t have enough photos of your own. You can also use content from other sources. Just make sure it’s OK to share the photos before adding them to your Guide.
Don’t worry if you aren’t in the travel niche. You can create a list specific to your market. Brainstorm for ideas, and then create a list that fits with your niche. People love reading lists, so this can get lots of engagement.
Show Off Your Followers’ Favorite Products
You can show off your best products in a guide, but first, have your followers vote on them. Poll your followers to find out what they like the most, and then create a list based on that. The votes will be endorsements for your products, so you can expect to make some sales with this strategy. Plus, you’ll learn some important information from the poll results.
Publish How-to Guides
Can you help your followers by sharing your expertise? Create how-to Guides on Instagram to educate your audience. How-to guides can be short and simple or more advanced. Use visuals to break up the text, so people can fully understand what you are explaining.
Make a Gift Guide
If you sell items on Instagram, create a gift guide that contains your products. You can create guides for holidays and special events. You can even make birthday gift guides to help people find the ideal gift for the perfect someone. Don’t forget about budget shoppers, either. Consider creating a gift guide with your most affordable offerings for people who want a great gift without spending much money.
Make Themed Guides
Do you cover different themes on your Instagram account? You can arrange your posts by organizing them into Guides. For example, if you are in the tennis niche, you could create a Guide that contains tennis tips. Another Guide could include apparel and so on. Then, people can visit your account and quickly find the information they want.
Share More About Your Brand
You can use Instagram Guides to let the world know more about your brand. You can create content about your brand’s values, founding, mission, and products. Highlight your best products and collections and, if possible, include some user-generated content to show others using your merchandise.
Put the Spotlight on Other Businesses
You can shine the light on other businesses with a Guide. Choose businesses that aren’t direct competitors but are in the same niche. The companies will appreciate the shoutout and might repay the favor by listing you in a Guide or tagging your account in a post. Also, your followers will love it when you provide relevant information that isn’t directly related to your page. That will add more value, and they’ll reward you by engaging with your content.
Collaborate on Guides
You can also collaborate with influencers when creating Guides. Create a Guide that shows influencers promoting your products. Then, your followers can immediately find out which influencers endorse your offerings. Influencer marketing is an exceptionally powerful tool, so this can help you increase your revenue.
On the other side, if you are an influencer, you can recommend using Guides as part of the partnership. Brands will be impressed when you recommend using one of the latest features.
Getting Additional Ideas
You can also look at other Instagram Guides to get ideas. Just go to a page and click on “Guides” under the feed tab. Then, you will see all of the Guides that are available. Find out what other brands are doing, and then use that to formulate your plan.
Posting Your Guide
Now that you know what to post, you need to find out how to upload guides. It’s really simple. Open the Instagram app and click the plus sign at the top of the page. Then, select “Guide.” Choose the type of Guide you want to make and then create it.
Add to Your Page’s Value With Instagram Guides
You can quickly increase the value on your Instagram page by using Guides. Come up with an idea for your first Guide, and then get to work. Remember, Guides can be long and involved, much like a listicle or blog post. Take your time to write the content and choose the best visuals. Then, publish your Guide, so your followers can see it. Create additional Guides as well but mix it up. Make each Guide unique to get the best results.
