Want to direct followers to your website, appointment form or online store?
With a few simple tactics, you can generate quality website traffic from Instagram.
In this article you’ll discover how to use Instagram to drive traffic to your website
1: #Add a Website Link to Your Bio
The most common way to lead Instagram followers to your website is to use the “link in bio” tactic. Instagram lets you include one clickable link in your bio, so make sure you use it effectively. To add a link, go to Edit Profile and type it in the Website text box.
In Birchbox’s Instagram bio below, their link directs followers to a customer appreciation day promotion on the company’s website.
Make sure you include a website link in your bio.
With the tool Have2Have.it, you can use your bio link to direct followers to a page with the same look and feel as your Instagram feed, where they can click images to purchase your products or read your content.
The New York Times has a Have2Have.it link in their Instagram bio. When followers click the link, they’re taken to a curated page with the top stories of the day. Users can click on an image to see the story behind it.
The New York Times uses a Have2Have.it link to drive traffic from Instagram to their online content.
With an analytics dashboard, you can gain key insights to see what content performs best. Focus on high-performing posts to form a content strategy.
By tracking clicks on Instagram, you can increase revenue and subscribers to online content (such as blog posts), newsletters or email campaigns. Of course, you’ll want to track your click-through rate, so use a shortened Bitly link or vanity URL to know where your clicks are coming from.
Overall, you can use this tactic for any links including an ecommerce website, YouTube channel or company blog. To take it a step further, create an Instagram landing page that captures email addresses through downloadable content like an ebook. The landing page design should mirror the look of your Instagram feed so there’s a visual connection for the user.
2: #Place a Call to Action on Images
Design Instagram photos that convert. You can layer a call to action and your website URL directly onto an aesthetically pleasing photo.
In Canva’s post below, the image has a call to action asking followers to enter a contest for a year of free access. The photo caption then directs users to click the link in Canva’s bio.
Add a call to action to your images.
This technique is beneficial for Instagram contests where you ask your followers to enter their email information on your website. Now, you have a strong piece of shareable branded content that drives followers to your contest.
3: #Include a URL in Videos
Instagram video brings digital storytelling to life. In fact, videos on Instagram generate three times more inbound links than image posts, so it’s definitely worthwhile to invest in a 15-second narrative.
Brands like Dollar Shave Club use video in innovative ways to spice up their Instagram feed. Their videos work similarly to a television commercial.
Include a URL in your videos to direct Instagram users to your website.
Dollar Shave Club’s videos include the URL in a text overlay and a voiceover (“Shave with a fresh blade anytime; try Dollar Shave Club.com”) that further drives Instagram followers to their website. The videos are quick, fun and engaging, making viewers want to learn more.
4: #Invest in Instagram Ads
Instagram recently announced it was opening its API to all companies and brands. By investing in the platform, you can target the right audience demographic through people’s interests. With an ad spend alongside your Instagram strategy, you’re likely to see an increase in website visits and ecommerce conversions.
Clickable links in Instagram ads give you an opportunity not only to be creative, but also let your followers learn more about your digital campaigns or attribute direct revenue from Instagram.
There are three types of sponsored Instagram ads: image, video and carousel.
Image ads are single photos that tell a story with their imagery.
An Instagram ad with a single photo.
Video ads differ from organic Instagram videos. They can be up to 30 seconds long, and you can shoot in portrait or landscape format.
An Instagram video ad.
Carousel ads enhance your Instagram storytelling because they can include up to four photos. Retailers, car companies and non-profits have been at the forefront of this new ad product. All three types of ads include a clickable Learn More button that takes followers to your website.
An Instagram carousel ad.
To create ads in Instagram, follow these steps in Facebook’s Power Editor.
With Instagram ads, you can create awareness in a broader audience and promote campaigns that prioritise conversions by tracking sales and views.
5: #Leverage the Reach of Influencers
Sometimes you need an extra push to build brand awareness and extend your reach. By working with influencers, you can amplify your message.
Connect with influencers in your niche or industry (whether that’s fashion, beauty, sports or other verticals) to create effective Instagram content. Influencers capture followers’ attention because they’re recognizable and trusted for their product advice and reviews.
Instagram influencers are digital celebrities with loyal followers.
When working with influencers,make sure they use effective calls to action to send their followers to your website. This can be done through Instagram videos or with powerful copy that links to your website also check for any costings.
Final Thoughts
As Instagram becomes a revenue-based social channel predicted to outperform Twitter and Google in ad sales by 2017, make sure your Instagram strategy is focused on driving leads to your website. You can learn about follower data to form content strategies, drive revenue and brand awareness from clickable links and promote blog posts right on the platform.
What do you think? Have you converted Instagram followers to your website? What are your goals for Instagram conversions? What Instagram marketing tools do you use to optimise leads and engagement? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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