How to Master Instagram Guides

Brands have long ago learned to tap into Instagram’s riches. From spreading awareness to generating leads and driving conversions, the social media platform has a wealth of opportunities for businesses to grow their consumer base. Instagram guides are the latest feature available to marketers, enabling them to publish long-form content.

Eager to learn about guides? We have a guide for that too, only as a blog post. Stick around as we teach you how to create Instagram guides and leverage this new feature for your business needs.

What are Instagram guides?

Instagram guides are Instagram’s latest feature to sate consumer expectations, enabling users to share and digest content on the platform easily. Viewed as a crossover between Instagram carousels and blog posts, they’re a fantastic way for marketers to post listicles, step-by-step guides, and tips. Simply formatted, text and visuals become one, with a cover image, title, mini intro, and optional descriptions accompanying each guide.

While the social media giant initially rolled out the feature to spread awareness about COVID-19 safety measures, as of November 2020, guides are now accessible to the entire Insta community. So whether you’re a home improvement brand, skincare entrepreneur, or a restaurant owner, or neither, there are endless content opportunities to promote your brand. 

Types of Instagram guides

Right now, you can create three types of guides, including Posts, Places, and Products. You can check which one you’re viewing by clicking on the lower-left corner of the guide.

• Posts- Seen as the most flexible type of guide, users can curate old and new posts easily
• Places- Perfect for providing location-based tips, upload up to five posts from content linked to your specified location
• Products- Sync up to Instagram shopping, enabling users to buy from your guides

Benefits of using Instagram guides

Producing interactive content is an excellent way to win over leads.

• Create blog-style content by organizing posts by topics and categories
• Let users easily find you through targeted keywords 
• Become a subject matter expert in your area 
• Secure brand loyalty with helpful, practical content
• Leverage Product Guides to boost sales
• Increase your reach with shareable content

Want to crush it on Instagram? For extra guidance, check out our ultimate guide to Instagram advertising here.

Inspiring examples of Instagram guides

While the type of content you go for will vary from brand to brand, below, we’ve outlined some ideas that previous businesses have adopted. 

Collect posts under a theme- If you offer multiple services or products, it’s helpful to group content under set topics/products. 

Produce a ranked list- Whether it’s highlighting your bestsellers or celebrating your wins, a ranked list offers a quick and easy way for users to digest your content.

Brand story or message- Introduce yourself to users and create a short story about your mission, values, and concept behind your product or service.

Step-by-step guide- Unpack complex topics or create helpful how-tos for users wanting to try your brand’s offerings. 

How to create an Instagram guide

New to guides? We’ve got you covered. Follow our easy step-by-step instructions to set up your first Instagram guide successfully.

1. Click on the plus sign like you would for a regular post, video, or live content.
2. In the dropdown menu, pick Guides.
3. Pick whether you want Posts, Places or Products Guides.
4. Format your guide by setting up your content, including images, posts, and links.
5. Preview your guide from the Share screen.
6. Ready to publish? Simply tap on Share. 
7. Congrats, you can now start promoting your Insta guide.

Best practices for the Instagram guide feature

Want to create a winning guide? Below we’ve outlined some pro tips to get you started.

Share your guide on Instagram stories

One of the drawbacks of guides is that you can’t share it to feeds (at least not yet). So to get serious traffic and boost visibility, ensure you share your guide to IG stories.

Be on-brand

Don’t use Instagram guides unless they make sense for your brand. Reflect on what you want to achieve and work guides into your Insta content strategy. Cultivate the kind of content your followers will seek out. Sometimes, it’s as simple as being on-brand.

Provide useful content

Consumers buy products or services because they want a solution to their pain points. Create informational content that speaks to your customer’s pains, whether it’s providing tips, a how-to guide, or simply posting recommendations. With Instagram guides, Instagrammers can access helpful content at their fingertips, so make sure you deliver.

Team up with influencers and creators

An excellent way to build brand awareness is to collaborate with an influencer within your niche. For example, imagine you’re a skincare brand. You could team up with an influencer who regularly reviews skincare products and ask them to build a guide, reviewing or testing one of your products.

To wrap up

Instagram guides are a fantastic way to generate impactful content that grows brand engagement. Whether it’s to ultimately drive users to your online shop or simply increase your flock of followers, Instagram guides are considered a great addition to any business’s Instagram content strategy.