This week, Instagram has rolled out ‘Guides’ to all users. Not sure what it is? We’re here to shed some light on the latest global update to the platform.
Image credit: Instagram
What are Instagram Guides?
‘Guides’ is Instagram’s new way to share your favourite content directly on your profile. It was road-tested earlier in the year during Lockdown 1.0 by influencers who created some fitting self-care content when people needed it most. After receiving a great response to this content, Instagram have decided to expand Guides to the Instagram community!
How do I access instagram Guides?
‘Guides’ can be accessed through a tab that users can add to their profile and has a Pinterest-esque feel, allowing the user to view collections of posts under specific topic categories. From there you can share them across your Stories and in your DM’s.
How do I create an Instagram Guide?
Personal user? Instagram have made Guides very simple to create for anyone who wants to curate and share their favourite content. Here’s a step by step on how to do it:
- On your Instagram profile tap the ‘+’ icon at the top of the screen.
- From the ‘Create’ menu, select ‘Guide’.
- Choose which type of Guide you want to create – ‘Places’, ‘Products’ or ‘Posts’.
- From there, you select the posts you want to add to your Guide (either yours or content from other users) and add them to your collection.
- You now have the option to add a title and description and select a cover image.
Are you an Instagram Shop user? Product Guides can now be created for your business, making it much easier for people to discover and browse products from brands they don’t already follow and therefore extending your reach.
Are you a budding Joe Wicks or Lucy Wyndham Read? A collection of your favourite online work out content for people to share could be really useful for other like-minded Instagram users wanting to improve their health and keep on the move.
Home improvement is huge on social platforms right now. Do you have a love for DIY or want to channel your inner Mrs Hinch with tried and tested cleaning hacks? You can use this feature to collate your favourite ideas for later or show off your work and inspire others.
It’s been a tough year for most and there’s been an emphasis on taking some time to indulge in a bit of self care. Why not create a Guide of your favourite ways to wind down and take some time for yourself?
Get people’s creative juices flowing by curating a Guide containing your favourite craft projects! These could be seasonal offerings to help people come up with ideas for the whole year.
Whether you’re a personal user who just likes to make use of all of the available Instagram features or a brand that’s looking to engage in a different way and cut through the noise, we think it’s a really interesting new addition to the platform.
How will you be using Instagram Guides?
