Navigating social media can be confusing, and once you feel like you have finally figured it out a new function will come along, and it is suddenly back to square one. Instagram has recently come out with the new swipe-up feature that you need to learn and start to use. This feature is a great marketing tool as it allows you to link your desired website directly to the Instagram story, which could drive up website traffic and bring in potential customers to your equine business.

The actual swipe-up feature, which allows for the viewer to swipe-up on the story and go directly to the website does have some limitations. To gain access to this specific function you need to have either 10,000 followers or be a verified account. If you meet these requirements, you can add the swipe-up feature onto any of your stories. This is done by either taking a picture, video, boomerang, or choosing an item from your camera roll. Once that is complete there will be a chain link icon that you will click on, and you will then add the URL. It is super simple, quick and will bring new potential customers to your website.

For those that do not meet the requirements, do not worry, we have found a loophole so you too can bring traffic to your website through social media. The sticker feature on Instagram stories is available for any account to use, and boast many different options like location, polls, mentions, and many more. The one you will use to mimic the swipe-up feature is the link sticker. This sticker lets you add a URL to it which can be seen on your story. The viewer can click on the sticker and that will lead them to the URL you have added.

Additionally, the link sticker can be customized to fit the idea that best fits with your brand. After adding the URL there will be an option right under it that will have a plus sign and the words “Customize sticker text”. This feature lets you change the wording of the sticker so that it is not the URL that is being shown on the story. Some examples of how these customizations could work are “shop here”, “read more”, “book a lesson here”, among many other possibilities. Another customization that can be done is the colors of the font and the background of the sticker. To see those different options, you will click on the sticker until you land on a font and background combination that best suits your brand.

Social media has become such an integral part of marketing, and it is important to know how you can use it to build your equine business. We are seeing more and more equestrians turn to social media to market their businesses, and this swipe-up/sticker feature gives yet another way to incorporate social media to your marketing strategy.

At EQuerry / Co we understand that social media can be difficult to navigate, which is why we offer Social Media Management as part of our services. Additionally, make sure to check out our Instagram and our blog where we post tips on how you can use social media to market your equine business.