Instagram Stories Highlights are extremely valuable because they allow brands and people to easily curate and showcase the content they want users to see first. You can think of them as a movie trailer for your Instagram feed. Highlights are a creative resource to use to express yourself, show off your products, drive traffic, and market your business! I want to share with you how to use Instagram highlights so you can utilize them to the fullest and showcase your business right.
Use It As A Mini-website
Highlights act as a mini-website as they sit at the top of your Instagram feed and offer the possibility to draw in viewers the second they land on your profile. With the option to file away and save any content to your Highlights, you get to showcase, upfront, whatever you want your followers to see.
One major benefit of the Instagram Stories Archive feature for brands is that it eliminates any anxiety around losing valuable content. Similar to the Snapchat Memories feature, the new Instagram Stories Archive will automatically save (or “archive”) your stories into the cloud, so they won’t be lost forever if you forget to save them to your camera roll. As long as you keep the auto-archiving feature turned on, you can save and re-share your most favorite Instagram Stories even after the 24-hour period has passed. To do this, head to your Instagram profile, open your Settings, click Privacy and Security, and then Story Controls. There you can toggle the Save to Archive option to on.
I got clients that came from viewing my Instagram Highlights and so the clients that I coach! Try to think of your Highlights as a mini-website when creating them and as you add the content to each one.
Use It As A Sales Funnel
Your Instagram highlights can be used as a sales funnel! After you’ve designed your Highlights and begin saving content to them, people will get to know you, learn about what you offer and see what your clients are saying. Your viewers might be looking for something specific from your stories post, like more information about a new launch or a sale you’re running. For this type of content, Instagram Highlights are the perfect way to reach out, without putting a time limit on when viewers can watch. This way, your funnel can exist as long as you want it to!
Grouping your Instagram Stories Highlights together into various categories, events, or topics makes it super-easy for audiences to find the stories that are of most interest to them and it also allows you to showcase your funnel discretely based on how you want your content received.
You know your ideal client best and what they need, so serve them with the presentation of your funnel!
If you are an entrepreneur include this…
If you are an entrepreneur, there are several categories to include in your Highlights to best serve your ideal client. These categories are: “About Me”, “Services or Products”, and “Testimonials”. Testimonials allow you to outwardly love on your clients and build your reputation.
Another Highlight category entrepreneurs like to share is one for “Tutorials/How-Tos”. Sharing IGTVs and Reels to this Highlight allows you to not only showcase your services/products but it helps you communicate why your followers need to use them too.
Design The Cover Images
The design part of your Highlights is very important. It not only makes your profile aesthetically pleasing, but it gives you yet another opportunity to display your brand.
There are a few options for Highlight cover image design resources. Of course, you can design them yourself using Canva, or you can purchase a template or design from Etsy. Later also offers a resource for designing your Highlights and it’s FREE!
Once you get these items all set up, you’ll be ready to WOW your followers and anyone that stumbles across your profile! Go make an impact on your business!
Love, Monica