Since the app first graced our iPhones back in 2010, its rise in popularity has been so massive that it’s created an entirely new job title for creatives looking to share their work: the influencer. While it’s a running joke in pop culture to nail down precisely what it is that influencers get paid to do, their continued success has proven that creating content can be a legitimate career.

Whether or not you’re looking to make Instagram your primary source of income, the fact remains that influencers have indeed cracked the code on what it takes to make it on this app. In this guide, we’re giving you all their secrets, hacks, and tips so you can post like a pro.

Instagram growth tricks

Struggling to grow your follower count? Try implementing one of these Instagram tips into your social media strategy.

Tip 1: Get notifications when your favorite people post

Instagram is all about engagement, and the current algorithm favors accounts that are actively using the platform. Go beyond replying to comments on your own posts, and make it a point to regularly engage with your favorite accounts by setting up post notifications.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Open Instagram.
2. Navigate to the profile of the account you wish to receive post notifications from.
3. Open a recent post.
4. Press the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the screen.
5. Select Turn On Post Notifications.

That’s it! Now, whenever that account publishes a new post, you’ll receive a direct notification.

Tip 2: Follow feature accounts

One great way to get your content in front of more people is to get published on a feature account. These are profiles that round up and curate content from other profiles based on a specific hashtag or niche. They often have many followers and high engagement rates, so it can be great exposure for accounts with smaller audiences.

Find feature accounts that represent your niche and follow them. Turn on post notifications so you can comment, like, and reshare their content regularly. Many of these accounts will request that you direct message them if you’d like to be featured, or that you use their account’s hashtag.

Tip 3: Add a keyword to your name to appear in more search results

This is a simple trick that can yield great results — so long as you narrow down your niche.

Rather than using your given name as your Instagram’s profile name, use it as an opportunity to expand your reach by adding a keyword. So instead of “Joe Smith,” you could use “Joe Smith, New York Portrait Photographer,” or “Joe Smith Travel Photos.” You only have 30 characters, so use your keywords wisely.

Tip 4: Take advantage of related accounts suggestions

A lot of people discover accounts to follow through Instagram’s Suggested for You feature. To earn a coveted spot in this section, you must follow accounts that are relatable to yours in terms of location, niche, and content.

For example, if you’re a wedding photographer in Los Angeles, you’ll want to follow (and interact with) other wedding photography accounts in Los Angeles.

Tip 5: Get active on the app during peak algorithm times

As many of the pros are aware, Instagram’s algorithm loves to see accounts interacting on the platform with the first half-hour of publishing a new post. Many influencers have “hacked” this crucial time by engaging with other posts 15 minutes before they publish and 15 minutes after.

Avoid using this Instagram tip in a spammy way though. Only interact with accounts that are relatable to your content or content your followers might like. Like posts, follow accounts, and leave thoughtful, intentional comments. Instagram will see right through accounts that comment “cool!” on a bunch of posts before publishing.

Instagram Story hacks

Stories have given influencers an entirely new way to show off their personalities and give their followers a more in-depth look into their lives. Because Stories can be so popular, it makes sense to grab a few ideas from the influencer’s Story playbook.

Tip 1: Zoom in with one finger

Have you ever struggled to zoom in on your subject while shooting a video via the Instagram Stories Camera? Struggle no more with this time-saving zoom hack:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Open the Stories Camera located at the top-left of the screen.
3. Press and hold the shutter button at the bottom-center of the screen to start recording a video.
4. Slide your finger up the screen to zoom in and slide it down to zoom out.

And that’s it! Thanks to this hack, you can say goodbye to the awkward two-finger pinch method.

Tip 2: Access the entire color wheel

A true Instagram pro isn’t limited by the default color palette provided in the Story editor tool. Follow the steps below to hack into the entire color wheel:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Open the Stories Camera located at the top-left of the screen.
3. Either shoot with the Stories Camera or upload your content from the Camera Roll.
4. Press the text or drawing button at the top-right of the screen.
5. Tap the color wheel at the top-center of the screen.
6. Press and hold on any of the color options below.
7. Slide your finger through the color gradient and let go when you find the color you wish to use.

The first row of colors will give you a vibrant, full-rainbow range of shades, the second will provide you with more muted tones, and the third will reveal a larger grayscale to choose from.

Tip 3: Hide your hashtags

Hashtags are just as important in your Stories as they are in your posts. And even though you may not see them, influencers are using them all the time — they’ve just gotten really good at hiding them.

Follow these steps below to hide your Story hashtags:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Open the Stories Camera located at the top-left of the screen.
3. Shoot with the Stories Camera or upload your content from the Camera Roll.
4. Press the text button at the top-right of the screen.
5. Write your hashtag.
6. Move and adjust the size of the text to fit a part of your photo with a solid color.
7. Highlight the text.
8. Press the dropper icon at the bottom-left of the screen.
9. Move the dropper to match the color of the photo.

And voila! The hashtag will blend into the color and be invisible to your viewers while still expanding your reach.

Tip 4: Post multiple photos in a Story

Ever wished you could share multiple photos in a single Story? This hack will allow you to do so without having to use a third-party layout app. Here’s how:

1. Open your Camera Roll.
2. Select one of the photos you wish you use.
3. Press the share button at the bottom-left of the screen.
4. Select Copy Photo.
5. Open the Instagram app.
6. Open the Stories Camera located at the top-left of the screen.
7. Select Create from the list on the right of the screen.
8. Tap the text box.
9. Hold and press Paste.

You can use this hack to display as many of your photos as you’d like or to create an artsy collage effect. The result is up to you.

Tip 5: Use any background color you want

Just as you aren’t limited to a standard color wheel in your Story texts and drawings, you’re actually able to use whatever background color you’d like.

Here’s how to change your Story background color:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Open the Stories Camera located at the top-left of the screen.
3. Either shoot something random with the Stories Camera or upload a photo from the Camera Roll. Just make sure the image includes the background color you want to use.
4. Press the drawing icon at the top-right of the screen.
5. Press the dropper tool at the bottom-left of the screen.
6. Hold it over the color you wish to use.
7. Quickly tap your finger on the color once and hold it.

Following those steps will change the entire background of your Story to the color of your choice.

Instagram post and bio tips

Posting consistent, professional, and aesthetically pleasing content is the golden rule of Instagram. However, there are some extra strategies you can use to beef up your posts and your profile to attract more followers.

Tip 1: Manage your Instagram filters

Got a few filters you love (or a few you could live without)? This tip will show you how to manage your Instagram filters so that the ones you use most often are front and center:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Press the + button at the bottom-center of the screen to create a new post.
3. Upload your post.
4. Press Next.
5. Scroll right through the filters until you reach the end.
6. Press Manage.

From there, you can drag and move the filters into whatever order you like. You can also press the checkmark on the right to remove or add filters from your list.

Tip 2: Hide your post hashtags

Most Instagram users know to save their hashtags (or the additional hashtags they wish to use) for the comment section of their post. But did you know that you can actually hide them from your viewers altogether?

Here’s how:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Navigate to your profile by pressing the icon of your profile picture at the bottom-right of the screen.
3. Select the photo you wish to add hashtags to.
4. Press the comment button.
5. Add five periods and press the return key after each one to create a line break.
6. Press return one more time and add all of your desired hashtags there.
7. Press Post.

Doing this will place your hashtags within the overflow area that Instagram uses to hide extra characters in comments and captions. A viewer can still press the […] symbol to see all of the hashtags, but at least it removes them from appearing directly under your post.

Tip 3: Use the pinned comments feature to extend your caption

Instagram limits captions to 2,200 characters — and sometimes that isn’t enough.

Many influencers use the comments section to extend their captions. The problem is that the additional text may get lost in a sea of other comments. Keep this text front and center by pinning your comment to ensure that it appears above all the others. Here’s how:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Navigate to your profile by pressing the icon of your profile picture at the bottom-right of the screen.
3. Select the photo you wish to pin a comment to.
4. Slide right on the comment.
5. Press the pin button.

You can pin up to three comments on your photo. Instagram allows 300 characters per comment, so that’s an extra 900 characters for you to use.

Tip 4: Don’t litter your photo with photo tags

You already know how important it is to tag relevant accounts in your photos. But to prevent them from looking less messy, do as the influencers do and keep all of your tags in a single corner of your image. This gives a cleaner, more professional look for your followers to see.

Tip 5: Add line breaks to your caption

Line breaks rank high among the underutilized features that separate the amateurs from the pros. Lately Instagram seems to have allowed line breaks in post captions without any additional efforts. But if you’re still unable to add them, follow these steps:

1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
2. Type your caption with the line breaks you desire.
3. Select your caption (line breaks included).
4. Open the Instagram app.
5. Press the + button at the bottom-center of the screen to create a new post.
6. Upload your post.
7. Press Next.
8. Choose a filter if you wish.
9. Press Next.
10. Tap the caption box and select Paste.
11. Press OK.
12. Fill out any other post details and press Share.

While influencers with 500K followers and brand deals might seem to have the whole social media thing figured out, the truth is that it’s anyone’s game. As long as you’re consistent, active, and authentic in the way you grow your audience, your chances of “making it” are just as good as anyone else’s. Try the Instagram tips above, be creative about your content, and followers will follow.

The post 15 Instagram tips, tricks, and hacks only influencers know appeared first on Backlight.

Instagram Archive is an ingenious little tool, not just for the indecisive among us, but also for when it comes to sharing memories, highlighting Stories, and increasing engagement on your posts. Here’s how to use Archive to your advantage on Instagram.

What is Instagram Archive, and how does it work?

So, what exactly is Instagram Archive? This nifty feature was rolled out in 2017 and enables users to remove photos and videos from their profile without deleting them entirely. With Instagram Archive, you can still see your archived photos, but the rest of the world won’t know they exist.

Instagram Archive stores both Posts and Stories, and while you have to archive posts manually, you can easily adjust your settings so that your Stories are automatically added to Instagram Archive after 24 hours.

How to archive posts on Instagram

1. Open Instagram and navigate to your profile.
2. Tap the photo you want to archive.
3. Select the three dots in the upper-right corner of your post.
4. Choose Archive.
5. Your photo will disappear from your profile.

Where to find your archived photos on Instagram

1. Open Instagram and head to your profile.
2. Tap the menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap Archive. All of your archived posts will show up here.
4. Tap on the drop-down arrow at the top of the screen to choose between archived posts or Stories.

How to automatically save Stories to Instagram Story Archive

You can enable automatic archiving of your Stories within your settings on Instagram. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Instagram menu on your Instagram profile.
2. Tap Settings > Privacy > Story.
3. Scroll down to Saving and toggle on the Save to Archive function. All of your Stories will now be saved in Instagram Archives.

How to put archived posts back on Instagram

Change your mind about a post you’ve archived? Here’s how to add it back to your profile:

1. Open Instagram and navigate to your profile.
2. Tap the menu in the upper-right corner.
3. Tap Archive.
4. Choose the photo that you want to return to Instagram.
5. Tap the three dots in the corner of the post.
6. Tap Show on Profile. The post will be returned to the original location in your Instagram feed.

5 ways to use Instagram Archive to engage your audience

Now that you know the basics of Instagram Archive, here’s how to use it creatively to engage your audience.

1. Highlight your best Stories

The Highlight feature on Instagram is a fabulous way to show off your best Stories right on your profile. Because all of your Stories are automatically archived, it’s easy to create and change your Story Highlights with a few taps. Here’s how to add archived Stories to your Highlights:

1. Open Instagram and navigate to the menu from your profile.
2. Tap Archive and choose Stories from the drop-down menu at the top of the screen.
3. Scroll through your archived Stories until you find one that you want to add to Highlights.
4. Tap on the Story and choose Highlight.
5. Choose the Highlight that you want to add it to, or tap + to create a new Highlight.

2. Post your memories to Stories

Did you know that Instagram keeps track of your post dates so that you can add them as Stories to increase engagement? Your Memories are located in your Instagram Archives under Stories. Depending on how long you’ve been posting to Instagram, you may see one or more Memories. Next to your post, it will say “On This Day – [x] years ago today,” followed by a Share button. To share your post to your Stories, simply tap the button and create your Story.

3. Test different Instagram themes on your account

An Instagram theme is simply a cohesive look for your feed based on a specific style, color, or type of photo. You don’t have to create a theme for your Instagram account in order for it to be successful, but Instagram accounts with recognizable themes often see more engagement and recognition. Want to try it for yourself without harming your account? Decide on a theme and choose the posts that fit within it. Archive the rest. It’s that simple. If you don’t love your new theme, all you have to do is return your archived posts to your feed.

4. Repost photos that didn’t see great engagement

Using Instagram Archive gives us opportunities to increase engagement by using the analytics from an archived post to repost for more engagement. By using Instagram Insights, you can easily see which posts got the least amount of engagement over the past year. Now, maybe those photos were subpar to begin with, but it could also be that you posted the photo at a weird time, your caption was humdrum, or you didn’t make good use of your hashtags. You can test your theory by archiving those posts and creating new posts from the same photos using a different technique to get more engagement.

5. Reuse photos without seeming repetitive

Like most social media platforms, the lifespan of a single Instagram post can be pretty short. You may see engagement for a few days, but after that, your views, likes, and comments will probably tank, and you will have to create a new post for your followers to enjoy. If you’re running out of new photos to post, you can reuse some old photos you particularly like by archiving them and posting them again? Not only does this breathe new life into your photos, but it frees up more of your time.

Ready to kick your Instagram game up a notch? It’s time to show off your best work, encourage engagement, and attract new followers, all with Instagram Archive.

The post Instagram Archive and 5 clever ways to use it appeared first on Backlight.

Can you post GIFs on Instagram?

Although the process isn’t totally seamless, you can absolutely share your favorite GIFs on Instagram with just a few extra steps. This can be accomplished by using GIPHY, which is currently the largest collection of GIFs in the world, or by saving your GIF as a video before uploading it.

How to upload a GIF to your Instagram feed

Let’s take a look at your options for adding a GIF to Instagram. Both require an extra step or two, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze!

Post a GIF on Instagram using GIPHY

GIPHY is a treasure trove of fun GIFs, so if you don’t already have the GIPHY app installed on your iPhone, take care of that ASAP. Once you’ve got GIPHY downloaded, here are the steps you need to take to post a GIF to Instagram.

1. Open the GIPHY app on your iPhone.
2. Browse or search for the perfect GIF on GIPHY.
3. Tap the paper-airplane icon located under the GIF.
4. Tap the Instagram button. A screen will appear asking for permission to open Instagram.
5. Once you’ve given permission, your GIF will open inside Instagram. Choose Feed to post a 15-second looped GIF to your Instagram feed as a new post.
6. Tap Next to add edits and/or filters to your Instagram post.
7. Tap Next again to add your caption and hashtags.
8. When you’ve finished creating your GIF post, tap Share.

Upload your own GIF as a video

Technically, Instagram doesn’t support GIF files, but you can turn your GIF into a video to easily share it on Instagram. Once you download your GIF onto your phone, you will need a GIF-to-video converter app like GIF Cracker. Then simply follow these instructions:

1. Open GIF Cracker on your iPhone and allow access to your photos.
2. GIF Cracker will automatically show you all of the GIFs that are stored in your photo library. Choose the one you want to share.
3. A screen will appear with video options, including playback speed, loop count, and number of frames. Adjust these to fit your needs.
4. When you are happy with the results, tap Start Conversion.
5. Tap Save.
6. You will now be able to share your GIF as a video on Instagram.

How to add a GIF to your Instagram Story

We’ve covered how to add GIFs to Instagram posts, but what if you want to add a GIF to your Instagram Story? It’s easy to do, and there are several ways to make it happen.

Post a GIF to Instagram directly from GIPHY

You can post to your Instagram Stories directly from GIPHY in much the same way you create Instagram posts. Here’s how:

1. Open the GIPHY app on your iPhone.
2. Find an awesome GIF to share to your Instagram Stories.
3. Tap on the paper airplane icon located under the GIF.
4. Tap the Instagram button and give GIPHY permission to access your Instagram. Once you have given permission, your GIF will open inside Instagram.
5. Choose Story to post a 15-second looped GIF to your Instagram Story.
6. Your GIF will appear in your Stories, where you can add additional features like text, drawings, and stickers.
7. Tap Your Stories to save your GIF to your Stories.

Make a GIF and put it on your Story with Boomerang

Another option is to use Instagram’s Boomerang feature to create a GIF-like animation to share to your Stories. Here’s how:

1. Open the Stories feature in Instagram by tapping on the camera icon in the upper right.
2. Tap the Boomerang icon on the left side of the screen — it looks like a horizontal figure eight.
3. Position your camera to begin filming your Boomerang. This works best with a bit of action, so try to capture something happening (water splashing, bees buzzing, or your dog jumping).
4. Tap the Boomerang shutter button to capture your footage.
5. Your Boomerang GIF will consist of 10 photos stitched together, sped up, and looped back and forth.
6. Tap Your Stories to share.

Add a GIF to your Instagram Story using a sticker

You can also add a little bling to your photo and video Stories by adding a GIF sticker, which provides all kinds of animated GIF stickers from GIPHY. This is probably the easiest and most addictive way to add GIFs to your Instagram Stories:

1. Open your Instagram Stories and add a photo or video.
2. Tap the sticker icon, followed by the search bar.
3. A screen will pop up with GIFs that are trending on GIPHY.
4. Choose a GIF from the options provided or search for a GIF in the search bar.
5. Tap the GIF you want to use, and it will appear on top of your photo or video.
6. Pinch your fingers to make your GIF larger or smaller.
7. Tap Your Stories to share to your Instagram Stories.

How to send a GIF on Instagram DM

You’re almost an expert at posting GIFs on Instagram. The last thing we’re going to cover is how to share a GIF as a DM on Instagram because, let’s face it, some GIFs are only meant for your favorite people. Share your favorite GIFs with just a few taps of the screen:

1. Open Instagram and tap the message icon in the top-right corner.
2. Choose the account you want to send a DM to.
3. Type your message and then tap the + icon.
4. Tap the sticker icon.
5. The GIFs trending on GIPHY will appear on the screen. If you don’t see something you like, search for your GIF in the search bar.
6. Tap the GIF you want to share with your friend.

GIFs are a fun way to relate and connect with people, and we’re grateful that they’re so easy to share on Instagram. Now that you know how to do it, your only problem will be finding the perfect GIF to post or send.

The post How to post and send a GIF on Instagram from your iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Instagram Stories are one of the app’s most-used tools. Not only do they make sharing the behind-the-scenes details of your life easy and fun, but businesses and creators have found unique ways to use Stories to showcase their work. Since the Stories feature has a built-in camera, many users simply shoot their content directly before posting. The only caveat is that you need to take extra steps to ensure that your Stories are saved to your iPhone before they disappear after the 24-hour mark. 

In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know about how to save your Instagram Stories to your phone. 

Save your own Story on Instagram

If you choose to use the built-in Instagram camera — instead of uploading photos from your Camera Roll — you’ll want to know how to save your Instagram Stories before you start posting. You have two options: download the Stories to your Camera Roll, or save them to your Instagram Archive.

In addition to letting you view your Stories beyond the 24-hour limit, the Archive also allows you to do the following: 

• Share your old Stories and posts as memories on your current Story 
• Create Highlights on your profile 
• Share old Stories as Instagram posts

How to save your Instagram Stories to the Archive

If you never want to lose your Instagram Stories again, the Archive is your new best friend. Basically, this is the home of all of your Stories within the Instagram app once they’ve been live for 24 hours and disappear from the Stories feature on your profile and homepage. Think of it as your personal library of Stories. 

Only you have access to your Archive. None of your followers can see it — unless they have the login information for your account. 

By now, you’re probably wondering where the Instagram Archive is located. First, we’ll show you how to find the Archive within the app: 

1. Open your Instagram app. 
2. Press the icon of your profile picture at the bottom-right of the screen. 
3. Press the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the screen.
4. Select Archive. 
5. Press the downward arrow next to the word Archive at the top-center of the screen.
6. Select Stories. 

Now that you know where to find your Archive, let’s go over how to save your Instagram Stories to the Archive:

1. Open the Instagram app. 
2. Press the icon of your profile picture at the bottom-right of the screen. 
3. Press the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the screen.
4. Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Story.
5. Scroll down to the Saving section. 
6. Toggle on the Save to Archive option. 

Following these steps will ensure that all of your posted Instagram Stories will be automatically saved to your Stories Archive after the 24-hour mark has passed. You can access them there at any time. 

How to download saved Stories from the Archive

Having your Instagram Stories saved to your Archive is great, but how do you download them directly to your Camera Roll? Luckily, once your photos and videos are saved in the Archive, saving them to your iPhone is just as easy. 

Here’s how to save your Stories from your Archive onto your iPhone Camera Roll: 

1. Open your Instagram app. 
2. Press the icon of your profile picture at the bottom-right of the screen. 
3. Press the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the screen.
4. Select Archive. 
5. Press the downward arrow next to the word Archive at the top-center of the screen.
6. Select Stories. 
7. Navigate to the photo or video you want to save. 
8. Press the More button at the bottom-right of the screen. 
9. Select Save…

Following those simple instructions will save your Stories from your Archive directly to your Camera Roll. 

How to download a current Instagram Story 

Downloading a current Instagram Story — as in, one that is still visible at the top-left of your home screen and on your profile — is just as easy as downloading Stories from the past. Here’s how to do it: 

1. Open your Instagram app. 
2. Press the icon of your profile at the top-left of the homepage screen to access your current Stories. 
3. Press the More button at the bottom-right of the screen. 
4. Select Save…
5. Select Save Story. 

Doing this will save your entire Instagram Story as a photo or video to your Camera Roll. 

How to automatically download your Stories on Instagram

If the idea of having to manually save your Instagram Story every time you post one sounds tedious, we have good news: You can set your Instagram Stories to be automatically saved to your Camera Roll. 

Here’s how to automatically download your Instagram Stories: 

1. Open the Instagram app. 
2. Press the icon of your profile picture at the bottom-right of the screen. 
3. Press the three horizontal lines at the top-right of the screen.
4. Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Story.
5. Scroll down to the Saving section. 
6. Toggle on the Save to Camera Roll option.

Download someone else’s Story on Instagram

Now that you’ve learned all the tips and tricks for saving your own Instagram Story, you’re probably wondering if it’s possible to save someone else’s Instagram Story. Unfortunately, there are no in-app ways to download another user’s Stories. There are, however, a few workarounds that people use that make it possible to save almost any Instagram Story. 

Is it OK to save Stories posted by other people?

First of all, you’ll only be able to save someone’s Stories through the following workarounds if the person’s account is public or if you’re one of their approved followers. These tools won’t work on private accounts whose content you cannot see. 

That said, just because you can save someone’s Instagram Story doesn’t mean you should. Instagram’s Terms of Use state that you should only “post authentic content,” and should not “post anything you’ve copied or collected from the Internet that you don’t have the right to post,” as it could violate intellectual property rights. 

So while you may see no harm in saving a video of you and your friends that was posted on someone else’s Stories, keep in mind that reposting content without the owner’s permission is illegal. Be safe, and be sure to get written consent before you press Publish. 

How to download a Story on Instagram using StorySaver.net

Now that we’ve addressed the legality of saving someone else’s Instagram Stories, let’s go over the tools needed to do so. There are tons of third-party services that will help you save a Story, but for the purposes of this guide, we’ll show you how to use the free tool StorySaver.net. 

In order to use this feature, you’ll have to have access to a desktop computer. Here’s how to save Instagram Stories using StorySaver.net: 

1. Open your desktop browser. 
2. Go to Instagram. 
3. Log in to your account. 
4. Navigate to the Story you wish to download (at the top of the page). 
5. Select and copy the URL at the top of your browser. 
6. Go to StorySaver. 
7. Paste the copied URL in the download bar. 
8. Press Download. 
9. Navigate to the photo or video you wish to download. 
10. Press Save. 

After you follow those instructions, the photo or video you selected will be downloaded directly to your desktop. You can save or download as many Stories as you want. 

How to save someone’s Instagram Story as a screenshot or screencast

If you’d rather download someone’s Stories directly to your Camera Roll, the simplest way to do that is by taking a screenshot or a screencast of the Story. 

Here’s how to download Instagram Stories by taking a screenshot: 

1. Open the Instagram app. 
2. Navigate to the Story you wish to download by swiping through the Stories on your home screen or going to the person’s profile page. 
3. Simultaneously press your iPhone’s volume up button and side button. 

Following these instructions will result in a screenshot of the Story, which will automatically be saved to your Camera Roll. It’s also worth noting that Instagram does not notify the user if you take a screenshot of their post. 

But what if the Story you want to save is a video? In that case, you can take a screencast. First, you need to make sure your screencast control is easily accessible. Here’s how to add it to your Control Center: 

1. Go to your Settings app. 
2. Navigate to Control Center > Customize Controls.
3. Scroll until you find Screen Recording. 
4. Press the green plus sign to add it. 

Now that it’s in your Control Center, here’s how to use this built-in tool to save another user’s Instagram Story: 

1. Open your Instagram app. 
2. Navigate to the Story you wish to download by swiping through the Stories on your home screen or going to the person’s profile page. 
3. Open your Control Center by swiping down from the upper-right corner of the screen if you have an iPhone X or later, or by swiping up from the bottom edge of any screen if you have an iPhone SE (2nd generation) or iPhone 8 or earlier. 
4. Let the video play. 
5. Press the red box located over the clock at the top-left of your screen. 
6. Select Stop to stop the screencast. 

Following these instructions will result in a recording of the user’s Story, saved directly to your Camera Roll. 

Instagram Stories are an amazing tool, whether you’re on the app to grow your business or just have fun. If you love posting to your Stories, we hope this guide made it easier to save those memories. 

The post How to save an Instagram Story and download it to your iPhone appeared first on Backlight.

Stories enable us to do more and express ourselves in ways that just aren’t possible in a single post. That’s why so many artists and creators have gravitated toward these temporary highlight reels for their followers. The possible applications for Stories are continuously growing and expanding, especially with the ever-increasing access to Story templates.

Instagram Story templates are essentially fill-in-the-blank graphics that allow you to transform your ordinary Story into something more creative. In this article, we’ll cover all our favorite IG Story templates and how best to use them.

The best Instagram templates for your Story

Believe it or not, there are literally hundreds of thousands of Instagram Story templates out there for you to choose from. To save you the many hours it would take to weed through them all, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites for creatives, artists, and photographers to use:

1. GRDS by Featured
2. VTNG by Featured
3. WIP by Featured
4. Clasico Series 1 by Unfold
5. Journal 2 by Unfold
6. Keep dazzlin’ by Canva
7. Your Story by Canva
8. Coat of the Day by Canva
9. Cheers to Nature by Over
10. London by Over
11. Scrapbook by Over
12. Monochrome by Over

1. GRDS: Grid-style Instagram Stories templates by Featured

GRDS is the classic style of Instagram Story templates, only better. With 16 different magazine and blog-style layouts, this package from Featured is a must-have for all photographers and bloggers looking to share multiple photos in a single Story. There are various layouts to choose from, with the option to share up to five photos as well as change the background of the Story and the color and size of the photo border.

The Featured app is free to download, but GRDS is available for purchase for $1.99.

Featured on the App Store

2. VTNG: Vintage-inspired IG Story templates by Featured

Inspired by beautiful retro stationery and old-school polaroid prints, this template package is perfect for those who love a bit of vintage flair. Available for purchase for $1.99, VTNG comes with 16 different templates that can display up to three photos in addition to the jagged and burned paper effects and other antique overlays. You can change the color of some of the templates, add text, and use one of your photos as your Story’s background as well.

3. WIP: Unique templates for Instagram Stories by Featured

Perhaps one of the most original template packages available, WIP takes an element that is already quite familiar to anyone who uses technology to express their creativity — the internet and operating systems — and turns it into cool, artistic templates. There are 16 different IG Story templates to choose from, and you can replicate anything from opening a photo on your desktop to that classic grey-and-white checkerboard background in Photoshop. The possibilities for edgy Stories and one-of-a-kind grid mashups are endless.

The WIP package is available for purchase for $1.99.

4. Clasico Series 1: Free Instagram Story template by Unfold

Not every good template package requires a purchase. The Clasico Series 1 from Unfold is free when you download the app and features 27 different layout templates to choose from. You can display up to five photos in multiple formats, as well as write short titles and descriptions for Stories that require a little more context. This package is great for those who want to really tell a story with their Stories.

Unfold on the App Store

5. Journal 2: Artistic IG Story templates by Unfold

Described as the ideal template package for “nostalgic storytellers,” Journal 2 (also referred to as JN2) comes with 15 layouts that mimic Polaroid photos, grainy scrapbook paper, and vintage photo albums. You can include up to three photos with some of the IG Story templates included, and you can add a description to tell a short story or document your date and location.

The Unfold app is free to download, but the JN2 template package costs $1.99. However, this package and 100 others are included when you sign up for Unfold+, which costs $2.99 a month or $19.99 a year.

6. Keep dazzlin’: A colorful Instagram Story template by Canva

Are you looking for something a little more celebratory? The Keep dazzlin’ template package from Canva is perfect for highlighting and showing off your favorite moments from your last big night out. Free after you download the app, this package comes with six different layouts that allow you to display up to two photos in its colorful pink and yellow palette. As with all free Instagram Story templates in Canva, you can change the images, change the color of the background and graphics, and add text.

Canva on the App Store

7. Your Story: A simple overlay Story template by Canva

There’s nothing more classic or aesthetically pleasing than a good overlay. And that’s precisely what Your Story from Canva provides. This free Instagram Story template comes with eight different minimalist layouts to choose from that can display up to three photos. While the sage green and white palette is beautiful, you have options to change the background color, add text, or add graphics to customize it any way you’d like.

8. Coat of the Day: A funky collage IG Story template by Canva

This template package is anything but simple — with fun patterns, quirky graphics, and bold colors, Coat of the Day is more like the funky scrapbook pages you always wished your mother had. You can only display up to two photos in this five-template package, but the ones that make the cut will stand out on your Instagram Stories like no other.

Like most templates on Canva, this one is free and totally customizable.

9. Cheers to Nature: A blogging Instagram Story template by Over

If travel photography is your thing, you’ll love this single template from Over. The ripped paper effect will make your image look like it was torn straight out of your travel journal. While you can change the text and add graphics and shapes, the best part about this template is that it’s compatible with video.

While Over is free to download, most of the templates are only available with a subscription to Over Pro, which features over 170 fonts, 20,000 graphics, and a variety of professionally designed templates.

Over on the App Store

With so many different template apps and packages available, it’s easy to add a bit of variety to your Stories. We encourage you to explore and see what kind of creativity is possible with these and many more Instagram Story templates.

The post 9 Instagram Story templates to show off your photos appeared first on Backlight.

While the possibilities are greater than ever with today’s Instagram, there are still restrictions on photo sizes. And if you’re not sure about the crop ratio or how to keep Instagram from posting lower-quality images, no worries. We’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we’ll go over all of the current Instagram image sizes to be aware of — and how to ensure that your content is being posted in the best format possible.

The Instagram Story size and aspect ratio

Unless you’re capturing and posting content directly with the in-app camera, it’s helpful to understand the different size requirements for Instagram. One good thing to note is that they are not identical across the board; there are different requirements for different posting formats, and the first one we’ll go over is Stories.

To upload a photo from your Camera Roll, it must be 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels. If you’re unfamiliar with these dimensions, that means your content will have to be 1080 pixels in width by 1920 pixels in height, which gives it an aspect ratio of 9:16 (“aspect ratio” is a term that refers to the ratio of a photo’s width to its height). These restrictions also mean that the maximum size in terms of megabytes (or MB) is 30MB.

You can upload a photo that does not fall within these dimensions, but Instagram will crop it to fit, as displayed in the example below.

How to resize a photo for Instagram Stories on iPhone

However, if your photo doesn’t meet the Instagram Story requirements, you can easily resize it to fit. And you don’t even have to download any additional third-party apps to do so.

Here’s how to resize a photo for Instagram Stories through your Photos app on your iPhone:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Navigate to the photo you want to resize.
3. Press the Edit button at the top-right of the screen.
4. Press the crop tool at the bottom-right of the screen.
5. Press the sizing options button at the top-right of the screen.
6. Slide through the options until you see 9:16.
7. Select the 9:16 size.
8. Adjust the photo to fit the size box however you like.
9. Press Done.

After you complete those steps, your newly resized photo will be ready to be uploaded via Stories.

The optimal Instagram post sizes

When it comes to your Instagram feed, there’s a little more wiggle room in terms of photo dimensions. But not all sizes are created equal. There are some restrictions and varying optimal sizes for each photo format to help you publish the highest-quality post allowed.

Instagram square photo size

Sometimes, you want to keep it classic. And if that’s the case, then the square photo format is the way to go.

For this format, the recommended photo size is 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels, an aspect ratio of 1:1. Instagram will compress your file, so the photo that gets published on your feed will be closer to 600 pixels by 600 pixels.

Instagram portrait size and aspect ratio

Want to show off your full-length vertical pic? You can, so long as you adhere to the following requirements.

For vertical (also known as portrait) photos, Instagram recommends a size of 1080 pixels by 1350 pixels. That way, it will be displayed at 480 pixels by 600 pixels when compressed. The aspect ratio for that size is 4:5.

If you try to upload anything larger than that size — like an iPhone photo in its original 3:4 aspect ratio — Instagram will crop your content back down to 4:5.

Instagram horizontal image size and aspect ratio

Horizontal (aka wide-length) photos are where things can get a bit complicated. Instagram recommends an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 or 1200 pixels by 627 pixels. However, you can actually post a horizontal photo as large as 16:9, or 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels.

As long as you make the height of your photo 1080 pixels, the quality of your image should be retained.

How to post a full-size photo on Instagram

By default, Instagram still crops your photo to a square aspect ratio. But a quick step in your posting process can revert your photo back to its full length. Here’s how to post a full-size vertical or horizontal photo:

1. Open your Instagram app.
2. Press the + button at the bottom-center of the screen.
3. Navigate and select the photo you wish to post.
4. Press the extension button at the bottom-left of the photo.
5. Press Next.
6. Add a filter if you’d like.
7. Press Next.
8. Fill in your caption and any other details.
9. Press Share.

Remember: If you don’t follow the previously mentioned steps, Instagram will automatically post your photo in the square format. So if you don’t want to publish a cropped photo, resize it to the allowed optimal size (see above) and follow the steps, as indicated.

How do you post photos of different sizes in a carousel post?

Another example of a time when things can get tricky is when you attempt to create a post using multiple images (also known as a carousel or an album post) featuring photos of different sizes. Instagram requires album posts to all be the same aspect ratio. So if you want to post different images in different sizes, you can do that by adding frames to them with the help of a third-party app. In this case, we’ll be using the free app No Crop For Instagram Story.

Here’s how to post photos of different sizes in a carousel post:

1. Go through your Camera Roll and save the photos you want to use in your album to your Favorites folder so they’re easy to find.
2. Open No Crop For Instagram Story.
3. Select the first photo you wish to use in your post.
4. Select Color.
5. Choose your color (white is a popular option, but you can use any color you’d like).
6. Press Save.
7. Repeat the process with the rest of the photos with your carousel.
8. Upload them to Instagram.

How to resize an image for an Instagram post

If you need to resize your photo for an Instagram post, all you have to do is follow some instructions similar to those used for resizing for your Instagram Stories.

Here’s how to resize a photo for Instagram using the iPhone’s Photos app:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Navigate to the photo you want to resize.
3. Press the Edit button at the top-right of the screen.
4. Press the crop tool at the bottom-right of the screen.
5. Press the sizing options button at the top-right of the screen.
6. Slide through the options until you see aspect ratio size that matches with the Instagram photo format you’d like to use (Square or 8:10).
7. Select the size.
8. Adjust the photo to fit the size box however you want.
9. Press Done.

Does Instagram lower photo quality?

Instagram is believed to be the culprit of many users’ photo quality issues. While it is true that the social media app compresses photos upon publishing, they do upload them at the highest-quality resolution possible, up to a width of 1080 pixels.

However, if you’re uploading an image with an aspect ratio that isn’t supported, Instagram will crop it to fit a supported ratio. If you’re uploading a photo with a lower resolution, Instagram will enlarge it to a width of 320 pixels, and if you’re uploading a photo with a higher resolution, it will be sized down to a width of 1080 pixels.

So long as you’re uploading within Instagram’s photo restrictions, your photos will not be low-quality.

The Instagram profile photo size

Finally, the last category of image restrictions you should be familiar with has to do with your profile photo. Displayed on your profile page, on your Story, and next to your posts, your profile photo must be a minimum of 110 pixels by 110 pixels. The maximum resolution allowed is 180 pixels x 180 pixels.

While uploading photos to Instagram is as simple as clicking a button — literally — it’s essential to make sure that the images you’re uploading fall within the platform’s size guidelines, so you’re only showing off the highest-quality content possible.

The post The ultimate Instagram photo size guide: Stories, posts, and more appeared first on Backlight.

In this guide, we’ll go over exactly how to add music to your Instagram Story, and we’ll share how to troubleshoot issues that may be preventing you from doing so.

How to put music on an Instagram Story with a sticker

Multiple formats for adding music to Stories have been released since the launch of Instagram’s music feature. However, the most common (and quite frankly, the simplest) way to add music to your photos or videos is to use the Stories sticker.

How to add a music sticker to an Instagram Story

The process of adding a music sticker to your Instagram Story is straightforward:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Press your Story icon (which looks like your profile picture) at the top-left of your screen.
3. Upload your Story by swiping up to access your Camera Roll or shoot it with the Story camera.
4. Press the sticker button at the top of the screen or swipe up.
5. Tap the Music button.
6. Either type the song you want to use into the search bar or browse via your mood, genre preference, or what’s popular today.
7. Press the song to add it to your Story.
8. Then, press Done at the top-right corner of the page.
9. Move your sticker to the placement you want on your Stories.
10. Press the “Your Story” button at the bottom-left of the screen.

When selecting a song for your Story, you have the option to listen to a preview before adding it. All you have to do is press the play button to the right of the song.

How to edit the music sticker in your Story

When adding a music sticker to your Story, you’ll probably notice that there are a few options to edit the song you chose. In addition to rewinding and fast-forwarding through the song to select the precise clip you want to use, you can also choose:

• The length of the clip (up to 15 seconds)
• The color of the music sticker
• The size and type of sticker
• Whether you want the lyrics displayed instead of the sticker
• The color and font of the lyrics

Here’s how to edit your music sticker:

1. Follow the instructions in the previous section to add the music sticker to your Story.
2. Tap the music sticker itself to change the icon or switch to lyric mode. You can also do this by swiping left on the icons above the music player.
3. Press the color wheel at the top-center of the screen to change the color of the music sticker or the lyrics.
4. Press Done.
5. Press the Your Story button at the bottom-left of the screen to post it.

If you want to have music on your Instagram Story but don’t want a sticker to be visible, you can drag the sticker off the screen. It will disappear from the Story preview display, but after it publishes, you’ll still hear the music and see the song title and artist at the top of the screen.

How to add music lyrics to your Story

If you’re struggling to figure out how to add a song’s lyrics to your Stories, don’t worry. Below are instructions for how to find and use that editing feature:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Press your Story icon at the top-left of your screen.
3. Upload your Story by swiping up to access your Camera Roll or shoot it with the Story camera.
4. Press the sticker button at the top of the screen or swipe up.
5. Press the Music button.
6. Find the song you’d like to use.
7. Press the song to add it to your Story.
8. Press the letter button directly above the music player and swipe left to see more font options.
9. Select the font you wish to use.
10. Press Done.
11. Press the Your Story button at the bottom-left of the screen.

Why can’t I add music to my Instagram Story?

Trying to add music to your Instagram Story but having trouble? There could be a few reasons why you’re experiencing that glitch:

• Your app isn’t up to date. If you can’t find the music sticker in your Stories, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Instagram app first. Sometimes a quick update is all that’s needed to bring your music-adding capabilities back.
• The music feature is not available in your country. If you reinstall the app and there’s still no sticker, it could be because your country isn’t on the list of those that can access music for Stories. Right now, the feature is available in only 60 countries, including the United States, New Zealand, France, Australia, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Japan, and Portugal.

Unfortunately, unless you live in one of the aforementioned countries, you’ll have to wait until Instagram makes music a global feature.

How to add music to Instagram without stickers

If you don’t want to use the music stickers, you’re in luck; there are a couple of other ways to add your favorite songs to your Instagram Stories.

How to put a song from Apple Music on your Instagram Story

Love using Apple Music to rock out? Well, there’s a simple way to share the song you’re jamming out to with your followers via Instagram Stories.

Here’s how: 

1. Open Apple Music. 
2. Navigate to the song you wish to share. 
3. Press the three horizontal dots at the center-right of the screen. 
4. Select Share. 
5. Swipe on the apps until you find Instagram (if you don’t see it, press More). 
6. Allow Instagram to open automatically.
7. Press the Your Story button at the bottom-left of the screen.

It’s important to note that the song won’t play directly on your Stories, but if a user taps on that Story, it will take them to Apple Music, where they can play it.

How to share a Spotify song on your Instagram Story

If you’re more of a Spotify user, you’ll be happy to learn that sharing a song from that platform is just as straightforward. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Spotify app. 
2. Navigate to the song you wish to share. 
3. Press the three horizontal dots at the top-right of the screen. 
4. Scroll down and select Share. 
5. Select Instagram Stories. 
6. Press the “Your Story” button at the bottom-left of the screen.

Following these instructions will share your song choice to your Stories. Once again, it’s important to note that the song won’t play directly on your Stories, but if a user taps on that Story, it will redirect them to the song on Spotify.

How to play music from SoundCloud on your Story

Just like Apple Music and Spotify, the instructions for sharing SoundCloud songs on your Stories are easy to follow. And, like music shared from those platforms, songs from SoundCloud will not play on your Stories. Instead, followers who tap on the Story will be redirected to the song in SoundCloud.

Here’s how to share a song on your Stories through SoundCloud:

1. Open the SoundCloud App. 
2. Navigate to the song you wish to share. 
3. Press the three horizontal dots at the bottom-right of the screen. 
4. Select Share to Instagram Stories.
5. Press the Your Story button at the bottom-left of the screen.

Adding music to an Instagram Story is a great way to elevate your content and make it unique. Whether you’re sharing your current favorite song or adding some background music to a video, we hope this guide helps you take your Stories to the next level.

The post How to add music to an Instagram Story, with and without stickers appeared first on Backlight.

But the one thing that seems to still elude Instagram users is URLs. 

Adding links to your Instagram used to be impossible, and even now, it requires a little maneuvering (or a lot of followers). But by the time you finish this guide, you’ll know everything you need to know about adding links to your Instagram. 

How to add a link to Instagram Story

For years, the only place to share a link on Instagram was in your bio, which led to the ever-common caption-ending phrase “link in bio.” 

Thankfully, Instagram has caught on to the need for easy URL placement and, in 2017, made it possible for some (though not all) accounts to add links to their Stories. If you have access to this feature, here’s how you use it:

1. Open your Instagram app. 
2. Press the Story Camera at the top-left corner of the screen. 
3. Upload a photo or video or take one using the Story Camera. 
4. Press the chain link icon at the top of the screen. 
5. Enter the link. 
6. Press Done. 
7. Share your Story. 

Once your Story is posted, people will be able to visit the link by swiping up on your Story.  

Who can put a link on their Instagram Story?

As stated before, not everyone has access to the URL feature in their Instagram Stories. You earn the right to Story Links by meeting the following requirements: 

• You have over 10,000 followers. 
• Your account is verified. 

There’s no real method for getting a verified account (other than requesting the coveted Verified Badge), so the only real way to earn this feature is by growing your followers — or by using what seems to be the only workaround. 

How to get the swipe-up feature on Instagram without 10k followers

Fortunately, there is one trick that allows you to get the coveted “swipe-up” feature without accumulating 10,000 followers. Unfortunately, you have to pay for it. 

When you create a paid Story Ad, it comes with an option to add a link no matter what your follower count is. 

Here’s how to create an Instagram Story ad: 

1. Open Instagram and post the content you want to promote to your Story.
2. Press your profile picture to access that Story. 
3. Tap the three horizontal dots at the bottom-right corner of the screen. 
4. Then tap Promote.
5. Next, press Edit underneath the Your Website option. 
6. Delete the link to your website. 
7. Add the new link you want. 
8. Press Done. 
9. Fill in the rest of the details for your ad.
10. Press Create Promotion.

Story ads can cost anywhere from $1 for one day to $1,000 for 30 days. It all depends on the parameters you set for the budget and duration. 

At this time, this is the only way to get Story Links without meeting the verified account or 10,000 followers requirement. 

How to put an IGTV link on your Instagram Story

There is one other way to get a URL link on your Instagram Story, and that’s by posting an IGTV video, also known as Instagram TV. In order to share an IGTV link to your Stories, you need to have at least one video posted on IGTV. 

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Press the Instagram Camera button at the top-left of the screen. 
3. Take a photo or video in the camera or upload a photo or video. 
4. Press the link icon at the top of the screen. 
5. Press +IGTV Video. 
6. Select the video you want to link to. 
7. Press Preview. 
8. Press Done. 

Doing this will link your Story to your IGTV video, and people will be able to swipe up to access it for the 24 hours your Story is live. 

How to add a link to an Instagram post

Outside of linking to Instagram Stories and adding a website URL to your bio, posts are the only other area on the platform where you might want to add a link. Unfortunately, it’s even trickier to add a link to a post. 

Can you add a link to a post natively?

Yes and no. You can add a link to a caption on a post — but no one will be able to click it. So if someone wanted to visit the URL you added, they would have to copy and paste it into their phone’s web browser. It’s possible, but it’s a hassle. 

That is why many people utilize the link option available in your bio. After adding the desired link to their bio, they simply tell their users where to access the URL by ending their post’s caption with “link in bio.” 

Here’s how to update your Instagram bio link: 

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Press the person icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen to access your profile. 
3. Press Edit Profile. 
4. Delete your old URL. 
5. Add your new one. 
6. Press Done. 

You can update your bio link as many times and as often as you’d like. 

How to add a call to action link to an Instagram post

The only other way to add a link to an Instagram post is by paying to promote it. Once you’ve decided to promote a post, you get the option to add a call to action link, which you can use to direct your followers to any (approved) site of your choosing. 

Here’s how to promote an Instagram post: 

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Press the person icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen to access your profile. 
3. Locate and press the post you want to promote. 
4. Tap Promote. 
5. Press Edit underneath the Your Website option. 
6. Delete the link to your website. 
7. Add the new link you want. 
8. Press Done. 
9. Fill in the rest of the details for your ad.
10. Finally, tap Create Promotion.

Like Story Ads, Promoted Posts can cost anywhere from $1 for one day to $1,000 for 30 days. You get to choose what you pay in the Budget and Duration tab. 

How to add a link to an IGTV video

Since IGTV rolled out in 2018, it has become the ultimate place to post long-form videos. However, one of the little-known facts about Instagram TV is that you can actually add clickable links to the description box. 

Here’s how to add a link to an IGTV video within the Instagram app:

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Press the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen. 
3. Then press the IGTV button at the top-left corner of the screen. 
4. Tap the + sign at the top-right corner of the screen. 
5. Locate and select your video, which must be at least 1 minute long. 
6. Press Next. 
7. Choose your cover and press Next. 
8. Fill out the Title. 
9. Add your link to the Description box. 
10. Press Post. 

For users to see and click on the link, they first need to click on the title of your IGTV video to display the description. From there, they can view and click any URL you’ve posted. 

Instagram has come a long way in terms of allowing users to add URLs on the app. However, it’s still not the easiest feature to use. Until Instagram allows us to simply add a URL in our captions — or at least make the Stories swipe-up feature accessible to all — we hope these workarounds help you link your content properly. 

The post How to add a link to your Instagram Story, post, or IGTV video appeared first on Backlight.

Upon release, the only real complaint surrounding Stories was that they only lasted 24 hours before disappearing, which meant that if you forgot to save a Story to your Camera Roll, there was no getting it back. But in late 2017, Instagram solved that problem by introducing Highlights, a place for your Stories to live online forever. In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about using Highlights — and how to utilize them to showcase your best Stories.

Instagram Story Highlights and how to use them

Instagram Highlights are essentially a way for you to collect and display your Archived Stories on your profile. They appear below your bio and remain there until you choose to remove them. 

How to create a new Instagram Highlight

If you want to create a new Highlight on Instagram, the good news is that it’s not a complicated process. Below are the instructions for creating a new Instagram Highlight:

1. Open Instagram.
2. Press the profile icon on the bottom-right of the page to go to your profile. 
3. Then, press the + button underneath your Instagram bio that reads “New.”
4. Swipe through your Stories Archive and locate the photos or videos you want to add to your new Highlight. 
5. Tap Next. 
6. Type a name for your new Highlight. 
7. Press Add.

Once you follow these steps, your new Highlight will be displayed on your profile directly underneath your bio for all your followers to see. 

How to add an Instagram Highlight cover

Instagram will randomly choose a Story you selected for your new Highlight to be the cover photo displayed on your home page. If you don’t want Instagram to choose one automatically, you have the option to edit the cover photo and select it yourself. 

Here’s how to do add a Highlight cover: 

1. Open Instagram.
2. Press the profile icon on the bottom-right corner of the page to go to your profile. 
3. Press the + button underneath your Instagram bio that reads “New.”
4. Swipe through your Stories Archive and locate the photos or videos you want to add to your new Highlight. 
5. Press Next. 
6. Type a name for your new Highlight. 
7. Select “Edit Cover.”
8. Swipe through the Stories until you locate the one you want to use. 
9. Move the image around to be displayed as desired. 
10. Press Done.
11. Press Add.

How to edit your Highlights

Once a new Highlight has made its home on your homepage, you have the option to edit it as you see fit. You can add new Stories, remove Stories, and even change the cover photo whenever you like. 

Here’s how to edit an existing Highlight: 

1. Open Instagram.
2. Press the profile icon on the bottom-right corner of the page to go to your profile. 
3. Press the Highlight you want to edit. 
4. Tap the three horizontal dots on the bottom-right corner of the page. 
5. Select Edit Highlight.
6. From there, you can select “Edit Cover, unselect added Stories to remove them from the Highlight or add new Stories to the Highlight by pressing Stories and choosing which ones you’d like to add. 
7. Finally, press Done. 

How to delete an Instagram Highlight

If you want to remove a Highlight from your Instagram account, all you have to do is follow the instructions below: 

1. Open Instagram.
2. Press the profile icon on the bottom-right corner of the page to go to your profile. 
3. Pick the Highlight you want to delete. 
4. Then tap the three horizontal dots on the bottom-right corner of the page. 
5. Select Remove from Highlights.
6. Tap Remove to confirm. 

Doing this will remove the Highlight from your profile. You could also use this other quick shortcut to remove a Highlight: 

1. Open Instagram.
2. Press the profile icon on the bottom-right corner of the page to go to your profile. 
3. Next, tap and hold the Highlight you want to remove.
4. Then press Delete Highlight. 

What you can put on Instagram Highlights

When it comes to the different ways you can organize and create Instagram Story Highlights, the possibilities are endless. From sharing what you do in your spare time to your top personal development resources, we’ve collected our favorite ideas for Instagram Highlights. 

Idea 1. Show off your interests

Blogger Ashley Mahaffey (@withloveandhappiness) uses her Instagram Highlights to showcase all of her hobbies. Whether it’s her favorite recipes or her latest home decor updates, there’s a Highlight for anything and everything. 

Idea 2. Promote your work

If you’re a jack of all trades like Robert Katai (@katairobi), then a great way to advertise the various facets of your career is by creating a Highlight for each hat you wear. Robert, for example, has a Highlight for his podcast, his blog, his upcoming events, and even his ideas. 

Idea 3. Shout out your favorite products

The popular Instagram account @things.i.bought.and.liked uses her Highlights to categorize all of the different products she has reviewed. If you enjoy sharing the lowdown on your latest Amazon purchase, create a Highlight around your must-haves so your followers can check out your recommendations whenever they like. 

Instagram Story Highlights: Frequently asked questions

If you’re unfamiliar with Story Highlights, you probably have a lot of questions about how they work and how your followers can engage with them. Below, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about this popular feature. 

Can you see who looks at your Instagram Highlights?

Unlike Stories, you can’t see who views your Instagram Highlights. You can only see the number of people who viewed it when it was on your Stories. That number can be found at the bottom-left of the Story. 

When you first post a Story, you’re able to see who viewed it for the 24 hours that it’s live on your Stories. However, once it goes past the 24-hour mark, it’s archived, and you can no longer see the names of your viewers. 

How long do Instagram highlights last?

The beautiful thing about Instagram Highlights is that they will last as long as you want them to. They have no expiration date. They will live on your profile until you decide to delete them. 

How many highlights can you have on Instagram?

When it comes to adding photos and videos to your Story, keep in mind that Instagram limits Highlight content to 100 Stories. After you go over that limit, it will knock off the oldest Story on the Highlight to make room for the new one. 

Can you hide Instagram highlights from someone?

Yes — as long as you hide them from your Instagram Stories first. 

If you’ve blocked an account from seeing your Stories, they’re automatically blocked from viewing your Highlights as well. If your account is private, your Highlights, like your Stories, will only be visible to your approved followers. 

Can you change the order of your Story Highlights?

You can. Highlights are displayed on your profile in chronological order. So every time you add a new Story to one of your Highlights, that Highlight will be moved to the front of the order. 

If you want to move a Highlight up to the front, simply add a new Story to it following the instructions laid out above. 

Instagram Highlights are a great tool to showcase all the different aspects of your life online. Whether you want to humblebrag about your trip to Hawaii or promote your favorite tech purchases, Highlights will make sure your Stories are categorized and organized for all your followers to see.

The post How to use Instagram Highlights to showcase your best Stories appeared first on Backlight.

So how do you repost on Instagram? In this guide, we’ll teach everything you need to know about how to reshare Instagram content.

Instagram Story repost 

Since the social media platform announced the addition of Stories in 2016, Stories have become one of the most popular ways to share content on Instagram. So there’s no better way to promote a friend, colleague, or brand you like than reposting their Instagram Story. 

How to repost an Instagram Story you’re tagged in

Probably the most common reason people want to share someone else’s Instagram Story is that they were tagged in it, which is also referred to as mention sharing. 

When an account tags your username in their Story, it becomes visible to everyone who follows them. So their followers — or anyone, if their profile is set to public — can tap on your username and visit your profile. If you’re set to private, then only approved followers will be able to visit your profile. 

Stories will only last 24 hours unless the user decides to add the Story to their Highlights. In that case, it will stay on their profile until they remove it. 

When someone tags you in a Story, you will receive a notification in your Direct Messages. If someone who you don’t follow mentions your username, a notification is sent to your message requests. At this time, there is no way to remove your username from a person’s Story or prevent them from mentioning you. If you want the Story taken down, you have to report it to Instagram. 

If you decide you want to share the Story you’ve been tagged in, follow these instructions: 

1. Go to your Direct Messages by clicking the paper airplane symbol at the top-right corner of the screen. 
2. Open the message informing you that you’ve been tagged in a Story. 
3. Press the button on the message that reads “Add This To Your Story.”
4. Edit the Story if you wish. You can add GIFs, stickers, or text. 
5. Press Next. 
6. Select where you want to post the Story. Your options are your Story, your Close Friends, or a Direct Message to another account. 
7. Press Send. 

At this time, mention sharing is only available when the account which posts the Story is public and if they have the Instagram Sharing Story feature enabled. 

If someone with a private account tags you in a Story, you’ll still get a notification in your Direct Messages, but you won’t be able to share it. You could, however, screenshot the Story and repost it your Stories. (Instagram doesn’t notify users when you screenshot their Stories.) 

How to repost Stories you’re not tagged in 

Instagram only allows mention sharing on its platform, so it’s only possible to repost a Story you’re tagged in within the app itself. 

However, many third-party apps have been created that make it possible to repost virtually any Instagram Story. For this guide, we used Repost for Instagram – Ming, which is free to download on the App Store and has in-app purchases. 

Here’s how to repost a Story you’re not tagged in using Ming: 

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Locate the Story you want to repost. 
3. Tap the account’s username at the top-left corner of the screen to go to their profile. 
4. Tap the three horizontal dots at the top-right corner of the screen. 
5. Select Copy Profile URL.
6. Open Ming. 
7. Select Paste Link.
8. Edit the repost tag however you like. 
9. Press Share, and the app will open the repost on Instagram. 
10. Select Story. 
11. Select where you want to post the Story. Your options are your Story, your Close Friends, or a Direct Message to another account. 
12. Press Send. 

Note that this third-party app trick only works if the profile whose Story you’re reposting is public. If the user is private, you won’t be able to paste their profile URL into the Ming app. 

Reposting Instagram videos and photos

Outside of posting to Stories, reposting Instagram posts is another great way to promote an account whose content you’ve been enjoying. Luckily, Instagram has made it easy to repost photos and videos from your feed to your Stories without having to download another app. 

How to repost an Instagram post

At this time, you can only repost an Instagram post to your Story. Here’s how to repost a post to your Story: 

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Locate the post you want to share. 
3. Press the paper airplane symbol underneath the post. 
4. Select the option “Add post to your story.” 
5. Edit the post if you wish. You can add GIFs, stickers, or text. 
6. Select where you want to post the Story (your Story, your Close Friends, or a Direct Message). 
7. Press Send. 

Like many of Instagram’s reposting features, you can only repost someone’s photos or videos if their account is public. If the user has a private account, you can still share the post by sending it as a Direct Message to someone, but you won’t have the option to add it to your Story. 

You can also use this feature to repost your own post to your Instagram Story.

How to repost on Instagram with captions

If the account is public, not only can you repost the post onto your Story, but you can even include their caption. Here’s how: 

1. Open Instagram. 
2. Locate the post you want to share. 
3. Press the paper airplane symbol underneath the post. 
4. Select the option “Add post to your story.” 
5. Tap on the post to display the caption. Tapping it again will hide the caption. 
6. Edit the post if you wish. 
7. Select where you want to post the Story. 
8. Press Send. 

How to use Instagram reposts for better engagement

When it comes to increasing your followers and getting more traction on your posts, it’s all about increasing engagement. There are tons of different ways to use reposting to get a better engagement rating on the app, so we thought we’d share a few of our favorites. 

1. Curate user-generated content

If your goal is to create a community on Instagram, making a call-to-action for user-generated content is a great way to start. All you have to do is post to your Stories or your feed that you’ll repost content that meets a certain requirement. 

A pet bakery seeking to increase its engagement, for example, could ask its followers to tag their account in the cutest photos of their dogs. If you decide to pursue this option, be sure to mention that anyone who tags you will get reposted on your Instagram Story. 

2. Acknowledge an account that mentioned you

If another account has mentioned you in their Story or in a post, a great way to acknowledge that you appreciate it is by reposting it to your Stories. This will not only build camaraderie between you and the person who tagged you, but you’ll also be promoting their profile to the people you follow and vice versa. 

Instagram is a sharing network, so don’t be afraid to share. 

3. Get new followers

If a profile is public, you don’t have to follow the account to share their post on your Stories. If you’re looking to follow new people — and would like them to follow you back — a great way to start your new virtual friendship is to repost some of their content.Not only will it help them get some visibility with your followers, but they might be inclined to do the same for you.  

Instagram repost FAQs

Reposting (also known as regramming) on Instagram is still a relatively new feature, so we wanted to answer a couple of frequently asked questions.

Is reposting legal on Instagram?

As long as you give credit to the person who originally made the post you are sharing, reposting is legal. That’s why, when you repost a post to your Story, Instagram automatically has the account’s username displayed under the post. Most third-party apps, like Ming, will also display the username, but you should double-check before posting just to be safe and to avoid breaking any copyright infringement laws.

Do I need permission to repost an Instagram Story?

Instagram’s Terms of Use state the following: “You can’t post private or confidential information or do anything that violates someone else’s rights, including intellectual property.”

In other words, it’s best to always ask for someone’s permission before reposting a Story. Make sure to document their response, if they allow it, just to be safe. 

Can I see who reposted my Instagram Story?

The visibility of your reposted Instagram Story depends on where you posted it and your account settings. 

If you posted it to your Close Friends story, then only the people you approved to see that Story can view if. If it’s on your regular Story, then all of your followers can see it. And if your profile is public, anyone who views your profile can also see it. If your profile is private, only your list of followers will see it. 

Whether you’re teasing a new post to your feed or promoting someone else’s content, reposting is a great way to increase your engagement and grow your followers on Instagram.

The post How to repost on Instagram and why you should appeared first on Backlight.