Instagram may let everyone attach links in their Stories very soon
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For now, only users with follower count of 10,000 and above or those who are verified can add links to their Stories. Now, the company is testing the feature for all users
Instagram is set to extend its hotly sought-after feature to attach links in its Stories to everyone in the near future. As part of Instagram’s plans to expand the full-functionality to all users, the feature to add a URL in one’s Stories will be rolled out soon.
For now, only users with follower count of 10,000 and above or those who are verified can add links to their Stories. Now, the company is testing the feature for all users, The Verge first reported.
How will the new Instagram URL-linking feature work?
As opposed to the “swipe up” mechanism which is in place right now, the upcoming feature will allow URL attachment through a “sharing sticker”. Even though the sticker will offer similar functionality to swiping up, the link will be accessible only through tapping the sticker as opposed to swiping up.
In conversation with The Verge, Instagram’s head of product Vishal Shah claimed that the testing is designed to understand how people will make use of the feature. He added that the company intends to observe link sharing to avoid dissemination of spam and misinformation, one of the key conversations surrounding social media in the post-pandemic era.
Essentially, the link would be attached to the sticker, which would lead users to desired content.
Shah also claimed that the company has no plans to offer URL linking for its main feed, something the users have been demanding feverishly.
As opposed to the current swipe-up call-to-action method, users will be able to respond to Stories that attach links, kicking off a new way of browsing on the once exclusively image-sharing portal that has ventured into short-form video-based content akin to TikTok.
If you’ve ever wanted to share links from your website, blog, or even YouTube, worry not - the feature is expected to be rolled out soon, though there’s still no concrete date set for the rollout.