I have recently discovered nice content on Instagram. Instagram guides were initially introduced in mid-2020 when Instagram enabled this feature for a select number of health and wellness influencers, in an effort to provide resources for people who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since November 2020, this feature is available to all users.

Travel and cooking Guides inspired me to create my own guide. So, before starting, I have researched for some details in creating and optimizing this content.

What’s an Instagram Guide?

It’s a mix between Instagram carousels and blog posts. They were designed as a way to create single resources around any specific topic or product. This makes it easy for your audience to quickly find and view those posts, rather than scrolling through all of your content.

You can create an Instagram Guide using pre-published posts. All you have to do in creation is selecting a cover image, a title, introduction, and optional descriptions for entries.

Steps in creating Instagram Guide:

1. Click on the Plus symbol in the upper right corner of your Instagram bussiness page.

2. Select Guide – the last one option from the list.

3. Tap Posts.

4. Choose a Guide Type – I have chosen Posts: Recommend posts you created or saved

5. Tap Next.

6. Choose photos and/or videos from your media gallery

7. Add your guide title and description. You can tap Change Cover Photo if you would like to use a different cover photo than the cover pre-selected.

8. Add titles and descriptions for your posts.

9. Tap Next in the upper right corner.

10. Tap to Share


This is my first Instagram Guide (on Sugar-free desserts theme) – Zoom the picture below. WordPress allows embedded links only for images, not for guides.

Some useful details in creating Instagram Guides, discovered by me or read on socialmediexaminer.com:

• If you tap on the + sign but don’t have the option to add a guide, go to any profile that already has a guide set up and open one of their guides. Scroll to the bottom of the guide and you’ll see the option to create your own guide listed there.
  
• Titles must have 63 characters (with spaces) and Description: 2,200 characters (with spaces)
  
• If you want to rearrange or delete posts in your Instagram guide, tap on the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of the individual guide post. Tap Reorder Posts and you can drag and rearrange any of the posts into the order of your choice. Choose Remove from Guide to remove an individual post.
  
• You can select content only from your feed posts — not Instagram Stories. If you shared Instagram Reels or IGTV posts to the feed, those can be included in guides.
  
• The posts will be uploaded in the order you selected them, with the first post at the top of the guide. If you want a chronological order, select the oldest content first.
  
• You can choose up to 30 posts to share to a single guide

How to use Instagram Guide for your business

• Create a gift guide – Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are coming so, you can repurpose product listings into Gift Guides.
• Create valuable content on a theme – You can compile your existing content in some useful tips on a topic.
• Share a brand story message – People are interested in how is your culture and they follow your Instagram account to see the everyday moments, the values of your brand. You can use Instagram Guide to share the funniest moments of work from home, the most important moments of business evolution, new initiatives, CSR actions, or celebrate milestones.
• Value your employees – You can present your colleagues and their passions in an Instagram Guide.
• Help people with instructions – If you sell for example phones or any type of products that have new features, make them easier to be understood by creating an Instagram Guide. The visuals and the short text will help people to keep the information in mind and apply it.

I love Instagram Guides because they don’t necessarily require you to make brand new content. So all I have to do is to take a look at my posts and grouping them into interesting themes.

What theme would you choose for your first Instagram Guide?