Ever wondered why your Instagram Stories rack up tons of views yet bring in little to no sales?
Here’s the hard truth: more than 90% of creators struggle with stagnant Instagram growth, mostly because they don’t know how to properly add a link to their Instagram Story or use the right link in bio tools to guide followers toward action. You might be producing high-value, attention-grabbing content that resonates perfectly with your audience’s needs, but without a clear path to click, how can those viewers take the next step and actually convert?
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to add a link to your Instagram Story, how to combine it with the best link in bio tools, and how to turn short-lived views into loyal fans while boosting sales using proven emotional triggers that inspire action.
Who Can Add Links to Instagram Stories?
Unlike other platforms like TikTok (where you need to learn how to add a link to tiktok bio strategies), Instagram makes it incredibly easy to drive traffic directly from your Stories.
Before anything else, let’s clear up the biggest myth once and for all. You do not need 10,000 followers to add links to your Instagram Stories anymore. In fact, Instagram rolled out the link sticker feature to everyone back in 2021.
So, if you’ve been wondering how many followers on Instagram you need to add links, the answer is simple: it doesn’t matter. Whether you’ve got 100 followers or 100,000, you can easily add a link to your Story—no special permissions, no tricky application process, and no minimum follower requirement.
Even though anyone can now add links to Instagram Stories, your overall performance may suffer if a significant portion of your followers are inactive. To make sure you’re reaching genuine users ready to interact, consider using a Fake Instagram Follower Checker.
What Is the Instagram link Sticker?
A link sticker is a clickable element you can add to your Instagram Stories to drive action, letting viewers tap and instantly open an external website or landing page. These stickers show up clearly on any photo or video within a Story. All your audience has to do is tap, and Instagram’s in-app browser takes them straight to the site you’ve linked. Here is the key features of link stickers:
- Anyone with a Business or Creator account (regardless of follower count) can use link stickers.
- They replaced the old “swipe up” feature, making it easier to drive traffic by tapping instead of swiping.
- Stickers are customizable: you can change their appearance and position for better engagement.
- Used strategically, link stickers boost clicks, traffic, community engagement, and even monetization opportunities for creators and businesses.
Generally speaking, it’s safe to say that link stickers are one of the most transformative Instagram tools, making them a top choice for driving real results in 2025. Additionally, they can turn your Stories into powerful calls-to-action, helping you bridge the gap between your content and external platforms with ease.
How to Add a Clickable Link to an Instagram Story
Here is a clear, step-by-step guide for how to add a link to your Instagram Story using the link sticker, formatted for best readability and actionability:
Step 1: Open the Instagram Story Creator
- Tap and hold your profile image in the upper left of your home screen or Instagram profile page, then select “Add to your story” and tap the camera icon.
- Alternatively, simply swipe right from your home screen to open the story creator.
Step 2: Take or Upload a Photo or Video
- To capture new content, tap the Capture button at the bottom center of the screen.
- Or, swipe up to select an existing photo or video from your gallery.
- Once selected, move or resize as needed to fill the screen.
Step 3: Tap the Sticker Icon
- Find the sticker icon (a small square with a smile and a folded corner) at the upper right corner.
- Tap it to open the sticker menu
Step 4: Choose ‘LINK’ from the Sticker Menu
- In the sticker menu, find and select the LINK sticker (it looks like a chain link and says “LINK”).
- If you don’t see it, type “link” in the search bar to quickly locate it.
Step 5: Add Your Link and Customize the Sticker
- A field will appear where you can type or paste your destination URL.
- Paste or type the full destination URL into the URL field (use the full https:// link for YouTube, GoFundMe, etc.). After entering your link, tap “Done.”
- You can then add sticker text (like “Tap to read” or “Shop Now”).
Pro tip: Before sharing your Story, run an Instagram Audit Tool to ensure your content, links, and profile are optimized for clicks and conversions.
Step 6: Place and Style Your Link Sticker
- Drag your link sticker to a spot on your Story where it’s highly visible but not blocking key visuals or text.
- Tap the sticker to shuffle through different color styles—pick a color that contrasts with your background and pops out for maximum taps, while matching your brand if possible.
- Keep your sticker text short, clear, and action-oriented (like “Shop Now,” “Tap for More,” or “Get Offer”).
- Share Your Story.
Conclusion
You’ve got the content, the attention, and now the toolset—don’t let one missing tap turn views into lost sales. Link stickers get people to your offers, and a smart bio hub turns those clicks into cash. For anyone exploring online business ideas, having a centralized, conversion-first destination that sells, bundles, and collects support with zero friction is essential to turning views into real buyers.
That’s exactly what brandID does. You can build a branded hub in minutes, list digital products, bundle offers, collect tips, launch subscriptions, and get paid quickly, all from a single, beautifully designed page. It’s free to start, helps you keep more of your revenue, and finally turns passive Story views into loyal, repeat customers. Are you ready to stop hoping for sales and start owning them?
Sign up for free at brandID now, start selling, bundling, and getting paid today.
FAQs
Copy the full YouTube URL (make sure it starts with https://), open the Story creator, tap the sticker icon, select Link, paste the URL, customize the sticker text (like “Watch Now”), and place it prominently.
To add a GoFundMe link to your Instagram Story, first copy your campaign’s full URL, then open the Story creator, tap the sticker icon, and select the Link sticker. Paste your GoFundMe link, add a clear call-to-action like “Donate Now,” and publish your Story.
Both Story links and link-in-bio tools serve different purposes. Story links are great for short-term promotions or time-sensitive campaigns since they disappear after 24 hours, while a link in bio acts as a permanent, central hub where all your content, products, and offers live.
For long-term monetization and consistent traffic conversion, it’s best to combine both. Use Story links to drive attention—and your bio link to capture and convert it. With brandID, you can create a fully branded bio hub that organizes your products, bundles, tips, and analytics all in one place, ensuring every tap leads to real results.
Common reasons include an outdated Instagram app, temporary rollout limits, account type restrictions, or a broken/unsupported URL. Try updating the app, switching to a professional account, clearing the cache, and restarting.
