One of Instagram's most recent methods of sharing material is through Instagram Guides. Worldwide brands have learned how to use Guides in their marketing plans since the feature was initially released in 2020 (along with Live, Shops, and Reels). Additionally, each new feature on Instagram offers a significant potential audience given that it is used daily by about 1.5 billion people.

Instagram Guides stand out from the rest of the app's features as you don't need to contribute any new content to create one. Social media managers who are exhausted, rejoice! The whole point of guides is to compile already-existing images, videos, and posts.

What Are Instagram Guides?

Instagram guides are a series of related posts that you curate to provide your audience with useful information. Each post in a guide contains a link to either a regular Instagram post or a product page where readers can make a purchase.

How to Find Instagram Guides

Go to a creator's main Instagram profile and search for the "Guides" icon to access Instagram Guides.

How to Create an Instagram Guide

Click on the tiny + sign to start a Guide the same way you would for a standard post, video, or live piece of content. Select Guides from the dropdown menu.

From here, you can select from one of three categories of content:

• Places: This is ideal for location-specific advice. If you're a local or travel influencer, Places is where you can build curated lists of off-beat hidden gems, restaurant recommendations, and tour guides.
• Posts: Use this option to curate past or saved posts that you'd like to share. By combining earlier postings on the same subject, you can use this option to produce fresh content.
• Products: Product Guides only let you curate items that people can find on Instagram Shop, which it is linked to directly.

Place your images, posts, and links once you've selected your content format. Remember that since this is Instagram, all of the text and images should be optimized for mobile.

9 steps to creating an Instagram Guide

Making Instagram guides for the first time? Follow these instructions to create Guides containing posts, goods, or locations.

1. From your profile, pick Guide by clicking the + sign in the top right corner.

2. Click on Posts, Products, or Places to select your guide type.

3. You have various alternatives for selecting information depending on the topic of your Guide.

• For Instagram Guides to places: Use locations you've geotagged on your posts, search geotags, or use saved places for Instagram's place guides.
  
  
• For Instagram Guides to products: Search brands or add items from your wishlist for Instagram product guides.
  
  
• For Instagram Guides to posts: Use saved posts or your posts for Instagram guides to posts.

4. Tap Next.

5. Include the title and summary of your guide. Tap Change Cover Photo to switch to a different cover image.

6. Verify the prefilled place name again and make any necessary edits. Include a description if you like.

7. Tap Add Place, then repeat steps 4–8 until your guide is finished.

8. Select Next from the menu in the top right.

9. Select Share.

Using the "save" button on pages or posts you want to include (or adding them to your wishlist if you're using products) will make it much easier to swiftly add things to your Guide later. Instagram will then already have the contents of your guide saved in one place, saving you the time of searching

How to promote your business through Guides

1. Create a list of suggestions
   
   Everyone has a skill worth sharing; whether it be overnight trekking, pomegranate peeling, or providing you a couple of extra followers with the help of GrowthX’s facilities, you (or your brand) probably have one. A great strategy to help your audience is to compile advice on a certain subject. By giving them free, helpful advice, you foster relationships with them (and that also makes them more likely to take a look at the rest of your content). This tactic doesn't directly result in money, but it does promote consumer trust—another crucial aspect of a company.
   
   

2. Share your favorite products
   
   Creative people are frequently questioned about the instruments they use; for instance, you may ask a podcaster what kind of microphone they use or a sculptor what kind of clay they like. With a product guide, you provide your audience a look into your creative process, and that aids in directing other aspiring makers toward the right equipment.
   

3. Share a brand story or message
   
   With only 150 characters permitted for your bio and new posts posted every day, it's difficult to manage what new followers will think of your brand when they first see it. Additionally, your profile doesn't give visitors much of a sense of who you are at first sight.

   The best method to provide potential followers with a quick overview of your brand is to create an Instagram guide that describes your business (and the ideals you uphold). Think of this as a fun substitute for a CV where you can discuss company history, a founder's biography, some of your best-selling goods, or even brand ambitions.
   
   

4. Present instructions for use

5. Select Relevant Content

Do you want to make your brand the authority on a particular subject? Combine several posts into a single guide. Users interested in learning more about your brand's expertise can engage with or purchase from the connected posts or items. A guide like this is perfect to have on hand for DM replies or publishing on other social media platforms.

While creating an Instagram Guide may seem intimidating at first, we are sure with this GrowthX social blog you’ll be on your way to creating amazing Guides that not only benefit you but benefit your audience too!