5 Ways to Add a ‘Swipe Up’ Link on Instagram, Without 10,000 Followers (updated 2026)
Quick heads up before you read on: Instagram scrapped 'swipe up' back in 2021 and replaced it with the Link Sticker, which now works on every account regardless of follower count. So the 10k-follower workaround this post was originally written for doesn't exist any more — but if that's what you searched for, here are 5 ways to drive traffic from your Stories today.
500 million+ people used Instagram Stories every day, last time Instagram shared the numbers 😮 – that's a stonking half a BILLION people swiping through, so yes, Stories are still an important channel for your brand to maximise on.
Instagram Stories have grown and grown, and short-form vertical video continues to dominate for a lot of demographics, with businesses still making up a big share of the most-viewed Stories.
These days, adding a link to your Story is as simple as tapping the link sticker and typing in your URL – no follower threshold required. But there's more to driving traffic from Stories than just slapping a link on it, so here are 5 ways to make the most of it.
ADDING SHOPPING STICKERS
If you have a physical product and an e-commerce business, this is still a great (and free) way to gain more visibility. Product tags can get you featured for added discovery and let followers tap straight through to view, and often buy, the product.
You'll need a product catalogue – Shopify's integration is still the easiest route, or set one up via Meta Commerce Manager (this now lives under Meta Business Suite rather than directly in the Instagram app).
Submit it for approval – this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Once approved, connect your catalogue to your Instagram account via Commerce Manager.
Then it's easy to add a product sticker to your Stories – tapping it lets people view the product and head straight to your website.
Note: full in-app checkout has been scaled back in most regions including the UK, so don't build a strategy around people buying without leaving the app — check what's currently live for your account first.
THE @MENTION HACK
This still works mechanically, although it's largely unnecessary now that everyone can add a real, visible link sticker instead:
Create a Story
Use the @mention to tag your own page
Add a GIF sticker with a 'tap here' call to action
Shrink the @mention until it's barely visible and place it over the 'tap here' – tapping it takes people to your Instagram profile
POST LONG-FORM VIDEO (PREVIOUSLY IGTV)
IGTV was discontinued as a standalone feature in 2022 — all video, long and short, now lives under Instagram Video on your profile and in Reels. Still worth using for service-based businesses to offer training, tips and advice.
PROMOTE A STORY
If you want to put budget behind your post, you can promote/boost an existing Story or run a paid Story ad. Stories can be up to 15 seconds long, so if you're putting money behind one, make sure it has a strong call to action.
PAID STORY ADS
Paid Story ads, set up via Meta Ads Manager, still give you the most control — better targeting, more customisation, and proper reporting. You can run the same campaign across Facebook and Instagram Stories/Reels placements within one budget. Get in touch if you'd like support setting one up.
In summary – the 10k-follower gate is long gone, so don't let that hold you back. Have a play with Stories and see where you get to.
If you would like to discuss how paid advertising could boost your visibility and results, you can book a call with us below.