There is an underrated feature on Instagram that you need to start leveraging ASAP.

What is it? Instagram Guides

What Is The Guides Feature?

I like to think of the Guides feature as little Pinterest boards or YouTube playlists within your Instagram profile.

Creating a guide allows you to curate content on core topics that will support your audience. You can also use posts you’ve saved from other creators, but I’d recommend showcasing your original content that highlights your brand.

If you want step-by-step instructions on creating a guide, you’ll want to read this.

Here's Why You Need To Leverage Instagram Guides

Audience Can Consume Posts On A Specific Topic

Chances are that your content talks about more than one topic, right? Creating a guide allows you to curate your existing content into like-minded groups. Now, if someone stumbles across your profile and is interested in email marketing, they don’t have to scroll endlessly through your feed to find relevant posts. They simply tap over to guides and can access a list of your more potent posts on the topic they are most invested in learning about.

Breathes Life Into Older Content

The lifespan of your Instagram posts is short, with content typically remaining active for 12-24 hours. Guides stop your posts from disappearing into the abyss and are a great way to recycle your older pieces while showcasing the depth of your expertise.

A Tool To Nurture Your Audience

I would categorize Instagram guides as an audience retention tool that allows you to nurture your existing followers without creating new content. It encourages them to consume more of your content than just what they have seen in your recent feed or your stories. 

While it may also help boost the reach and performance of your older content, it’s not a growth tool and should be treated as more of a feature that supports a positive user experience.

Promoting Your Guides

There are endless options here for you to promote these curated content categories. One of the most straightforward options that come to mind is sharing them in your stories.

You could do this on a sporadic basis or share the guide as the final CTA slide on a group of slides about a like-minded topic.

Guides can also be shared outside of Instagram. By generating a link to your guides, you can share them within your blog posts or email marketing content (and anywhere else you want) to cross-promote your content and drive traffic back to your Instagram account.