While updates like Reels and IGTV came with a big splash, Instagram Guides has been a slow burn. For many brands, Instagram Guides isn’t immediately applicable to their social content strategy or they have a hard time imagining where it fits. For Travel brands, understanding this social media format can be incredibly important in increasing visibility to travelers preparing for a trip. In this blog we wanted to simplify how hoteliers should approach Instagram guides and call out a few travel profiles we feel are doing a great job with it.
Think of Guides as blog-like, longer-form content that allows users to organize content in a new format. They live in a new tab on your profile similar to tagged photos, Reels and IGTV and can be created using pre-published posts, places, or product listings from a creator’s account or public accounts. Unlike other content formats on the platform, Guides do not show likes, comments, or views, but rather aggregate existing content, either owned or created by other users, into collections. A sign of Instagram’s likely future.
So why are Guides important to the travel space? They allow users to visit your page and easily access the best of your content – and the best of what others have posted of your property – all in one place. This could become an especially important tool for those who are researching a new property. They’ll want to know about dining, activities, and the must-visit spots on a property. Creating a Guide puts this information right at their fingertips.
If you’re ready to start creating Guides, we’re here to share a few things to keep in mind to make the most of this new feature.
Don’t Think Too Niche
Go back to blogging 101. Lists, rankings, and click worthy titles will drive engagement. Guides work when multiple posts can be grouped together. Think of a topic that can include several pieces of content while still providing value as you would want website content to offer.
Leverage Influencer Content
Since Guides allows users to pull content from other users, this is a great way to leverage past influencer content as well as show your appreciation for those collaborations. Tag Influencers , local partners, and ambassadors of your brand to help maximize visibility for you and your partners.
Cohesive Content Strategy
Use Guides as an extension of your web and destination blog content that performs well. Recreate versions of online content in Instagram Guides, tagging when appropriate, to help make the most of your existing content strategy.
Re-Share!
Instagram Guides are not shown in-feed like a post, Story, or Reel might be so it’s important to draw as many eyes as you can. Once a Guide is posted you have the option to share the guide to your Instagram Story. From here, Story viewers can click right on the Story and be brought directly to the Guide.
Update Your Guides
Once a guide is posted it can be updated as much as possible. As new content is posted that could add value to your Guide remember to update.
Find Inspiration
The best way to create the perfect guide is looking at what others have done. Here’s some inspiration for some of our favorite guides:
- @takemyhearteverywhere’s ‘Best Photo Spots In Paris’ Guide
- @readysetjet’s Guide to ‘Texas State Parks & Nature Spots’
- @tourismjasper’s ‘7 Winter Wonders Of Jasper National Park’ Guide