Instagram is constantly adding new features, in a bid to offer an increasing superior experience to its users. Case in point, one of the most recent ones that was introduced during the early phase of the pandemic was Guides. However, the option might have flown under the radar for a lot of users, especially since it was initially available only for select accounts. That is no longer the case, however, and so this article aims to shed some light on Guides and show you how you can create your first Guide ever.

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What Are Guides?

Guides are basically collections that mix both text and visuals and allow the creator to easily share recommendations and tips with their followers. Guides have a dedicated places on your profile – you’ll find them listed underneath the Follow button on your profile. If you have set up Highlights for your account, the Guides will be in the line of icons sitting underneath. To access Guides you’ll need to tap on the “Open book” icon.

When viewing a Guide, users will be able to have access to a collection of posts that the creator has specially curated with a topic in mind, paired with helpful tips and advice.

When it was initially introduced back in 2020, the feature was meant to promote well being and showed up on the profiles of various creators or organization activating in the segment. Since then, Guides have been made available for everyone, not just for brands and businesses.

How to Create Your First Guide

Creating a Guide on Instagram is a pretty specific process. You won’t be able to do so from the Instagram feed, simply by tapping the “+” button on the upper right corner of the display. At the same time, you won’t be able to create a Guide straight from the Instagram camera ether. What you need to is head on to your Profile.

1. Once there, tap on the “+” button in the upper right corner of the display.

2. From the menu that pops up from the bottom select “Guide”.
3. Here you’re given three options: Places, Products and Posts. The first one allows you to recommend places in your city or beyond, while the second lets you share with your followers some of your favorite products. With the last one, you can group together a collection of posts you’ve created or saved.

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Three Types of Guides

The three types of Guides feature their own particularities, but overall they will look the same. Think of them as a very visually-focused type of listicle. Depending on the type of product or service you wish to promote, you’ll need to select the right kind of Guide for your particular purpose.

Places

1. If you’ve selected the first option – Places, Instagram will now prompt you to select the location for which you want to create the guide for.

2. Instagram will search for posts which were tagged at that location and will show them to you in a new window. Swipe downwards to browse the results and pick your favorites. Interestingly, you’re not allowed to pick your own images for this type of guide, but must rely on the content created by others.

3. Once you’ve made your selection, you’ll need to pick a title for your Guide, select a cover and add a small description for each photo group, as well as individual notes for each image (it’s optional). Note that a Places Guide needs to include at least 2 Places before it can be posted. To add a new place, tap on the “+Add place” button at the bottom.

4. If, at any point, you wish to rearrange the order of your entries within the Guide, tap on the tree-dots next to an item and select “Reorder Posts”.

5. Arrange them as you please by dragging each posts with your finger in the position that you prefer and then press “Done”.

6. When you’re finally done with all of the above, press the Next button in the upper right corner of the display.

7. Instagram will inform you the Guide will show up in the Guides tab on your profile and won’t be shared on your profile grid. HOWEVER, your followers will be able to see a preview of the guide in their feeds.

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Products

1. Now, if you’ve selected Products instead of Places, Instagram will let you search for your favorite brands next. Whether we’re talking about cosmetics, clothes or even…books, your options are endless.

2. Browse the products available from a particular brand and select the one you wish to add to your Guide by tapping on it. Note that not all the products offered from a brand might show up in this list.

3. Next, you can select one of the images showcasing the product offered by the brand or you can add your own images of the product by tapping on “Your Posts” at the bottom. In addition, you can also opt for the “From shop” option if you want.

4. Add as many favorite products as you want. Then make sure you add a title, select the cover photo and write a bit about what the guide is about and you should be good to go.

5. Like before press Next and then go for the Share button to launch your creation into the world.

Posts

1. The last type of guide is Posts. Here you can great sets of posts that fit under a certain category. You can use other people’s posts, but provided you’ve added them to your Saved collection, as well as your own.

2. To Save a post, while browsing your feed for example, you need to tap on the Bookmark-like icon underneath the image on the right.

3. Back to your guide, you’ll need to add a title, choose a cover and maybe say a few words to describe your guide and the posts and that’s it.

Once published your new Guide(s) should be accessible through your Profile via the Guides tab.

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Share Your Guides on Instagram

Once you’ve created your first guide, you’ll probably want to start sharing it with your friends and followers. To do so is quite easy, as you will see below.

1. Open up a Guide you want to share (it can be yours or anyone else’s really).

2. Tap on the Paper plane icon in the lower left corner of the display.
3. From here, you can send the Guide as a Direct Message. OR you can share it as part of your Story, even if it’s not yours!

If you’re trying to raise awareness about your own Guide(s), sharing it to your Stories is a great way to promote it with your followers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I discover more Guides on Instagram?

If you’re looking to discover Guides created by other people on Instagram, well that’s not exactly super straightforward. You can use the Explore tab (accessible through the Search icon at the bottom) and you might randomly come across Guides in there. They should be marked with a relevant icon to distinguish them from regular post. But the easiest way to discover new Guides is to check for them on a user’s profile. Here are some examples, in case you’re curious: @afspnational, @heads_together, @vitaalere, @klicksafe, @headspace_aus, @deepikapadukone, @sudahdong and @eenfance.

2. Can I edit a Guide after it has been published?

Yes, you can. If you want to rearrange your posts or you simply want to add or remove additional items simply access the Guide and tap on the three-dots in the upper right corner and select “Edit Guide”.

You can go ahead and apply your modifications form there.

3. Can I access Guides on Instagram for desktop?

The answer is yes, you can check out and browse Guides while you’re using Instagram on your PC. However, you can’t create them from your computer. Right now, it’s only possible to add regular posts to your profile. Also keep in mind that while you can access Guides on PC, you won’t be able to share them via DM or post.

Image credit: Unsplash

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