Instagram is already planning to replace the swipe up feature in Stories with a link sticker. Now that the change date has been revealed, Instagram will retire swipe up starting August 30, 2021.
As is known, the swipe up feature in Stories allows creators and businesses to direct their followers to external sites, for example to their selling products, reading articles, or whatever is being promoted. Instead, Instagram users can use the Link Sticker to add a link in Stories.
Instagram revealed that the sticker has been on a limited trial basis since June. But on August 30, this feature will be rolled out more widely.
Some Instagram users who already have access to swipe up are starting to receive notifications about changing to this link sticker. One of them is YouTuber Sam Sheffer who uploaded the notification to Twitter.
"The swipe up link will soon become a sticker. Starting August 30, the swipe up link will be removed. To add a link to the story, use the new link sticker," wrote a notification received by Sheffer from Instagram, as quoted from The Verge, Tuesday (24/8). /2021).
Application researcher Jane Manchun Wong also reported the same thing via Twitter. But he said he had not found the link sticker option in the Instagram Stories sticker option and was worried that he would lose access to add links to Stories.
Instagram says they will start redirecting users who can currently access the swipe up link to the Link Sticker starting August 30. This will include businesses and creators, either those that have earned a blue tick or already have a defined number of followers.
Currently only users who have at least 10,000 followers can get access to add links in Stories. With the Link Sticker feature, Instagram plans to expand access to this feature to all users, without a minimum number of followers that must be owned.
But for now Instagram says only people who already have access to the swipe up feature will receive the link sticker option. They are still evaluating whether this feature will be rolled out more widely, and this update will help them make their decision.
According to Instagram, converting swipe up links into stickers will have several advantages. First, users will have more control in creating Stories posts because these link stickers can be styled, resized and even placed anywhere to increase engagement.
In addition, other users who view Stories with the link sticker will also be able to leave responses and comments, just like any other Stories. With the swipe up link, users cannot leave any feedback because the comments column at the bottom is used to place the swipe up button.
