According to TechCrunch, any user with any follower count can add a link sticker to any external link of their choosing to their Story. Previously, you only could add a link to Stories if your account was verified, or if you had more than 10,000 followers. In June, Instagram started testing the option for anyone to post a link in their Stories to learn more about how people use links and if spam or misinformation would become more of an issue. Links allow users to forward their followers to a product, article, or petition; sign up for a service; and more. The social network said there will be consequences if users misuse the link sticker, like everything else on the platform. For example, Instagram will remove accounts if they repeatedly share links that promote misinformation or hate speech. It’s unclear when the link sticker will become available to everyone. However, as of this writing, the feature is still unavailable to accounts that don’t meet the follower or verified threshold. Still, it’s a huge deal that the feature is expanding to all users, since people have wanted it for a long time. Organizers of a change.org petition calling to open the feature to everyone said that doing so will allow more people to share petitions, donation links, and educational resources, as well as allow everyone the “opportunity to amplify voices of the silenced.” Instagram also recently revamped the way links appear in Stories and opted for a link sticker over the traditional “swipe-up” link users were used to. Stickers allow you to choose their size and style and place them anywhere within your Story to improve the chances of people clicking them.
