Getting the swipe up feature on Instagram is a goal for many content creators and influencers. The swipe up allows users to swipe up on Instagram Stories and be directed to other websites or pages. However, Instagram has specific guidelines around enabling swipe up that center around having a certain number of followers.
What is Swipe Up?
Swipe up is an interactive feature on Instagram Stories that allows users to swipe up on a Story to be redirected to additional content or websites. When someone views an Instagram Story that has the swipe up enabled, they will see a “See More” option at the bottom of the screen. Tapping on “See More” or swiping up will take them to the external web page set by the creator of that Story.
Swipe up provides a way for Instagram users to drive traffic outside of the app and direct viewers to products, blog posts, websites, etc. It allows creators to tell a bigger story through linking out in their Instagram Stories. Users who see a swipe up may be more inclined to visit the additional content because it offers a seamless experience without having to leave the Stories screen.
Requirements for Swipe Up Feature
In order to access the swipe up feature, Instagram has set requirements based on follower count. Currently, only accounts that have over 10,000 followers can utilize the swipe up feature. This minimum follower requirement was set by Instagram as they determined larger accounts have an established audience to direct external traffic to.
Here are the requirements to unlock swipe up on Instagram Stories:
- Your account must be public.
- Your account must have over 10,000 followers.
- You must have had your account for at least one week.
These requirements mean that smaller creators with fewer than 10,000 followers cannot utilize the swipe up feature currently. However, there are some workaround options covered later in this article.
Why 10,000 Followers?
Instagram implemented the 10,000 follower minimum as a way to test swipe up with larger, more established accounts at the start. The company likely wanted to build the feature slowly and gather data on how it performed before rolling it out more widely.
There are a few reasons why the 10,000 follower count may have been chosen:
- Accounts with 10k have shown a level of growth and engagement on Instagram already.
- These accounts likely have an audience to direct external traffic to via swipe up.
- Larger accounts tend to be businesses, brands, creators, or public figures.
- Instagram can use data and feedback from bigger accounts to improve the feature.
While the exact reasoning is not known publicly, Instagram started with a 10k minimum as a test run for swipe up. Over time, it’s possible the requirement may decrease or go away completely as the feature expands.
Do You Need 10k Followers on Personal Account?
The 10,000 follower requirement applies to all Instagram accounts – personal and business. Even if you have a personal account that you use for sharing Stories, you will still need 10k followers in order to unlock swipe up capabilities.
Instagram does not make exceptions for personal accounts. No matter the account type, a minimum of 10,000 followers is mandatory for any user to have access to swipe up links. So personal profiles with under 10k followers cannot use the feature currently.
Workarounds for Accounts Under 10k Followers
For smaller creators and influencers with fewer than 10,000 Instagram followers, the swipe up feature remains locked unless their account grows to meet the requirement. However, there are some workaround options to direct traffic similar to swipe up without reaching the 10k milestone.
Link in Bio
A very simple workaround is to direct users to your Instagram bio link within your Stories. You can add text like “Link in bio” or “Check my bio link” and manually prompt your viewers to visit your bio. Your website or landing page URL in the bio acts as the swipe up destination.
This doesn’t provide the same seamless user experience as swipe up, but it achieves a similar goal of sending traffic out from Stories to external sites and pages.
Link Stickers
Instagram Stories has link stickers that can be added to Stories. This allows you to stick a clickable link directly on your Story that users can tap. The link sticker can be customized with text and placed anywhere on the Story.
Link stickers operate similar to swipe up by sending viewers directly to other sites or pages from within Stories. The only difference is users have to manually tap the sticker instead of swiping up.
Collaborate with Larger Accounts
Teaming up with creators who have over 10k and have access to swipe up is another potential workaround. You can collaborate on content and ask them to add a swipe up link to your site or landing page from their Stories.
Having a larger account share your content and links exposes you to their wider audience and gives you the benefit of utilizing swipe up before hitting 10k followers.
IGTV Video Links
Instagram allows attaching external links to IGTV videos. So you can create longer videos optimized for IGTV and add a link in the video description. When viewers click the IGTV video from your profile, they will see the link and description with the call to action.
This is more inconvenient than swipe up as users have to click the IGTV video and then the link, but it’s an option for accounts without 10k followers.
Link in Posts
You can include links in your feed posts by adding them in the caption or photo descriptions. Followers who see your posts with links can tap to access the additional content.
Links in feed posts are more buried than Instagram Stories, but you can use captions, comments, visual cues, and hashtags to draw attention to the link and drive traffic that way until you unlock swipe up.
Third-Party Apps for Swipe Up
There are some third-party apps that offer swipe up functionality for accounts under 10k followers. However, these apps are not endorsed or approved by Instagram. They find workarounds in the system, but come with risks.
Some examples include:
- Upleap
- Inswipe
- Story Swipe
The major risk with these apps is potential action from Instagram if detected. Violating their policies around swipe up requirements could result in a banned account. Use third-party swipe up apps with caution.
Build Your Following to 10,000
The best and only guaranteed way to get swipe up access is to organically grow your Instagram account to over 10k real followers. This meets Instagram’s current requirement and gets you official access to the feature directly within the app.
Some tips to gain more followers:
- Post engaging, high-quality content consistently
- Use relevant hashtags to be discovered
- Run Instagram contests and giveaways
- Be active engaging with others in your niche
- Collaborate with micro-influencers in your industry
- Advertise your Instagram profile strategically
- Provide value to your audience with your content
It takes consistency, hard work, and strategy to grow on Instagram. But passing 10,000 real followers unlocks features like swipe up to provide additional value to your audience.
FAQs
Can I pay to get 10k followers for swipe up?
No, buying fake followers will not work to get swipe up. Instagram explicitly states your account must have 10k “real” followers. Inorganic followers from bots or services will not count towards unlocking swipe up access.
Is there a way to get swipe up for free?
There is no legitimate free way to get swipe up without meeting Instagram’s 10k follower requirement. While some third-party apps claim to offer swipe up for free, they violate Instagram’s rules and could result in a banned account.
Can I get swipe up on a new Instagram account?
No, a new account will not have access to swipe up right away. All accounts have to meet the requirements of 10k+ followers and being public for at least one week before swipe up becomes available.
Does having 10k followers guarantee I’ll get swipe up?
Reaching over 10k followers does not guarantee access immediately. You have to switch your account to public first and may need to wait up to 1 week after hitting 10k before swipe up activates. But meeting the follower requirement is necessary to be eligible.
Can I use swipe up on desktop?
The swipe up feature is only available on the Instagram mobile app currently. It does not appear on the desktop experience of Instagram Stories. You must view Stories on your mobile device to swipe up on eligible accounts.
The Takeaway
Gaining access to the swipe up feature as an influencer or creator on Instagram is an impactful milestone. The ability to direct traffic from Stories provides huge value to accounts with over 10k followers. But smaller accounts still have options to mimic swipe up functionality through stickers, links, collaborations and more.
At the end of the day, organically growing your audience and providing value through your content will eventually unlock swipe up and take your Instagram impact to the next level.
