Instagram Preview (Discover from Outside of The App)

instagram preview

Instagram recently announced some new updates that will increase the chance your content can appear in more places. In this guide, we show you what Instagram preview is and how it helps you to be discovered from other places outside of the app.

Now, when you share posts from a public Instagram account to Twitter, you can see an image preview in your Tweet. This image preview will highlight your content and show the audience what they will see when they click on this link. Instagram said that they want to make a better experience for users who need to see an Instagram content preview while surfing Twitter.

This new update will help you reach your audience easily and get discovered more.

An example of Instagram content shared on Twitter.

How Instagram Preview on Twitter Works

If you want to see an Instagram preview on Twitter, this Instagram account needs to be public, no matter it’s your account or someone else’s.

When you write a Tweet and add a link to an Instagram post from a public account, an image preview will appear as a Twitter Card with a thumbnail in the Tweet. And if you choose to share to Twitter from Instagram, the caption on the Instagram post will be shown in addition to the image preview.

You just need to click on the link of Instagram preview on Twitter. It will lead you directly to this post on Instagram. All kinds of Feed posts, like Photos, Videos, Carousels, and Reels, can be previewed when you share on Twitter. Unfortunately, Instagram Stories won’t show up as previews on Twitter at that time.

More Ways to Discover Your Instagram Content

In addition to sharing an Instagram preview on Twitter, you can also include your Instagram profile on a website. Instagram has enabled public accounts’ posts to be included on external websites in the past. Now, you can share your Instagram profile preview and the 6 latest posts to encourage people to view more. This feature will be available in the United States first, then Instagram will consider expanding it to more countries soon.

An example of an Instagram profile embedded onto a website.

Embeds are a great method for Instagram creators who want to cross-promote on websites outside of Instagram. It’s also good for publishers who want to showcase their profiles more effectively to their readers.

To include an Instagram profile on a website, follow these steps:

  • Visit the profile you want to share on Instagram
  • Click the gear icon if it’s your account. If it’s another profile, click the •••.
  • Click “embed,” then choose “copy embed code.”
  • Copy and paste the code into the website that you want to show a profile preview.

Of course, it’s important that you can control where your Instagram content appears. Instagram also realizes that. So, Instagram allows you to choose whether your public posts or profile can be included on websites outside of Instagram. It uses a new control for embeds in Settings. This setting will also be available to users in the United States at first.

An example of opting in via settings in your Instagram account.

Hope these new updates from Instagram can help you engage with new audiences easily and be discovered in more places outside of Instagram.

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