Want to create a killer gift guide for Instagram? Gift guides are not only fun to create, but also an excellent tool for building your brand, driving traffic, and even earning some income. If you’re a business, they’re a great way to connect with other businesses and provide helpful recommendations to your audience. Let’s dive into how to make a gift guide that your audience will love.
Pick Your Niche Theme
Like any content, the best gift guides solve a specific problem for a specific audience. Instead of creating a general gift guide, get targeted.
Via Refinery29
Examples of Targeted Gift Guides:
- For a Brand Selling to Moms: Create a gift guide for the partners or friends of busy moms.
- Sub-Themes: A gift guide on ‘what to buy every type of friend in your life,’ broken down into categories like ‘the tech-savvy friend’ or ‘the friend who loves to cook.’
Curate Your Product List
Now for the fun part: virtual window shopping! Compile all the products you want to include and gather the necessary information. If you have a running list, great! Otherwise, you might need to fill in some gaps.
Sources for Finding Products:
- Instagram Story Call-Outs: Use the question sticker to ask your audience for their favorite product recommendations.
- Facebook Groups: Niche communities (like parents’ groups) and business groups are goldmines for compiling recommendations.
- Websites: Explore roundups on sites like Finder and Buzzfeed.
- Instagram Shopping: Utilize Instagram’s shopping widget.
When gathering information, be sure to ask for product specs, prices, and purchase links.
Choose Your Platform for Instagram
You have your theme and the products, now it’s time to put it all together. There are several platforms you can use to host your gift guide on Instagram:
- Blog Post: A classic blog post with sub-headings, text descriptions, and photos. Easy to share everywhere.
- Reels or TikTok Video: Stitch together photos and do a voiceover.
- Email Newsletter: Create a list-format gift guide as an installment of your email newsletter.
- Instagram Guides: Curate information in an interactive way using Instagram’s ‘product’ guide.
For something more evergreen, consider using Plann’s text editor, Instagram Guides, or Canva.
How to Create a Gift Guide Using Plann’s Text Editor Tool
Overlay text on images using Plann’s text editor. Upload an image of each item in your guide to Plann as a multi-image post. Choose your font style and color, then overlay the name of the product and who it’s for. Example: “For the beauty lover: The Mermade Hair Waver.” Then, add more details in your caption, schedule to Instagram, and you’ve got a beautiful, carousel-style gift guide.
How to Put Together a Gift Guide Using Instagram Guides
Via @livewithelle
Instagram Guides are an interactive way to curate information. Here’s how:
- Click the ‘plus’ button on your Instagram profile and select guides.
- Choose ‘products’ as your guide type.
- Browse the catalogs of businesses you already follow or search for others.
- Pick the product and photo you like from their catalogs.
- Add a description about what makes your product awesome.
- Give your guide a name and add an eye-catching cover image.
You can share it in your stories or with your followers via DMs, and they will sit in the ‘guides’ section on your profile.
How to Create a Gift Guide Using Canva
Canva’s design tools are perfect for creating beautiful gift guides with professionally-designed templates.
Formats to Use in Canva:
- Multi-Post Stories: Use a series of frames for different recommendations.
- PDF Ebooks: Use the “blog graphics” template and duplicate pages.
You can add these directly to your social media schedule by selecting ‘create’ then Canva in Plann.
Make Your Gift Guide a Win-Win
Promote your gift guide anywhere your ideal audience hangs out online, like Pinterest, Facebook groups, or your mailing list.
Via @moment
Ways to Make it a Win-Win:
- Contact the Businesses: Ask them to share the guide with their audience.
- Facebook Ads: Turn your gift guide into a Facebook ad.
- Affiliate Codes: Include affiliate codes and earn a small commission on purchases.
- Email Opt-In: Set it up as an email opt-in on your website to build your mailing list.
Creating an Instagram gift guide is a fantastic way to share recommendations, build your brand, and connect with your audience. With these tips, you’ll create a gift guide that not only puts a smile on someone’s face but also benefits your brand in the process.
