Say goodbye to Guides on Instagram

Instagram has seen soaring popularity since its inception in 2010, and has made some big changes over the past few years. It introduced Instagram Live in 2016, Reels in 2020, Broadcast Channels earlier this year, and Threads in July. But as Instagram ushers in this slew of new features, one of its older functions is going away: say goodbye to the Instagram Guides.

Here is how it might impact your Instagram strategy and what you can do to save your content.

What Were Instagram Guides?

Guides was another 2020 release by Instagram. It offered a way for creators to combine multiple posts with some short text to make a small blog on a specific topic. These Guides showed up as categorized posts, but could also be shared on your stories to bring more attention to multiple posts at a time. 

If this doesn’t sound familiar to you, don’t worry. Instagram Guides didn’t gain the popularity we saw with other 2020 updates like Reels. That's why it's getting the official axe.

Ending in December

A recent screenshot shared by Alessandro Paluzzi, a software developer who commonly shares updates on social media platforms, shows Instagram’s update on the subject.

It states that Instagram Guides will make its official exit on December 15th and instead be converted to Collections. Any old Guides will no longer be viewable, and it will not be possible to create new ones. You will, however, be able to download any Guides that you created until March 14th, 2024. 

What Are Collections?

Collections are a mimic of the popularized Pinterest. Similarly, Collections offers a way for you to save specific posts or Reels to a “board.” You can have multiple boards that keep your saved content organized. But unless you create a collab board with other specific people of your choosing, you are the only one who will be able to access your Collections. 

This means your regular followers won’t be able to access anything saved in your Collections, and it includes the Guides being transferred to Collections.

What Can You Do?

If Guides were an important part of your IG strategy, here is what you can do!

First, breathe easy and focus more on the features that are extremely popular on Instagram. Reels, Stories, and posts are the meat and potatoes of your Instagram strategy. Consistent posting with content that engages your viewers is the best way to extend your reach. Stories can engage your audience by using interactive stickers that allow people to write questions or answer polls. Reels using popular music or trends reach millions every day. Posts are the heart of Instagram: they allow you to share photos that make people stop and like your content. 

Other features include Instagram shop, where you can post items from your business that people can buy right then and there. Collab posts involve you and another creator making a post or reel that is shared on both accounts, potentially doubling your audience. 

So if you're worried about the Guides disappearing and having an overarching impact on your account, don't. There is a lot to Instagram and the disappearance of Guides shouldn’t affect your reach in any major way.