Create Eye-Catching Instagram Stories Highlight Covers

If you haven't been using Instagram Highlight covers, you've been missing out on a really effective way of making a good first impression with all your followers. The Highlight covers are situated just below the biographical section on your Instagram profile, and they impart a very slick, professional appearance for all your Instagram Highlights. They also can draw considerable attention to the contents of your Instagram Stories.Your followers will also find it easier to locate and engage with your Highlights when they include on-brand icons, which are facilitated by Highlight covers. To make your profile really stand out, using Instagram Highlight covers can get you the kind of attention that you've always wanted, and hopefully even increase your following. You can either create your own Instagram Highlight covers, or you can customize them from professionally designed icons which are developed by other companies, such as HootSuite.

Creating your own Instagram highlight covers

One of the easiest way to create your own Instagram Highlight covers is by using a mobile graphic design tool called Canva. You can download this tool from the Canva website, and use it to customize the professional icons and covers obtained from HootSuite. After downloading your desktop version of Canva, you should select Use Custom Dimensions, which is a selection under the Create a Design section. Then you'll have to enter 1080 as the first dimension, and 1920 as the second dimension, while ensuring that these measurements are associated with the 'px' value. Then, you just have to click on the green Design button.

Using your HootSuite template, open it so that you can upload the provided icons, either dragging or dropping the .PNG file which is included in the folder. Alternatively, you could situate the .PNG file manually if you prefer. If you decide to situate the file manually, you'll have to click on the Uploads icon which is located on the left side toolbar. Then you'll have to select the gray icon which is labeled Uploads, and click on the green button which is labeled Upload Your Own Images.After locating the icons folder, you can then choose the 1_icon_only file, and then select the icon of your choice, which you would use for the creation of your Highlight cover. Don't be concerned if the files appear to be blank, since they're transparent, and that's their natural state. If you wish to add a background pattern or personal favorite color, you can choose the Background option which is provided on the left side toolbar.To create additional covers, all you have to do is click on the button which is labeled Add a New Page, and which is located directly below your image. Then repeat the previous steps until you've created the number of covers you need for your application. Now you're ready to download the icons for your new Instagram Stories Highlights. First you have to click on the Download button which is located at the page top, and then choose which file format you want to work with, which can be either .PNG or.jpg.These can be transferred to your phone using whatever method you're most comfortable with. It'll be a simple matter to upload them to your Instagram Story. Make sure that your Instagram Story archive has been enabled and is ready for usage. In order to turn on your Instagram Story archive, you'll have to navigate to Settings, and then click on Story Settings. Then you'll have to scroll down to Save to Archive, and switch that button on.Next, you can upload your Highlight covers directly to your Instagram Story, and after your covers have been set up on your Instagram Story, you'll just have to click on the Highlight icon which is located in the lower right corner of your screen. After clicking the Highlight button, you'll be able to either add your post to a previously existing Highlight, or you'll have the option to create a completely new one. To create more, you'll simply need to repeat the previous process as many times as you have covers for.If you should have a need to edit, add, or remove a specific Highlight, all you have to do is click on the More ellipsis, which is situated in the lower right-hand corner of the image. When you click on the Edit Highlight button, you will have the capability of changing or editing any aspect of your Highlight cover. This is an option you'll find particularly useful when you are inserting covers from a pre-existing group of Highlights.Any image from your Highlight Story can be selected as a cover, which you can then re-position so that it actually fits within the dimensions of the cover. After you've accomplished all these steps, you'll be able to feature all of your best content in a very prominent location on your profile. After having accomplished this, you'll want to be sure that you're getting the maximum value from your Instagram Highlight icons and covers.

Maximizing usage of Instagram Highlight covers

While Instagram Stories may disappear within 24 hours, your Highlights will remain on your profile for as long as you want. Use your Highlights to call attention to a tutorial video for your products, or perhaps to participate in some kind of Instagram contest. It's a good idea to create a specific Highlight for each different kind of content you create in your Instagram Stories. Additionally, you can design covers or icons for each of those same categories.Keep in mind that your Instagram Highlight covers will be one of the first things visitors observe when they're on your profile page, so your Highlight covers should be instantly identifiable as you or your company. Your brand's colors and font should be used to help solidify this impression. Even though you should always have your brand in mind when creating Instagram Story Highlight covers, that doesn't mean you can't get a little creative with it.You may enjoy experimenting with several different icon designs, photos, and even naming conventions. If your business Instagram profile has more than 10,000 followers, you will have ready access to the all-important feature known as 'swipe up'. This feature permits you to include links in your Stories which are calls to action, such as Learn More or Shop Now. This feature is very effective at driving traffic to your landing page or your business website, and once you have your visitors there, you'll be able to ask them to sign up for an email list, or to possibly purchase one of your products.