Adding your Instagram feed to your Squarespace store is a fantastic way to showcase your social content to your customer base without importing media separately.
When adding your Instagram feed to your store, whatever you post on your Instagram profile (the one linked with your Squarespace store) will appear where you’ve added your Instagram block.
This can prove to be an efficient way of updating content on your store without the need to consistently edit and add bits to your store over time. Create a post on Instagram (maybe showcasing a product or new release), and it’ll appear as new content on your store.
Adding Instagram to Squarespace: A detailed guide
Before following this step-by-step guide, ensure you have your Squarespace page panels editor open and ready. You can access this by visiting your Squarespace dashboard and selecting your store.
We’ll add our Instagram block into a new blank section for simplicity. But you can add this Instagram block wherever you like since it’s your store.
Go to where you’d like to add your Instagram block. Then click “Add block“. Scroll down in the new pop-up menu and choose “Instagram“.
Instagram block settings
You should see the above image pop-up when you select your new Instagram block on your page panels editor. We’ll go through each of the settings in detail for your convenience.
Pencil icon
This is the edit button. Selecting this will bring up a different pop-up menu with another set of settings. You’ll see one tab labeled “Account” and another called “Design“.
These are self-explanatory, “Account” is where you attach the preferred Instagram account to the block, and “Design” is where you can change anything relating to the visual aspect of the Instagram block, such as aspect ratio or amount of images per row.
Align vertically
Here, you can change how the pictures align vertically on your store. You can choose between “Align Top“, “Align Center“, or “Align Bottom“.
Duplicate
There’s no detailing this one. It does exactly what it says. It duplicates your Instagram block.
Pros & cons of adding an Instagram feed to your Squarespace store
Adding an Instagram feed to a Squarespace website can have several pros and cons, which are outlined below:
Pros:
- Increased engagement: By adding an Instagram feed, website visitors can see your latest Instagram posts, which can lead to increased engagement and interactions with your brand.
- Fresh content: An Instagram feed on your website can provide fresh content without requiring additional effort to update your website regularly.
- Brand promotion: An Instagram feed can help promote your brand and social media presence to website visitors.
- Improved aesthetics: Instagram feeds can enhance the visual appeal of your website, especially if you are using high-quality images.
Cons:
- Slow load times: Adding an Instagram feed can sometimes slow down the load time of your website, which can negatively impact user experience.
- Limited customization: Instagram feeds are usually limited in terms of customization, so you may not be able to fully match your website’s design and branding.
- Distraction: An Instagram feed on your website can be distracting and draw visitors’ attention away from your primary website content.
- Dependency on a third-party platform: By adding an Instagram feed, you are relying on Instagram’s API, which can sometimes have issues or limitations beyond your control.
FAQ
What limitations does the Instagram block come with?
The Instagram block on Squarespace doesn’t support Instagram stories, shared posts, or reels. It will only display standard profile posts posted by the attached account.
Will the Instagram block work with a private account?
Sort of. Posts will appear on the Instagram block but won’t lead anywhere when clicked. We don’t recommend using a private account with this feature if you don’t want to cause any harm to your SEO score.
Does the Instagram block support posts with multiple images?
The Instagram block will only display the first image in the post. You can change the block settings so that when an image is clicked, it will bring your users to the post on Instagram so they can view other images.
What stuff can I post on my Instagram to showcase on my Squarespace store?
Think about the products you sell. If you sell homemade jewelry, book a local photographer for a modeling photoshoot to showcase the products being worn. If you sell doggy-related products, take photos of your or a friend’s dog using the products and post them on your feed. The possibilities are endless. Be creative!
Summary
Instagram blocks are helpful for those who like to add new content in different ways to their store or site. They can bring a fresh look and personal feel to your store and the opportunity to obtain more followers on your Instagram account where you otherwise wouldn’t.
If you found the above content helpful. Check out our Squarespace academy for more information on improving your Squarespace storefront or website. If you found anything unclear or are looking for more information, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’re happy to help where we can.
