Boost Engagement with Instagram on Your WordPress Website

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Benefits of Displaying Instagram Content on Your WordPress Website
3. Step 1: Installing the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed Plugin
4. Step 2: Adding a Source for Instagram Feed
5. Step 3: Customizing Your Instagram Feed
6. Step 4: Embedding Your Instagram Feed on Your WordPress Website
7. Instagram Feed Pro: Additional Features and Benefits
8. Conclusion

Introduction

Are you looking for ways to boost engagement on your WordPress website? One effective way to do so is by displaying your Instagram content on your site. By doing this, you can present fresh and relevant content to your visitors while also growing your Instagram followers. In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating an Instagram feed for your WordPress website using the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin. This plugin allows you to create beautiful and responsive Instagram feeds in just a matter of minutes, and the best part is, you can do it for absolutely free. So, let's get started with the tutorial!

Benefits of Displaying Instagram Content on Your WordPress Website

Displaying your Instagram content on your WordPress website offers several benefits. Firstly, it allows you to provide your visitors with fresh and visually appealing content. Instead of relying solely on your WordPress blog or website content, you can supplement it with high-quality images and videos from your Instagram account. This not only makes your website more visually engaging but also helps you showcase your products, services, or brand in a more dynamic way.

Secondly, integrating your Instagram feed with your WordPress website can also help you grow your Instagram followers. When visitors come across your Instagram content on your website, they are more likely to click through and follow your Instagram account. This can significantly increase your Instagram follower count and expand your reach on the platform.

Another benefit of displaying your Instagram feed on your WordPress website is that it helps with content curation. Instead of manually adding photos or videos to your website, the Instagram feed plugin automatically pulls your latest Instagram posts and displays them on your site. This saves you time and effort, as you don't have to constantly update your website with new images. Plus, it ensures that your website always has fresh, up-to-date content.

Additionally, showcasing your Instagram feed on your WordPress website can improve the overall user experience. Instagram content is highly visual and engaging, and by incorporating it into your website, you can provide a more interactive and visually appealing browsing experience to your visitors. This can lead to increased time spent on your website, lower bounce rates, and higher conversion rates.

Overall, displaying your Instagram content on your WordPress website offers numerous benefits in terms of engagement, follower growth, content curation, and user experience. Now, let's dive into the step-by-step process of creating an Instagram feed for your WordPress website using the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin.

Step 1: Installing the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed Plugin

To begin, you'll need to install the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin on your WordPress website. This plugin is the free version of Instagram Feed Pro, which is considered the best Instagram feed plugin for WordPress. Follow these steps to install the plugin:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to the "Plugins" section on the left-hand side menu.
3. Click on "Add New" and search for "Social Photo Feed."
4. Look for the plugin named "Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed" and click on "Install Now."
5. Once the installation is complete, click on "Activate."

Now that you have the Smash Balloon Instagram feed plugin installed and activated, you're ready to create your first Instagram feed for your WordPress website.

Step 2: Adding a Source for Instagram Feed

After activating the plugin, you'll notice a new option called "Instagram Feed" in the left-hand side menu of your WordPress dashboard. Follow these steps to add a source for your Instagram feed:

1. Hover over "Instagram Feed" and click on "All Feeds."
2. Next, click on "Add New" at the top.
3. By default, you'll see that "Your Instagram Account" is already selected. This option allows you to create a feed of posts from your Instagram timeline.
4. Click on "Next" to proceed.

Now, you'll need to connect your Instagram account to the Smash Balloon plugin. Here's how:

1. Click on "Add Source" to specify your Instagram account.
2. Choose whether your account is a personal or business Instagram account.
3. To connect your account, click on "Log in with Facebook."
4. Log in to your Facebook account if you haven't already.
5. Once logged in, select the Instagram account you want to connect with Smash Balloon.
6. Click on "Next."

Next, you'll need to select the Facebook page associated with your Instagram account. Follow these steps:

1. Choose the appropriate Facebook page from the list.
2. Click on "Next."

At this point, you'll be asked for permission to connect Smash Balloon with your Facebook and Instagram accounts. It's important to note that this permission is required for the plugin to access the necessary data to create your Instagram feed. However, it won't have the ability to make any changes to your Facebook or Instagram accounts. To proceed:

1. Leave the default options as they are.
2. Click on "Done."

You have now successfully linked Smash Balloon to your Facebook account. Click on "OK" to confirm the security confirmation asking if you want to connect your domain to your Instagram account.

Back inside your WordPress dashboard, you'll be able to see the Instagram page you just added. Click on it and then click on "Add." This will select it as a source for your Instagram feed. Finally, click on "Next" to proceed.

Step 3: Customizing Your Instagram Feed

Now that you have added a source for your Instagram feed, it's time to customize it to your liking. The Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin offers various customization options. Here's how you can modify your feed:

1. Under "Customize" on the left-hand side of the dashboard, click on "Feed Layout."
2. In the free version of the plugin, you can choose the "Grid" layout type.
3. You can specify the number of posts you want to display on desktop and mobile by entering the desired number in the respective fields.
4. You can also modify the number of columns for desktop, tablet, and mobile by selecting the appropriate option from the dropdown menu.