How To Share a Post on Instagram: Spreading the Love on IG

The feeling of seeing a post or Instagram Reel that knocks your socks off is all too familiar. You’re casually scrolling through the app and stumble upon the funniest or most interesting Reel. Your next thought is probably, “I need my friends to see this!” But how do you show it to them? Today, we’re going to teach you how to share a post on Instagram.

Being able to share cool, original content with others is one of the best things about Instagram. Whether it’s a Reel featuring a new restaurant or a cute dress you want to buy, you’ll be itching to share content with others every day. But how do you do it?

Knowing how to share posts on the app is also important for influencers and businesses. It’s a way to get more eyeballs on your content. For brands specifically, it’s a way to maximize user-generated content that your happy customers post.

Here’s how to share a post on Instagram, whether you want it on Instagram Stories, direct messages or even your feed.

Why You Should Know How To Share a Post on Instagram

There are two main reasons why someone would want to learn how to share a post on Instagram.

The first is because sharing funny, relatable content with others has become something of a love language to you. The second is because you want more people to see posts about your brand.

Both reasons to want to share posts on Instagram are super valid. That’s what Instagram was built for in the first place—sharing visual content with others. And while you might already know the benefits of sharing posts on the platform, you must also know your limitations.

Let’s take a deep dive into the two reasons for sharing Instagram posts and important reminders for each one.

To Share Content You Find Interesting With Friends

Many Instagram users have slowly become the type to scroll through the app and share funny Reels and posts with their friends.

Women might share content about clothes and makeup with friends to ask their opinion on them before making a purchase. Couples might share travel content to plan their honeymoon. Friends share new songs on their Instagram Stories. You could even share a friend’s art or upcoming project on the app. The list goes on and on.

Sharing Instagram content with others has become the norm. However, you still have to be strategic about sharing content on your Stories. You can’t keep sharing Reel after Reel just because they excite you.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said it himself. The Instagram algorithm prioritizes original content over shared ones. So, exercise some restraint after learning how to share a post on Instagram. It’s important to balance it with original content if you don’t want your posts to fall in Instagram’s rankings.

To Share User-Generated Content To Boost Your Business

The second reason for wanting to learn how to share a post on Instagram is mainly for businesses. Many brands share content on their feed and Instagram Stories because of a marketing trend taking Instagram by storm—user-generated content.

If your brand’s target audience is Gen Z or Millennials, listen closely. Today, young people aren’t as receptive to traditional ads. They’d much rather see and listen to real, authentic peers wearing, reviewing and talking about products on their platforms.

That’s where user-generated content comes in. This type of content is made spontaneously by a brand’s customers. It includes OOTD shots for fashion brands and review videos for tech products and services. Around 78% of Millennials and 70% of Gen Z said that content like this helps them make purchase decisions.

As a brand, what you need to do to maximize this behavior is to share these posts on Instagram. When a follower posts about your product, share it on your Instagram Stories so more people see it. It’s an effective (and cost-efficient) way to pique consumers’ curiosity about your brand and maybe make their purchase.

That said, you also shouldn’t overdo sharing people’s posts on your business profile. You don’t have to share everyone’s UGC. Pick only the best ones and plan when to post them. That way, your feed looks neat and aligned with your aesthetic, never crowded and overwhelming.

Cross-Promoting Content: How To Share a Post on Instagram Story

Now that we’ve covered why you should know how to share a post on Instagram, let’s get to how you do it.

The first way to share someone’s original content is through Instagram Stories. Because Stories expire in 24 hours, there’s less pressure to limit your post shares. They’ll disappear anyway. It’s a great way to share cool content with friends casually.

It’s a quick and easy way for businesses to maximize UGC, even if you don’t plan on reposting it to your feed. It’s also a smart way to cross-promote your original content. You can share old posts from your feed to your Instagram Stories to “bump” them up. That way, you know your target audience sees that post, in case they didn’t catch it when you first posted it.

Found an interesting post you want to share with others or user-generated content you want your target audience to see? Here’s how to share a post on Instagram Story:

1. Find the feed post or Instagram Reel you want to share on your Story.

2. Click the paper airplane icon on the post. For feed posts, this will be right below the photo or video, next to the comment icon. For Reels, it will be on the right side of the screen, below the comment icon.

3. On the bottom of the screen that pops up, click the “Add to the story” icon.

4. Personalize your Instagram Stories by adding stickers, text, music, GIFs and more.

5. Finally, hit the post button to share it with your target audience.

How To Share a Post on Instagram if They Mention You in the Story

Sharing someone’s post on your Instagram Stories is a breeze. But it’s even easier if they mention you in their Story. Here’s how to share a post on Instagram if the original poster tagged you in their Story:

1. Open your direct messages on Instagram.

2. Open the message from the person that says they’ve mentioned you in their Instagram Stories.

3. Click “Add this to your story.”

4. Use the Story editor to personalize it further with GIFs, text, stickers and more.

5. Hit the post button to share it with your followers.

How To Share a Post With Someone on Instagram Through DM

Sometimes, you want to share an Instagram post with only one specific person, not your entire follower count. Thankfully, how to share a post on Instagram via DM is super easy and takes no more than a few seconds. That way, you can keep your conversation about this content private.

Here’s how to share a post with someone on Instagram through a direct message:

1. Find the Instagram Reel or post you want to send to a friend.

2. Click the paper airplane icon.

3. The screen that pops up will show you a list of people you have recently messaged. Click the icon with your friend’s name on it from the list. Alternatively, you can search for someone’s username in case they aren’t on the initial list that comes up.

4. Add a message (for their eyes only!) and hit send.

Note that your friend may not be able to see the post if the original creator is on private. They must either be public or followed by your friend so that they can see the post you shared. Instagram won’t notify he person who originally uploaded the post that you shared their content with someone.

How To Share a Post on Instagram Outside of the App

You can also share an Instagram post with someone even if they aren’t on the app themselves. Just send them a link so they can open it straight from the app you use to message them. Here’s how to share a post on Instagram via a link, step by step:

1. Find the post you want to share with them.

2. Click the paper airplane icon.

3. Ignore the list of people that pop up and look at the bottom of the screen. You can click “Share to” and select the app or conversation to which you want to send the link. Alternatively, you can click “Copy link,” go to another messaging app and paste it into a message for a friend. Then, hit send.

Maximizing UGCs: How To Share a Post on Instagram to My Feed

If you’re a business, you’ve probably seen user-generated content that fits your aesthetic. You’ve probably wanted to share it on your feed as well. Sadly, this isn’t possible with Instagram’s current post-sharing functions.

Someone’s post will only come up on your feed if you have joint posts. Customers or influencers you work with can do this through the collab feature. To do an Instagram collab with someone, they must invite you to collaborate before they upload their post. You must accept this invitation for it to appear on your feed.

This can be frustrating for brands that want to share user-generated content on their profile. Business owners may constantly think, “I want to learn how to share a post on Instagram to my feed!” Sadly, they’ll find no way to do it straight from the app.

If you want to know how to share a post on Instagram to your feed, you must be creative and open-minded. That’s because the only ways to do that are to screenshot the original post or ask the creator for a copy. Plus, you’ll need their explicit permission before you post their content.

How To Share a Post on Instagram with Explicit Permission

If you share someone’s post on your feed, you should always ask their permission first. Just because they featured your product in their photos doesn’t mean you can use their content freely.

There are plenty of ways to do this respectfully. Here’s how to share a post on Insta by getting explicit permission from the owner first:

·   Message them directly. Tell them how much you liked their content and want to post it to the brand’s page. Ask them if it would be okay to have a copy of their photo. Alternatively, give them a heads-up that you will take a screenshot since Instagram doesn’t notify people of this.

·   Engage with them in the comments. Give them a compliment or two about their post and thank them for the feature. Then, ask if you can repost their original content on your feed as UGC.

·   If they’re an influencer, reach out via email. Their email address will likely be publicly available on their page. Email them and ask if you can share their photos on the brand’s Instagram page. This is the most professional approach of the three and is for influencers and personalities with celebrity status.

If they say yes, then you can go ahead and repost their content on your page. Always remember to credit them in the caption. This is the least you can do for someone who has created beautiful user-generated content for your brand. It also strengthens your relationship with this consumer.

How Do You Share a Post on Instagram From a Private Account?

It’s easy to share posts from public accounts. Just a touch of a button, and their content will be up on your Instagram Stories or DMs in no time. But have you ever wondered how to share a post on Instagram if a private account makes it?

Due to Instagram’s strict privacy policy, you can only share a post to your Stories if the profile is public. If a person’s account is private, you can’t share their posts, even if you follow them.

But Instagram isn’t that inflexible. They have content-sharing settings available for those with private accounts. These settings allow others to share their content to a certain degree.

They work for two things. The first is letting people share your Story on theirs if you mention them. The next is letting people share your feed posts via direct message.

So, how do you share a post on Instagram from someone who is on private? Simple—you ask them if they can enable their content-sharing setting. Here’s how you can enable this setting:

1. On your Instagram profile, click the hamburger menu in the top-right corner.

2. Click Settings > Privacy > Story.

3. Scroll down to the “Sharing” section. Switch the toggle to “Allow others to share your story” and/or “Allow sharing to messages.” Once you’ve ticked those two switches, others can share your content even if your account is private.

And That’s How To Share a Post on Instagram To Maximize Reach!

That’s everything you need to know about how to share a post on Instagram. Luckily, sharing posts on your feed, messages, and Instagram Stories is easy. It’s a fantastic way to share interesting content with loved ones and promote your brand.

Of course, remember to be thoughtful about how much content you post. Don’t overwhelm your followers with too many post shares. Remember that original content is king on Instagram. And if you’re sharing user-generated content from someone with a private account, always ask explicit permission first.Want to share posts with a bigger audience? We can help you out! Path Social has a unique targeting tool that pushes out your interesting content to people most likely to love it. That way, you can share as many posts as you want and know that a huge community will see them. Boost your follower count today with Path Social!