Your Instagram posts make great content for your website. By creating an Instagram feed, you can keep your site fresh and interesting while also promoting your Instagram account.

In this article, we’ll show you how to display your Instagram photos and videos in the WordPress sidebar widget.

Why Add an Instagram Feed to Your WordPress Site?

With more than a billion monthly active users, Instagram is a great place to promote your products, services, and blog posts.

Depending on your industry, Instagram may even be the most important part of your social media strategy. For example, Instagram is particularly popular among top fashion blogs, cooking, lifestyle, and photography websites.

However, people won’t see your Instagram posts if they only visit your website. This can make it difficult to grow your Instagram following and get engagement on your photos and videos.

With that being said, it’s a good idea to add an Instagram feed to your WordPress website. By showing your latest posts, you can promote your Instagram account in an engaging and eye-catching way.

This will get more traffic to your Instagram page and encourage visitors to interact with your posts by leaving comments, clicking on the ‘Share’ button, and more.

The feed will also update automatically every time you make a new Instagram post, so it’s a great way to keep your website fresh.

That being said, let’s take a look at how to easily display Instagram photos in the WordPress sidebar widget.

How to Install an Instagram Photos Plugin

The best way to display Instagram photos in a WordPress sidebar or similar widget is by using Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed. This free plugin lets you show photos from one or more Instagram accounts in a fully customizable feed.

After creating a feed, you can add it to the sidebar using either a shortcode or block.

In this guide, we’ll be using the free version of Smash Balloon, as it has everything you need to embed an Instagram feed. However, there’s also a Pro version that allows you to display hashtag feeds, add Instagram shoppable images in WordPress, and more.

Before getting started, you’ll need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook page. If you have a personal Instagram account, then you may also want to turn it into a business account, as this allows Smash Balloon to show your Instagram bio and header automatically.

For step-by-step instructions on how to do both of these things, check out our FAQ section at the end of the post.

When you’re ready, go ahead and install and activate the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin. For more details, see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

How to Connect an Instagram Account to WordPress

After activating the plugin, it’s time to connect your Instagram account to WordPress. Simply go to Instagram Feed » Settings and then click on ‘Add New.’

With Smash Balloon Pro, you can create feeds from tagged posts and hashtags, or even create a social wall with content from lots of different websites, including YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Since we’re using the free version, simply select ‘User Timeline’ and then click on ‘Next.’

After that, you’ll need to choose the Instagram account where you’ll get the photos from.

To get started, click on ‘Add Source.’

On the next screen, choose whether you want to display photos from a personal or business Instagram account.

If you check the box next to ‘Personal,’ then Smash Balloon won’t include the Instagram avatar and bio in your header by default. However, you can always add the avatar and bio manually in the plugin’s settings.

After choosing ‘Personal’ or ‘Business,’ go ahead and click on ‘Login with Facebook.’

You can now check the Instagram account that you want to use and click on ‘Next.’

After that, check the box next to the Facebook page that’s linked to your Instagram account.

With that done, go ahead and click on ‘Next.’

Smash Balloon will now show a popup listing all the information it will have access to and the actions it can perform.

To restrict Smash Balloon’s access to your Instagram account, click any of the switches to turn it from ‘Yes’ to ‘No.’ Just be aware that this may affect the photos and videos that you can embed on your WordPress blog or website.

With that being said, we recommend leaving all the switches enabled.

When you’re ready, click on ‘Done.’

You’ll now see a popup with the Instagram account you just linked to WordPress.

Simply check the box next to the account and then click on ‘Add.’

Smash Balloon will now take you back to Instagram Feeds » All Feeds automatically.

To create a feed, simply check the box next to your Instagram account. Then, click on ‘Next.’

The plugin will now create an Instagram photo feed for your website, and then open that feed in the Smash Balloon editor.

How to Customize Your Instagram Photo Feed

You can use the editor to fine-tune how Instagram photos look on your website.

On the right, you’ll see a preview of your Instagram photo feed. On the left-hand side are all the settings you can use to customize the photo feed.

Most of these settings are self-explanatory, but we’ll quickly cover some key areas.

To start, you can change the feed layout and add padding by selecting ‘Feed Layout’ from the left-hand menu. As you make changes, the preview will update automatically, so you can try different settings to see what works best for your Instagram photo feed.

By default, Smash Balloon shows the same number of posts on desktop computers and mobile devices.

You can preview how the Instagram feed will look on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones using the row of buttons in the upper-right corner. By testing different layouts, you can create an Instagram feed that looks great, no matter what device the visitor is using.

Smartphones and tablets typically have smaller screens and less processing power, so you may want to show fewer photos and videos on mobile devices.

To do this, simply type a different number into the ‘Mobile’ field under ‘Number of Posts.’

By default, the Facebook feed shows fewer columns on smartphones and tablets, compared to desktop computers. This helps your photos and videos fit comfortably on smaller screens.

After testing the mobile version of your WordPress website, you may be unhappy with how the columns look on smartphones and tablets. If this is the case, then you can show fewer columns by changing the numbers in the ‘Columns’ section.

When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, click on the ‘Customize’ link.

This will take you back to the main Smash Balloon editor, where you can explore the next settings screen, which is ‘Color Scheme.’

By default, Smash Balloon uses a color scheme inherited from your WordPress theme, but it also has ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ themes that you can use.

Another option is creating your own color scheme by selecting ‘Custom’ and then using the controls to change the background color, edit the button color, change the text color, and more.

By default, Smash Balloon adds a header to your feed, which is your Instagram profile picture and the name of your page. To change how this section looks, click on ‘Header’ in the left-hand menu.

On this screen, you can change the size and color of the header, and show or hide your Instagram bio.

Sometimes, you may want to show a different profile picture. For example, your Instagram avatar may clash with your WordPress theme.

To do this, simply click on ‘Add Image’ under ‘Show custom avatar.’

You can then either choose an image from the WordPress media library or upload a new photo from your computer.

Similarly, you can show a different bio. For example, you may want to introduce your Instagram feed or encourage people to follow you for more great content.

To replace the Instagram bio, simply type into the ‘Add custom bio’ box.

Smash Balloon automatically analyzes your Instagram photos and displays them at the best resolution. While we recommend using these default settings, it is possible to make the images bigger or smaller.

To change the image size, click on ‘Posts’ from the left-hand menu. Then, select the ‘Images and Videos’ option.

You can now choose between thumbnail, medium, and full-size using the dropdown menu.

If you’re unhappy with the results, then you can return to this screen at any point and select ‘Auto-detect (Recommended)’ from the dropdown menu.

By default, Smash Balloon adds a ‘Load More’ button to the bottom of your Instagram feed, which allows visitors to scroll through more of your photos and videos.

Since it’s such an important button, you may want to customize it by selecting the ‘Load More Button’ option from the left-hand menu.

Here, you can help ‘Load More stand out by changing its background color, text color, and hover state.

You can also change the button’s label by typing into the ‘Text’ field.

Another option is to remove the button completely by clicking the ‘Enable’ toggle. In this way, you can encourage people to visit your Instagram by limiting the number of posts they can see on your website.

If visitors like what they see, they may decide to follow you on Instagram using the ‘Follow on Instagram’ button that Smash Balloon adds automatically.

With that in mind, you may want to help the button stand out by selecting ‘Follow Button’ in the left-hand menu.

Here, you can change the button’s background color, hover state, and text color.

By default, the button has a general ‘Follow on Instagram’ label.

You can replace this with your own messaging by typing into the ‘Text’ field.

When you’re happy with how the Instagram feed looks, don’t forget to click on ‘Save’ to store your changes. You’re now ready to add the Instagram feed to your WordPress sidebar widget.

How to Add Your Instagram Photos in WordPress Sidebar Widget

You can add your feed to the sidebar or similar section using the Instagram Feed block.

If you’ve created more than one feed using Smash Balloon, then you’ll need to know the feed’s code.

Simply go to Instagram » All Feeds and then copy the value in the ‘Shortcode’ column.

In the following image, we’ll need to use instagram-feed feed=1.

With that done, go to Appearance » Widgets in the WordPress dashboard.

Then click on the blue ‘+’ button.

In the search bar, type in ‘Instagram Feed’ and select the right widget when it appears.

WordPress has a built-in Instagram widget, so make sure you choose the one that shows the official Instagram logo.

After that, simply drag the widget onto the area where you want to show the Instagram feed, such as the sidebar or similar section.

The widget will automatically show one of the feeds you created using Smash Balloon.

To show a different feed instead, simply type the feed’s shortcode into the ‘Shortcode Settings’ box and then click on ‘Apply Changes.’

You can now click on the ‘Update’ button to make the widget live. For more information, please see our step-by-step guide on how to add and use widgets in WordPress.

If you’re using a block-enabled theme, then you can add an Instagram feed to the sidebar using the full-site editor. To get started, simply go to Appearance » Editor.

In the editor, simply click to select the sidebar section and then click on the ‘+’ button.

You can then start typing in ‘Instagram Feed’ and select the right block when it appears.

By default, the full-site editor will show one of the Instagram feeds you created using Smash Balloon. To show a different feed, simply add the shortcode following the same process described above.

When you’re happy with how the Instagram feed looks, click on ‘Save’ to make your changes live.

How to Display a Specific Instagram Photo in WordPress

Sometimes you may want to show a specific Instagram post on your website. This might be your most popular photo, an evergreen post, or even a social media contest that you’re currently running.

In the past, you could easily embed an Instagram post in WordPress using a protocol known as oEmbed. However, Facebook changed the way that oEmbed works, so you can no longer easily embed Instagram photos in WordPress.

The good news is that Smash Balloon can fix the Facebook and Instagram oEmbed issue. This allows you to easily embed a specific Instagram post in any page, post, or widget-ready area, such as the sidebar.

To enable this feature, simply go to Instagram Feed » oEmbeds. You can then click on the ‘Enable’ button.

After that, go to Appearance » Widgets and click on the blue ‘+’ button.

In the search bar, type in ‘Embed’ to find the right block.

When the ‘Embed’ block appears, drag it onto the area where you want to show the photo.

In the ‘Embed’ field, simply paste the URL of the Instagram post that you want to show on your website. Then, click on ‘Embed.’

WordPress will now show the specific Instagram post.

If you’re happy with how it looks, then click on ‘Update’ to make it live.

Now, if you visit your website, you’ll see the Instagram post live.

If you’re using a block-enabled theme, then you’ll need to add specific Instagram posts using the full-site editor.

To do this, simply enable Smash Balloon’s oEmbed feature and get the Instagram post’s URL by following the same process described above.

After that, open the full-site editor by going to Appearance » Editor in the WordPress dashboard. Once you’re inside the full-site editor, click on the ‘+’ button in the sidebar section and then type in ‘Embed.’

When the right block appears, click to add it to the sidebar.

You can then add the URL for the post you want to embed and click on the ‘Embed’ button.

The full-site editor will now show the Instagram post.

If you’re happy with how it looks, then click on ‘Save’ to publish this photo or video to the block-enabled sidebar.

FAQs About Displaying Instagram Posts in WordPress

Smash Balloon makes it easy to create a custom Instagram feed or even display specific Instagram posts on your WordPress website.

That being said, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about showing Instagram posts on WordPress.

How Do I Create an Instagram Business Account?

Smash Balloon can display photos from either a personal or business Instagram account.

However, Smash Balloon can’t automatically fetch the Instagram avatar and bio from a personal Instagram account. Instead, you’ll need to add the avatar and bio manually in the plugin’s settings.

With that being said, you may want to check whether you have a personal or business account, and then switch to a business account if necessary.

To do this, simply visit your Instagram account and click on the lined icon in the side menu.

After that, click on ‘Settings.’

If you don’t have a business account, then this screen will show ‘Switch to professional account’ as the last option.

If you currently have a personal account and want to switch to a business account, then simply click on this link.

How Do I Connect a Facebook Page to an Instagram Account?

Before you can display Instagram photos in WordPress, you’ll first need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook page.

To do this, head over to the Facebook page that you want to use and then click on ‘Settings’ in the left-hand menu.

Once you’ve done that, click on ‘Linked Account.’ You can now select ‘Instagram’ and click on the ‘Connect’ button.

Facebook will now show all the actions it can perform, and the information it can access.

If you’re happy with this, then click on the ‘Connect’ button.

Just be aware that the people who manage your Facebook page may be able to see your Instagram messages and respond to them. If you want to stop this and keep your messages private, then click to disable the slider.

When you’re ready to move to the next screen, click on ‘Confirm.’

This opens a popup where you can type in your Instagram username and password.

After that, click on the ‘Log in’ button.

After a few moments, you’ll see a message saying that your Instagram and Facebook accounts are now connected.

We hope this article helped you learn how to display Instagram photos in a WordPress sidebar widget. You may also want to see our guide on how to create a custom Facebook feed in WordPress, or see our expert pick of social proof plugins for WordPress and WooCommerce.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Display Instagram Photos in WordPress Sidebar Widget first appeared on WPBeginner.

If you’ve previously added Facebook or Instagram content to WordPress using the default oEmbed or Embed block, then this feature no longer works. This can cause errors and missing content on your WordPress website.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to fix the Facebook and Instagram embed issue, so visitors can enjoy social content on your WordPress website.

What is the Facebook and Instagram oEmbed Issue in WordPress?

In the past, you could easily embed Instagram and Facebook posts in WordPress using a protocol known as oEmbed.

However, Facebook changed the way that oEmbed works so you can no longer easily embed videos, pictures, updates, and other content from Facebook or Instagram.

Instead, you now need to register an app and use a client token to get data from the Facebook Graph API, before you can embed Facebook or Instagram content on your WordPress blog.

This would take a lot of time and effort, especially if you want to show lots of different social posts across your website. With that in mind, the people behind WordPress decided to remove the Facebook and Instagram embed feature.

If you previously added any Facebook content to your website using oEmbed, it’ll now look something like the following image.

If you embedded any Instagram posts using oEmbed, then you’ll get a similar error.

This is a bad user experience, and some visitors may assume that your website is broken, no longer maintained, or that you’re not a trustworthy or reliable business.

There are ways to fix the problem manually. For example, you might go through each page and post and delete the embedded content. However, this would take a lot of time and effort, and there’s no guarantee you’ll manage to find every broken embed.

With that being said, let’s see how you can easily fix the Facebook and Instagram oEmbed issue on WordPress.

How to Fix the Facebook & Instagram oEmbed Issue

The easiest way to fix the oEmbed issue is by using one of the free Smash Balloon plugins.

If you want to embed Instagram posts in WordPress, then you’ll need the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin.

Want to embed a Facebook post in WordPress? Then you can use the free Smash Balloon Social Post Feed plugin instead.

First, you need to install and activate the plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After installing either plugin, simply head over to Instagram Feed » oEmbeds or Facebook Feed » oEmbeds, depending on the plugin you’re using.

We’re using the Social Photo Feed plugin in all our images, but the steps will be exactly the same no matter what plugin you’re using.

On this screen, simply click on the ‘Enable’ button.

That’s it. You can now embed Facebook and Instagram posts on your WordPress website.

How to Embed Instagram or Facebook Posts in WordPress

Whether you’re using Facebook or Instagram, you can embed a specific post in any page, post, or widget-ready area, such as the sidebar.

One option is to open the page or post where you want to show the social content. Then, click on the ‘+’ icon and type in ‘Embed.’

When the right block appears, click to add it to the page or post.

In the ‘Embed’ field, simply paste the URL of the Instagram or Facebook post that you want to show on your website.

Then, click on ‘Embed.’

WordPress will now show that specific post. When you’re ready to make the post live, simply click on ‘Update’ or ‘Publish.’

Now when you visit the page, you’ll see the social media post live.

Another option is adding the Instagram or Facebook post to a widget-ready area such as the sidebar. That way, you can promote the same post across every page of your website.

For example, you might embed your most popular Instagram post or a post promoting a sale or social media contest you’re using to grow your site.

To add a Facebook or Instagram post to a widget-ready area, simply go to Appearance » Widgets and click on the blue ‘+’ button.

In the search bar, type in ‘Embed’ to find the right block.

When the ‘Embed’ block appears, drag it onto the area where you want to show the Facebook or Instagram post.

In the ‘Embed’ field, simply paste the URL of the Instagram or Facebook post that you want to show on your website. Then, click on ‘Embed.’

WordPress will now show that specific post.

If you’re happy with how it looks, then click on ‘Update’ to make it live.

Now, when you visit your website, you’ll see the Instagram or Facebook post live.

How to Add an Instagram or Facebook Feed to WordPress

With the free Smash Balloon plugins, it’s easy to fix the oEmbed issue so you can add Facebook and Instagram posts to your website.

This is great if you only want to embed a small number of posts or you want to control exactly where each social post appears on WordPress. However, you may also want to embed a Facebook or Instagram feed on your website.

By creating a feed, you can show all your latest posts in a nice layout. Even better, the feed will update automatically so visitors will always see the newest posts without you having to update your site manually.

This can keep your site fresh and interesting, even for regular visitors.

If you want to embed Instagram content in WordPress, then you can use the Smash Balloon Instagram Feed plugin.

Want to create a feed showing your latest Facebook status posts, videos, reviews, and more?

Then you can use the Smash Balloon Facebook Feed plugin.

Want to add both Facebook and Instagram feeds to your WordPress website? Then you may want to look at Smash Balloon Social Wall.

This powerful plugin lets you combine any feeds you’ve created using the Smash Balloon plugins, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube feeds, and more.

For example, if you’ve set up the Facebook Feed and Instagram Feed plugins, then you can simply go to Social Feeds » Create a Social Wall in your WordPress dashboard.

Here, you’ll see all the different feeds you’ve created so far.

Simply select each feed that you want to add to the social wall.

For example, you can combine posts from your Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Small Balloon Social Wall will then create a shortcode that allows you to add the social wall to any page, post, or widget-ready area.

For more information about working with shortcodes, please see our guide on how to add a shortcode in WordPress.

After placing the shortcode, simply save or publish your changes to make them live.

Now, if you visit your website, you’ll see a social wall featuring all the latest posts from your different accounts and platforms.

We hope this article helped you learn how to fix the Facebook and Instagram oEmbed issue in WordPress. You may also want to see our expert pick of the best social media plugins for WordPress, and our guide on how to create an email newsletter.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Fix the Facebook and Instagram oEmbed Issue in WordPress first appeared on WPBeginner.

Showing Instagram photos and videos on your website helps keep your content fresh, increases user engagement, and builds trust. It’s also a great way to promote your Instagram account and get more followers.

In this article, we will show you how to embed Instagram in WordPress, step-by-step.

Why Embed Instagram on Your WordPress Site?

With over 1.21 billion monthly active users, Instagram is a great place to promote your products and services, build brand awareness, and grow your audience.

However, people won’t see your Instagram content if they just visit your website. With that in mind, it’s smart to embed your Instagram feed in WordPress, so everyone can see it.

This is an easy way to promote your social media page and encourage more people to follow you on Instagram. It can also keep your WordPress website fresh, since new Instagram posts will appear on your site automatically.

All of this new content can improve the search engine optimization (SEO) of your site, and encourage visitors to keep coming back to check the latest posts.

You can even display reviews in WordPress, show hashtag feeds, and embed any posts you’ve been tagged in. All of this is powerful social proof that can build trust and get you more sales.

With that being said, let’s see how you can embed an Instagram feed in WordPress.

How to Install an Instagram Photos Plugin

The best way to embed Instagram in WordPress is by using the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed.

This free plugin lets you show photos from one or more Instagram accounts, in a fully customizable feed.

In this guide, we’ll be using the free version of Smash Balloon as it has everything you need to add an Instagram feed to your WordPress website. However, there’s also a pro version that allows you to display hashtag feeds, add Instagram shoppable images, and more.

Before getting started, you’ll need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook page. If you have a personal Instagram account, then you may also want to turn it into a business account as this allows Smash Balloon to show your Instagram bio and header automatically.

For step-by-step instructions on how to do both of these things, see the FAQ section at the end of this guide.

When you’re ready, go ahead and install and activate the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed plugin. For more details, see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

How to Connect an Instagram Account to WordPress

After activating the plugin, your first task is connecting your Instagram account to WordPress. Simply go to Instagram Feed » Settings and then click on ‘Add New.’

With Smash Balloon pro, you can create feeds from tagged posts and hashtags, or even create a social wall with content from lots of different social media websites.

Since we’re using the free plugin, simply select ‘User Timeline’ and then click on ‘Next.’

Now, simply choose the Instagram account where you’ll get the photo feed from.

To get started, click on the ‘Add Source’ button.

On the next screen, choose whether you want to show photos from a personal or business Instagram account.

If you check the box next to ‘Personal’ then Smash Balloon won’t include the Instagram avatar and bio in your header by default. However, you can always add the Instagram avatar and bio later in the plugin’s settings.

After choosing ‘Personal’ or ‘Business,’ go ahead and click on ‘Login with Facebook.’

You can now select the Instagram account that you want to feature on your WordPress website, and click on ‘Next.’

After that, check the box next to the Facebook page that’s linked to your Instagram account.

When you’ve done that, click on the ‘Next’ button.

You’ll now see a popup with all the information Smash Balloon will have access to and the actions it can perform.

To restrict Smash Balloon’s access to your Instagram account, just click any of the switches to turn it from ‘Yes’ to ‘No.’ Just be aware that this may affect the photos and videos that you can show on your WordPress blog or website.

With that in mind, we recommend leaving all the switches enabled.

When you’re happy with the settings, click on ‘Done.’

You’ll now see a popup with the Instagram account you just added to your website.

Simply check the box next to that account and then click on ‘Add.’

Smash Balloon will now take you back to the Instagram Feeds » All Feeds screen.

To create a feed, simply check the box next to the Instagram account that you want to use. Then, click on ‘Next.’

The plugin will now create an Instagram photo feed that you can add to any page, post, or widget-ready area.

However, before embedding the Instagram feed you may want to customize how it looks and add any missing information.

How to Customize Your Instagram Photo Feed

By default, Smash Balloon will open your feed in its editor ready for you to customize.

On the right, you’ll see a preview of your Instagram photo feed. On the left-hand side are all the settings you can use to customize the photo feed.

Most of these settings are self-explanatory, but we’ll quickly cover some key areas.

To start, you can change the Instagram photo layout and add padding by selecting ‘Feed Layout’ from the left-hand menu.

As you make changes, the preview will update automatically so you can try different settings to see what looks the best.

By default, Smash Balloon shows the same number of photos whether the users are on desktop computers or mobile devices.

You can preview how the Instagram feed will look on desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones using the row of buttons in the upper-right corner.

Smartphones and tablets typically have smaller screens and less processing power, so you may want to show fewer Instagram photos and videos on mobile devices.

To do this, just type a different number into the ‘Mobile’ field under ‘Number of Posts.’

By creating different layouts for smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers you can make sure the feed looks great, no matter what device the visitor is using.

By default, the plugin feed shows fewer columns on smartphones and tablets, compared to desktop computers. This helps your photos and videos fit comfortably on smaller screens.

To change these default settings, simply type new numbers into the ‘Columns’ settings.

After making your changes, click on the ‘Customize’ link.

This will take you back to the main Smash Balloon editor, ready for you to explore the next settings screen, which is ‘Color Scheme.’

By default, Smash Balloon uses a color scheme inherited from your WordPress theme, but it also has ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ themes that you may want to use instead.

Another option is creating your own color scheme by selecting ‘Custom.’ Once that’s done, simply use the controls to change the background color, change the text color in WordPress, and more.

By default, Smash Balloon adds a header to the Instagram feed, which is your profile picture and the name of your page. To change how this section looks, click on ‘Header’ in the left-hand menu.

On this screen, you can change the size of the header, add a new color, or show your Instagram bio.

Sometimes, you may want to show a different profile picture. For example, your Instagram avatar may not stand out from your theme so you want to show a custom logo instead.

To change the profile picture, click on ‘Add Image’ under ‘Show custom avatar.’ You can then either choose an image from the WordPress media library or upload a new photo.

You can also add a different bio. For example, you might encourage people to visit your profile on Instagram or to simply follow your account.

To create a unique Instagram bio, simply type into the ‘Add custom bio’ box.

Smash Balloon automatically analyzes your Instagram photos and shows them at the best resolution. We recommend using these default settings, but you can make the Instagram images bigger or smaller if you need to.

To change the image size, click on ‘Posts’ from the left-hand menu. Then, select the ‘Images and Videos’ option.

You can now choose between thumbnail, medium, and full-size images using the dropdown menu that appears.

If you’re unhappy with how the feed looks, then you can go back to this screen at any point and select ‘Auto-detect (Recommended)’ from the dropdown.

By default, Smash Balloon adds a ‘Load More’ button to the bottom of your Instagram feed so visitors can scroll through your photos and videos.

You can change how this button looks by selecting ‘Load More Button.’

Here, you can help the ‘Load More’ button stand out by changing its background color, text color, and hover state.

You can also try adding your own messaging to the button, by typing into the ‘Text’ field. This way your visitors will be more inclined to click.

While we do recommend leaving this button enabled, you can remove it. For example, you might encourage people to visit your Instagram by limiting the number of photos they can see on your site.

To remove the button, simply toggle the ‘Enable’ slider to turn grey.

If visitors like what they see, they may decide to subscribe using the ‘Follow on Instagram’ button that appears below the embedded feed.

Since it’s such an important button, you may want to add some custom styling to help it stand out.

You can do this by selecting ‘Follow Button’ in the left-hand menu. Here, you can change the button’s background color, hover state, and text color.

By default, the button shows a ‘Follow on Instagram’ label.

You can replace this with your own call to action by typing into the ‘Text’ field.

When you’re happy with how the Instagram feed looks, don’t forget to click on ‘Save’ to store your changes.

You’re now ready to add the Instagram feed to your WordPress website.

How to Embed Instagram Feed in WordPress

You can add the Instagram feed to your website using a block, widget, or shortcode.

If you’ve created more than one feed using Smash Balloon Social Photo feed, then you’ll need to know the feed’s code if you’re going to use a widget or block.

To get this code, go to Instagram Feed »All Feeds and then look at thefeed=""part of the shortcode. You’ll need to add this code to the block or widget, so make a note of it.

In the following image, we’ll need to usefeed="1"

If you want to embed the Instagram feed in a page or post, then we recommend using the Instagram Feed block.

Note: If you’re using a block-enabled theme, you can follow the instructions below to add the block anywhere on your site using the full-site editor.

Just open the page or post where you want to embed your Instagram photo and video feed. Then, click on the ‘+’ icon to add a new block and start typing ‘Instagram Feed.’

When the right block appears, click to add it to the page or post.

The block will show one of your Smash Balloon feeds by default. If you want to show a different Instagram feed instead, then find ‘Shortcode Settings’ in the right-hand menu.

Here, simply add thefeed=""code and then click on ‘Apply Changes.’

The block will now show the photos and videos from your Instagram account. Just publish or update the page to make the feed live on your website.

If you’re using a theme that does not use full-site editing, you can add the Smashballoon Instagram Feed to any widget-ready area, such as the sidebar or similar section so visitors can see it anywhere they go on your site.

Simply go to Appearance » Widgets in the WordPress dashboard and then click on the blue ‘+’ button.

In the search bar, type in ‘Instagram Feed’ and select the correct widget when it appears.

WordPress has a built-in ‘Instagram Feed’ block, so make sure you choose the one that shows the official Instagram logo.

After that, simply drag the widget onto the area where you want to show the Instagram feed, such as the sidebar or similar section.

The widget will automatically show one of the feeds you created using Smash Balloon. If you want to show a different Instagram feed, then just type the feed’s shortcode into the ‘Shortcode Settings’ box.

As long as you are adding the shortcode to the ‘Shortcode Settings’ box, you do not need to include the brackets around it.

After that, click on ‘Apply Changes.’

You can now make the widget live by clicking on the ‘Update’ button. For more information, please see our step-by-step guide on how to add and use widgets in WordPress.

Another option is embedding the Instagram feed on any page, post, or widget-ready area using a shortcode.

Simply go to Instagram Feed »All Feeds and copy the code in the ‘Shortcode’ column. You can now add this code to any Shortcode block.

For help placing the shortcode, please see our guide on how to add a shortcode.

Finally, if you have a block-enabled theme, then you can use the full-site editor to add the Instagram Feed block anywhere on your site.

In the WordPress dashboard, simply go to Appearance » Editor.

By default, the full-site editor will show the theme’s home template. If you want to add the Instagram feed to a different template, then click on the arrow next to ‘Home.’

You can then choose any design from the dropdown, such as the footer template.

If you don’t see the template in the list, then click on ‘Browse all templates.’

The full-site editor will now show a list of all the templates you can edit. Simply click on the template where you want to show the Instagram feed.

After choosing a template, just hover your mouse over the area where you want to add the Instagram photo feed.

Then, click on the blue ‘+’ button.

After that, start typing in ‘Instagram Feed.’

When the right block appears, click to add it to the template. This will be the one with the official Instagram logo.

As always, Smash Balloon will show a feed by default if you do not add a specific shortcode. You can change this feed by adding a shortcode following the same process described above.

FAQs About Embedding Instagram in WordPress

Smash Balloon makes it easy to show Instagram photos and videos on your website. That being said, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about adding an Instagram feed in WordPress.

How Do I Create an Instagram Business Account?

Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed can display photos from either a personal or business Instagram account.

However, Smash Balloon can’t automatically fetch the Instagram avatar and bio from a personal Instagram account. With that in mind, you may want to check whether you have a personal or business account, and then switch to a business account so Smash Balloon can fetch your avatar and bio automatically.

To check, just visit your Instagram account and click on the three-lined icon in the side menu.

After that, select ‘Settings.’

If you don’t have a business account, then this screen will show ‘Switch to professional account’ in the left-hand menu.

If you currently have a personal account and want to switch to a business account, then simply give this link a click.

How Do I Connect a Facebook Page to an Instagram Account?

Before you can add an Instagram feed to WordPress, you’ll need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook page.

To do this, head over to the Facebook page that you want to use and then click on ‘Settings’ in the left-hand menu.

After that, click on ‘Linked Account.’ You can now select ‘Instagram’ and click on the ‘Connect’ button.

Facebook will now show all the information it will be able to access, and the actions it can perform on Instagram.

If you’re happy to go ahead, then click on the ‘Connect’ button.

Just be aware that anyone else who manages your Facebook page will be able to see your Instagram messages, and respond to them. If you want to keep your Instagram messages private, then click to disable the option.

When you’re happy and ready to move on, click ‘Confirm.’

This opens a popup where you can type in your Instagram username and password.

After that, go ahead and click on ‘Log In.’

After a few moments, you’ll see a message saying that your Instagram and Facebook accounts are now connected.

We hope this article helped you learn how to easily embed Instagram in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on how to create a custom Facebook feed in WordPress, or see our expert pick of the best social media plugins for WordPress.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Easily Embed Instagram in WordPress (Step by Step) first appeared on WPBeginner.

The post WordPress Instagram/Facebook Embeds Stop Working? Here’s How to Fix appeared first on Learn WordPress with WPLift.

The post Short Video Gallery Plugin Review: Like Instagram or TikTok, but for WordPress appeared first on Learn WordPress with WPLift.

The post 6 Best Free WordPress Instagram Plugins to Add Your Own Feed appeared first on Learn WordPress with WPLift.

Why Post Instagram Photos to WordPress?

Instagram allows people to discover new user accounts based on what they already like. Users can also explore profiles by hashtags, location, and sharing.

If you have just started on Instagram, then you may find it a bit slow to get followers. You need social proof to build traction.

Sharing your Instagram photos on your WordPress website works both ways. You can help users find you on Instagram. Once they start following you, then you can keep them engaged with your brand.

That being said, let’s take a look at how to easily and automatically post new Instagram photos to WordPress.

Method 1: Add Instagram Photos as a New Post in WordPress

This method is for users who want to create a new blog post displaying their latest Instagram photo.

First you need to visit IFTTT website and login or create a new account. IFTTT is an online tool that allows you to automate your social media and WordPress.

After you’re logged in, you need to click on My Applets » New Applet to get started.

First you need to click ‘+this’ and then locate Instagram to activate it.

This will bring up a popup where you will be asked to log in to your Instagram account and authorize IFTTT to access your account.

Next, you will be asked to choose a trigger. Click on ‘Any new photo by you’ to continue.

After that you will see ‘If this then +that’ statement. Click on the +that to select what you want to do with the new photo.

On the next screen, locate WordPress to add it as the action service.

IFTTT will now ask you to connect your WordPress site as a service. Clicking connect will bring up a popup where you need to enter your WordPress site’s URL, admin username, and password.

Next you need to select what action you want to take. You can either create a blog post with the new Instagram photo or a photo post.

After that you’ll be asked to map Instagram fields to your WordPress post. You can add tags, add custom caption, and more.

Once you are done, click on the finish button to save your applet.

You can now post a new photo to your Instagram account, and it will be automatically posted to your WordPress site.

Method 2: Display Latest Instagram Photos on Your WordPress Site

This method is for users who just want to show their latest Instagram photos without creating new blog posts.

First thing you need to do is install and activate the Instagram Feed plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, the plugin will add a new menu item labeled Instagram Feed to your admin bar. Clicking on it will take you to the plugin’s settings page.

First you need to authenticate the plugin to access your Instagram profile. Click on the blue button to login and get the access token and user ID from Instagram.

You will be asked to log in to your Instagram account. After that you will need to authorize the WordPress plugin to access your Instagram account.

On the modal popup, click on the authorize button to continue.

You will now be redirected back to the plugin’s settings page on your WordPress site with access key and user ID. Don’t forget to click on the save changes button to store your settings.

Displaying Instagram Photos on Your WordPress Site

Instagram Feed makes it super easy to display your Instagram photos anywhere on your WordPress site.

Simply edit the WordPress post or page where you want to display your Instagram photos and add the following shortcode:

[instagram-feed]

You can now save your changes and preview your post or page.

You can change the number of columns by modifying the shortcode like this:

[instagram-feed cols=3]

You can also add shortcode to a sidebar widget to display your Instagram photos in the sidebar.

Customizing Your Instagram Feed

Instagram Feed plugin also allows you to easily change the appearance of your photos.

Go to plugin’s settings page and then click on the ‘Customize’ tab.

Here you can change the feed’s height, width, layout, background color, and more.

We hope this article helped you automatically post new Instagram photos to your WordPress site. You may also want to see our list of the best social media monitoring tools for WordPress.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Automatically Post New Instagram Photos to WordPress appeared first on WPBeginner.