If you want to connect your Instagram account to WordPress, you are looking to establish a live, functional link between the two platforms. This link ensures that when you make changes to your Instagram account, they are automatically reflected on your website.

WordPress does not have this kind of connection by default. There is no built-in way to link your account, no settings panel for Instagram, and no native feed display functionality. 

If you want your WordPress site to be in sync with your Instagram account automatically, you have to create the connection yourself by using one of the two methods shared in this article.

Why Connect Instagram to WordPress?

Running a website and an Instagram account as separate entities creates an unnecessary operational gap for business owners or creators serious about their online presence.

Your Instagram account might have hundreds of posts documenting your work, products, events, or expertise because it’s easy to share content on the platform. Your website, however, might have almost none of that content. This is because publishing to a website takes more effort, and most people default to whichever channel is easier to update.

When you connect your Instagram account to your WordPress website, your site inherits the content investment you’ve already made on Instagram. This simple update can significantly boost visitor engagement on your site.

Additionally, there’s a practical benefit in audience crossover. If someone visits your site and sees content from your Instagram feed that interests them, they will likely hit the follow button. This makes it easy to convert your website visitors into social followers. 

Ways to Connect Instagram to WordPress

The two main options for connecting Instagram to WordPress are:

• Manual post embeds
• A dedicated Instagram feed plugin

Manual Post Embeds

On your Instagram account, each post includes an embed option that generates a unique HTML embed code. To use it, follow the steps below:

• Find the post you want in a desktop browser version of the app
• Open the post menu, 
• Select Embed, and copy the code.
• In WordPress, add a Custom HTML block and paste the code in.

The post will appear on your website, styled to look like it would on Instagram.

This approach technically puts Instagram content on your WordPress site, but it doesn't connect anything. You can think of the embedded post as a copied snapshot. It has no direct relationship to your Instagram account. 

Deleting the embedded post from Instagram breaks the embed. And if you post additional content after embedding the single post, none of them will appear on your website. 

If your goal is for your website to actually reflect what's happening on your Instagram, this approach completely misses the point.

Using an Instagram Feed Plugin

With an Instagram Feed plugin, a genuine connection is established between your Instagram account and WordPress.

The plugin authenticates with Instagram on your behalf, maintains an authorized API link to your account, and uses that link to populate and refresh your feed on your WordPress site.

This distinction between dedicated Instagram feed plugins and manual embeds plays a significant role in your content-sharing workflow. Once the plugin connection is in place, your website stays up to date. You continue to post to Instagram the same way you always have, and your site reflects those posts without any additional steps or code.

This kind of connection also gives you access to configuration options that manual embeds can't offer. You get to decide how you want your Instagram content presented, where it appears across your site, and whether there are any content rules, e.g., showing only recent posts or filtering out certain types of content.

Elevated Instagram Feed

Elevated Instagram Feed establishes a direct connection between your Instagram account and WordPress through a straightforward authorization flow.

Once authorized, the plugin manages the API relationship and keeps your feed populated on your site's frontend without any ongoing input from you. 

The plugin offers customization options that let you choose a layout, adjust the styling, and place the feed wherever you want on your site.

The plugin also supports adding multiple accounts, which is great for sharing a mix of content most relevant to your site visitors across various accounts.

Final Thoughts

Connecting your Instagram account to WordPress in a way that actually works, so your site stays current and your feed manages itself, requires something WordPress doesn't provide on its own.

Manual embeds create the appearance of a connection without the substance. They require ongoing maintenance, don't scale, and leave your site perpetually behind whatever you're posting on Instagram.

A dedicated Instagram feed plugin delivers the real thing. You get a persistent, automated link between the two platforms that turns your Instagram activity into a living part of your website.

Elevated Instagram Feed is a capable option for site owners who want that connection without the complexity of custom development.
If you’d like to explore more Instagram feed plugin options, see our roundup of the best Instagram feed plugins for WordPress.