Linking your Instagram account to WordPress is one of the easiest ways to add fresh, dynamic content to your site without manually updating it each time.

However, the default WordPress setup does not offer a built-in way to automatically embed an Instagram feed on a website. The only option is to embed posts individually, which is time-consuming and not dynamic enough.

This limitation is why many WordPress site owners search for more complete ways to link an Instagram feed to WordPress. 

Why Link Instagram to WordPress?

There are a couple of reasons why it makes sense to link Instagram to WordPress, including:

• Keeping your website content fresh without publishing new pages or posts.
• Providing an easy way for visitors to engage with your social content in one place.
• Strengthening brand consistency across your website and social channels.
• Growing your Instagram followers directly from your site.
• Building brand trust by displaying real-time social proof, especially for product-based or creative businesses.

As a business owner, you’re likely to keep your most up-to-date content on Instagram, so linking the account to your website provides a more cohesive experience for your site visitors, enabling them to always see your latest updates without extra effort on your part.

Ways to Link Instagram to WordPress

WordPress site owners looking to link Instagram to WordPress typically take one of two approaches:

• Custom Code/Manual Embeds
• Using an Instagram Feed Plugin

Custom Code/Manual Embeds

Instagram provides a built-in embed feature that lets users add individual Instagram posts to a WordPress site.

To use this feature, open the post you want to embed in a desktop browser (it's only available in the desktop version of the Application). Click the three-dot icon on the post, then select Embed. Copy the HTML code Instagram generates. Add a Custom HTML block in your WordPress editor and paste the code.

However, there are some downsides to this method:

• It only supports adding individual posts, not a full feed.
• It lacks dynamic content updating as you post new content.
• It requires repeated manual work every time you want to add a new post.
• It could break if Meta changes its embed format.

For most site owners who want a live, self-updating feed, manual embeds fall short. They are only useful for sharing posts on an ad hoc basis.

Using an Instagram Feed Plugin

The most practical option for linking Instagram to WordPress is to use a dedicated Instagram feed plugin.

An Instagram feed plugin manages the API connection between your Instagram account and your WordPress site. Once your account is connected, your feed updates automatically. This eliminates the need for future manual updates when you add new posts. 

Instagram feed plugins typically allow you to:

• Display a live, auto-updating Instagram feed anywhere on your site
• Choose from multiple layout options such as grids, sliders, or mosaic views
• Customize the appearance of the feed to match your site's design
• Connect multiple Instagram accounts to the same site
• Control which posts appear based on filters

Using a plugin makes the process of adding and managing an Instagram account’s feed to a WordPress site so much easier, especially for site owners who prioritize ease and do not want to have to tamper with code to implement such functionality.

Elevated Instagram Feed

Elevated Instagram Feed lets you link Instagram to WordPress by connecting your account and displaying your posts automatically on your site:

Once connected, your Instagram content is automatically pulled in and updated. 

You can control how your Instagram feed looks and where it appears with the Elevated Instagram Feed plugin. You can choose from multiple feed layouts, including grid, slider, and mosaic, and customize every element to match your brand. This ensures that your Instagram integration always matches your overall site design.

These features, amongst many others, make Elevated Instagram Feed a practical solution for site owners who want a clean, consistent, and automated way to display Instagram content.

Final Thoughts

WordPress doesn’t have a built-in feature to link to Instagram and display an automatically updating feed on your website.

The only way to link your Instagram account to your WordPress site is to extend WordPress’s default functionality. You can do this either through manual embeds, which have limitations, or via a dedicated Instagram feed plugin.

For most site owners, a plugin is a more efficient way to link Instagram to WordPress. It lets you connect your account directly to WordPress, keeps your feed updated as you post, and lets you tweak your feed’s design in ways manual embedding simply can't match. Elevated Instagram Feed is a strong example of a plugin that makes this integration straightforward.

For other options, see our roundup of the best Instagram feed plugins for WordPress.