How to create a private community with Instagram

A private community is a great way to facilitate communication with and among your members.

Hosting your community on Instagram can be a convenient option for members who are already active on the Instagram social media platform. This can also be a simpler or more cost-effective alternative to building a forum on your website.

Create your private community

Follow the steps below to set up and grant access to your private Instagram profile:

1. Create an Instagram account and be sure to make the account private. This ensures non-members don't have access to your content.
2. In your MemberSpace account, click Products.

3. If you'll be adding Instagram access to a new product, click Add Product.

   
   

   

   
   

   Otherwise, Edit an existing product. Then, skip to Step 5 below.

   
   

   

   
   
   
4. Choose Community from the product type dropdown, and fill out the product details.

5. Click An external link > give your link a title (e.g. Instagram) > enter your complete Instagram profile URL.

   
   

   

6. Be sure the toggle under Member Menu is turned ON.

   
   

   

7. If you'll simply be granting community access to members on existing plans, select the plan(s) under Which plans grant access to this product?.

   
   

   If you need to create a new plan, skip this step.

8. Click Add Now (if creating a new product) or Update Now (if editing an existing one) at the bottom.

9. Next, go to Pricing > Create Plan. If you're only granting access to existing plans, skip the remaining steps.

   
   

   

   
   

10. Decide how you'd like to charge members for access to your community.

    
    

    

    
    
11. Then, give the plan a name, decide how much you'd like to charge (if applicable), and configure the remaining settings for the plan.
12. Click Create this plan at the bottom.

Now, when someone signs up for a plan that grants access to your private community, they can click the link in your Member Menu to follow your private Instagram profile. From there, you will approve their request on Instagram to officially permit them to access your Instagram page.

When someone cancels their MemberSpace plan, you'll need to manually remove them as a follower.

What if I'm not using the Member Menu?

If you aren't using your Member Menu, there are a few other ways to share your private Instagram profile link with your members:

• Include the Instagram profile link in your Welcome Email — members receive the link immediately after joining a plan
• Add the Instagram profile link to a members-only page — members can access the link via one of their secret members-only pages
• Manually invite new members to your Instagram profile — when a member joins, manually send them the link to your Instagram profile

While each option requires a small amount of manual work, the first two are a bit more automated.

Include the Instagram profile link in your Welcome Email

Follow the steps below to add your Instagram profile link to your members' Welcome Email:

1. In your MemberSpace account click Customize > Notification Emails.

   
   

   

   
   

2. If all of your plans should grant access to your Instagram account, simply scroll to the bottom > click Welcome Email (default for all plans) > add the Instagram profile link to the email body > click Save Now.

   
   

   

   
   

   If only certain plans should grant access to your Instagram profile, click Add Welcome Email per Plan at the top > select a plan from the dropdown > add the Instagram profile link to the email body > click Save Now. Repeat this for additional plans, as needed.

   
   

   

   
   

Now, when someone signs up for a plan that grants access to your private community, they'll receive a Welcome Email that contains the link to follow your private Instagram profile. From there, you will approve their request on Instagram to officially permit them to access your Instagram page.

When someone cancels their MemberSpace plan, you'll need to manually remove them as a follower.

Add the Instagram profile link to a members-only page

Follow the steps below to add your community link to a members-only page:

1. Add the link to your Instagram profile to a secret members-only page on your website. This can be any existing page (e.g. member dashboard), or it can be a new page specific to your community.
2. If you added the Instagram profile link to a new public page on your website, be sure to protect that page within a new product or an existing one.
3. If creating a new product, don't forget to select the plan(s) that should grant access to your private Instagram community.

Now, when someone signs up for a plan that grants access to the private members-only page, they'll be able to visit that page, click the Instagram link, and request to follow your private account. From there, you will approve their request on Instagram to officially permit them to access your Instagram page.

When someone cancels their MemberSpace plan, you'll need to manually remove them as a follower.

Manually invite new members to your Instagram profile

Your final option is to manually invite new members to follow your private Instagram account. 

When someone signs up for a plan that grants access to your community, you will send them the link to your Instagram profile — this can be done via email, text, or any other method you prefer. Once they request to follow your account, you will approve their request on Instagram to officially permit them to access your Instagram page.

When someone cancels their MemberSpace plan, you'll need to manually remove them as a follower.