How to add an Instagram feed to Strikingly

Why not use Strikingly’s Social Feed section?

Strikingly has a built-in section called Social Feed, so it is reasonable to look there first. According to Strikingly’s help center, that section displays your latest posts from Facebook and/or Twitter, and its article on adding a social feed says plainly: “Embedding Instagram social feeds is currently not supported in our Social Feed section.”

So for Instagram you need a third-party feed tool and a place in Strikingly to paste its code. That place is the HTML section.

What you need

1. A Strikingly Pro or VIP plan. Strikingly’s help center says custom code “is currently available for Pro and VIP subscriptions.” Details in the next section.
2. An Instagram professional account (Business or Creator). Instagram only gives feed tools access to professional accounts. Switching from a personal account is free; see our guide to professional accounts.
3. A Social Feed by grip space account. The Free plan needs no credit card and includes one widget, which is often all a Strikingly site needs.

Which Strikingly plans allow the HTML section?

This is the first thing to check. Without the right plan, Strikingly does not let you add third-party code, and no feed tool that relies on a script can work. Here is what Strikingly’s help center says, checked today:

Strikingly’s HTML Embed article also calls the HTML section “a Pro feature.” We have not listed prices here, because they vary by billing period and region and can change. Check Strikingly’s pricing page in your account before you upgrade. If you are on Free or Limited and cannot add HTML code, that is the reason, not a problem with the feed.

The three places Strikingly accepts custom code

Strikingly’s article on custom code lists three locations. Only one of them is right for a visible feed:

The reason is simple: the Social Feed by grip space widget draws the feed right after its own script tag. Wherever the tag sits, the feed appears. Strikingly’s HTML Embed article makes the same distinction from its side: the HTML embed section is “exclusive to apps that are displayed within your webpage,” while JavaScript for other kinds of apps goes in the custom code area.

Step 1: Get your embed code

1. Sign up for Social Feed by grip space with your email address.
2. In the dashboard, click “+ Connect Instagram account” and log in with the Instagram professional account whose posts you want to show.
3. Open “Settings & preview”. Choose a grid or a slider, set the number of posts and columns while watching the preview, and save. Suggestions for Strikingly layouts are further down.
4. Under “Add the embed code to your website”, click “Copy”. The code looks like this:

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://n246.grip.space/api/v1/instagram/widget/xxxxxxxx"></script>

You paste this code into Strikingly once. The layout, columns, filters and colors are stored with the widget, so when you change them in the Social Feed dashboard later, your Strikingly site shows the new design without editing the section again.

Step 2: Add an HTML section in Strikingly

Strikingly’s HTML Embed article describes these steps. For an Instagram feed, they look like this:

1. Open your site in the Strikingly site editor.
2. Click Add New Section in the left panel.
3. Select the Embed and HTML section from the section list. (Strikingly’s custom code article calls the same area App Store & HTML; your editor may show either name.)
4. Once it has been added, go to the section and click it to edit.
5. From the app list, select HTML.
6. Paste your Social Feed embed code into the field. Copy and paste the whole tag, from <script to </script>.
7. Leave Show in iFrame unchecked for now (see the next section), then click Save.
8. Move the section to where the feed should appear, for example after your “About” section and before your contact section.
9. Preview the site, then Publish it and open the live site in a browser.

Strikingly also notes that what you see in the editor is not necessarily what visitors will see, and recommends the Preview button to check sections on different screen sizes. If the feed area looks empty in the editor, check the preview or the published site before changing anything.

The “Show in iFrame” checkbox

The HTML component has a checkbox labeled “Show in iFrame.” Strikingly’s help article explains that it puts your code “in its own little ‘window’ so that it can be sure to be visible and not affect any of the other code on the page.” Its general rules are:

1. Mainstream HTML embeds, such as Twitter or Facebook, do not need the box checked.
2. Code with all the proper closing tags does not need the box checked.
3. Code that shows another website directly on your Strikingly site may need the box checked.

The Social Feed widget is a single, complete script tag that draws the feed into your page, so it falls into the first two groups. Start with the box unchecked. Without the iFrame, the feed sits in your page like any other content: it uses your site’s font, it fills the width of the section, and the lightbox opens as an overlay over the whole page.

Strikingly also warns that “Show in iFrame” affects mobile compatibility, because content inside an iframe is like looking “through a window.” With the box checked, the feed would be drawn inside that window instead of your page. Strikingly’s documentation does not describe how the height of that window is set, so the feed could be cut off or leave empty space, and a lightbox could only open inside the window. Only try the checkbox if the feed does not appear at all with it unchecked, and then check the result on a phone.

Making the feed look right on a Strikingly site

Many Strikingly templates use full-width sections with centered content. A few suggestions for the settings in the Social Feed dashboard:

The widget does not load fonts of its own, so it takes the font of the page around it. It also adjusts the column count to the space it actually gets: when tiles would become narrower than about 100 pixels, it uses fewer columns automatically. A 4-column grid on desktop therefore drops to fewer columns on a small phone without extra settings. For more on choosing a layout, see grid or slider? and how to match the feed to your site’s design.

Where to put the feed on a Strikingly page

Strikingly sites are often one long page made of sections, so the order of sections matters. Some patterns that work well:

1. Small business site: hero, services and contact information first; the feed near the end as proof that you are active.
2. Portfolio or creator site: a slider of recent posts right after your introduction, with the lightbox turned on so visitors can view posts without leaving.
3. Restaurant, café or shop: a grid near your opening hours or menu, filtered to recent posts so seasonal items stay current. See how to show only recent posts.
4. Event or launch page: a feed filtered to posts whose captions contain a campaign word, so only related posts appear. See how to filter a feed by keyword.

Strikingly’s own page speed article recommends keeping custom code and third-party apps off the home page where you can, or linking to them from it. If your home page is already heavy, a separate “Gallery” or “Instagram” page on a multi-page site is a good home for the feed. Our article on where to put an Instagram feed goes into more detail.

Note that Strikingly’s help center lists the App Store/HTML section among the sections that cannot be duplicated. If you want the feed on more than one page, add a new HTML section on each page and paste the code again.

Clicks, lightbox and videos

When a visitor clicks a post, the widget can open a lightbox on your page, open the post on Instagram, or do nothing. The lightbox can show the caption and/or like count, and for carousel posts it can show either the first image or all images. Videos and Reels play in the lightbox. Hovering over a tile can show an Instagram icon.

If you want to keep visitors on your site, use the lightbox. If your goal is more followers, opening Instagram directly is a reasonable choice, and the account header’s Follow button helps too. More on this choice: lightbox or link to Instagram? If you post a lot of Reels, see how to show only Reels.

Social Feed plans for a Strikingly site

Most Strikingly sites need one feed, which the Free plan covers. Social Feed plans are counted by widgets and monthly views:

A view is counted each time the feed loads. If you put the feed on several pages, or on several Strikingly sites, each placement can use its own widget, which is where the Light plan’s 3 widgets or the Standard plan’s unlimited widgets come in. If you go over your plan’s monthly view limit two months in a row, the feed pauses from the following month, and we email you when you reach 80% and 100% of the limit. See pricing and what the free plan includes for details.

Performance

Strikingly’s page speed advice is to minimize custom code and third-party apps, because they can slow a page down. That is fair advice for any embed, so here is what this one does. The widget is one script and draws the feed directly in your page without an iframe. It does not set cookies or use local storage. Images load directly from Instagram’s servers. In a grid, the first row of images loads right away and the rest load when the visitor scrolls near them; a slider loads all its images at once, so keep sliders to a sensible number of posts.

Placing the feed lower on the page also helps, because the content visitors see first loads before the feed’s images are needed. For more, see lazy loading an Instagram feed and Instagram embed vs. feed widget speed.

Quick checklist before you publish

1. Your site is on a Strikingly Pro or VIP plan.
2. The code is in an HTML section, not in the Header or Footer custom code.
3. The full script tag is pasted, with nothing added before or after it.
4. Show in iFrame is unchecked (unless the feed only works with it checked).
5. The section sits where you want the feed, below your main message.
6. The widget is set to Published in the Social Feed dashboard.
7. After publishing, you checked the live site on a computer and on a phone.

Troubleshooting

1. There is no HTML option, or Strikingly asks you to upgrade. Your site is on Free or Limited. Strikingly’s help center lists custom code as a Pro and VIP feature.
2. The feed does not show in the editor. Strikingly says what is in the editor is not necessarily what visitors see. Use Preview, or publish and check the live site.
3. Nothing shows on the published site. First, make sure the widget is Published in the Social Feed dashboard; an unpublished widget draws nothing. Then open the HTML section and check that the whole script tag is there, then publish the site again. If it still does not appear, try checking Show in iFrame, save, publish, and test again.
4. The feed appears at the very bottom of the page. The code is in the Footer custom code (Settings › Advanced › Custom Code › Footer). Remove it there and use an HTML section instead.
5. The feed is cut off or has a large empty space below it. Show in iFrame is probably checked. Uncheck it, save and publish.
6. Changes do not appear on the live site. Your browser may be showing an older cached copy. Strikingly’s speed article suggests clearing your browsing history and cache, or trying a private window or another browser.
7. The tiles are tiny. The feed is in a narrow area. Use fewer columns in the widget settings or raise the max width.
8. The feed appears twice. There are two HTML sections with the code. Remove one.
9. New Instagram posts are missing. On the Free plan, new posts appear once a day; on paid plans, right away. Also check whether a filter (Reels, carousels, videos, period or caption keywords) is hiding them. See why a feed is not updating.
10. Still stuck? Our checklist Instagram feed not showing on your website? covers more causes, and Strikingly’s support team can help with the editor side.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add an Instagram feed to a free Strikingly site?
Not with a script-based widget. Strikingly lists custom code and the HTML section as Pro features, available on Pro and VIP plans. A simple alternative on any plan is a button or link to your Instagram profile.

Why doesn’t Strikingly’s Social Feed section show Instagram?
Strikingly’s help center says the Social Feed section displays posts from Facebook and/or Twitter, and that Instagram social feeds are not currently supported there. That is why a separate feed tool is needed.

Should I put the code in the Header or Footer instead?
No. Header code is not displayed, and Footer code would put the feed after everything else on the page. Use an HTML section so the feed appears exactly where the section is.

Can I add the feed to a Strikingly blog post?
Strikingly’s blog settings have Header Code and Footer Code boxes that apply to blog posts, but these place code in the head or before the end of the page, not inside the post. Strikingly’s help center does not describe pasting embed code into the body of a post, so we suggest putting the feed on a regular page and linking to it.

Can I hide the feed for a while without editing my site?
Yes. Switch the widget to Unpublished in the Social Feed dashboard. The HTML section stays in place but shows nothing until you switch it back. See how to hide your feed temporarily.

Will the widget’s text match my site’s language?
The small amount of text inside the widget, such as the Follow button and lightbox labels, switches between English and Japanese based on the page’s language setting, falling back to the visitor’s browser language. Your captions appear as you wrote them.

Can I show a hashtag feed or someone else’s account?
No. Social Feed by grip space shows posts from the Instagram account you connect, one account per widget. If you only want to feature one specific post, Instagram’s own Embed option can do that; see how to embed a single Instagram post.

Building on another platform too? We have step-by-step guides for WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and plain HTML, and posts for Carrd, Duda and Weebly and Square Online. Ready to start? Create a free account.

Sources

1. Strikingly Help Center, “Add Custom Code (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript)”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/215046517-Add-Custom-Code-HTML-CSS-and-JavaScript
2. Strikingly Help Center, “HTML Embed”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/215046527-HTML-Embed
3. Strikingly Help Center, “Show in iFrame HTML Section”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/214364508-Show-in-iFrame-HTML-Section
4. Strikingly Help Center, “Premium/Pro Features”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/17871227158683-Premium-Pro-Features
5. Strikingly Help Center, “Limited Monthly / Yearly / 2 Year Plans”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/215390107-Limited-Monthly-Yearly-2-Year-Plans
6. Strikingly Help Center, “Adding a Social Feed to Your Site”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000096541-Adding-a-Social-Feed-to-Your-Site
7. Strikingly Help Center, “Social Feed Section”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/215046297-Social-Feed-Section
8. Strikingly Help Center, “Adding and Managing Sections”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/215046457-Adding-and-Managing-Sections
9. Strikingly Help Center, “Custom Code for Blog Posts”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000104001-Custom-Code-for-Blog-Posts
10. Strikingly Help Center, “Improving Your Site Page Load Speed”: https://support.strikingly.com/hc/en-us/articles/206051562-Improving-Your-Site-Page-Load-Speed