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Even though Instagram has officially started to sunset most of its shopping tools, itâs still a powerful tool for brands and businesses to connect with and sell to customers. If youâre an ecommerce that wants to leverage your brandâs photos and videos to drive sales, becoming an Instagram seller offers several incredible benefits.Â
Why should your business consider actively selling on Instagram? For starters, the platform reaches more than 1 billion global users. In addition, thereâs already a solid proof of concept: brands like Kate Spade New York, J.Crew, and Warby Parker have enthusiastically embraced available features.
This includes Instagramâs addition of a checkout feature that lets users buy products without even leaving the app. According to e-commerce platform Sellfy, Instagram Shopping is a valuable tool for brands because it helps consumers discover new products. Data from Instagram parent Facebook backs this up: A survey found 81% of consumers use Instagram to research products and services.
As it turns out, learning how to sell a product on Instagram is an essential piece of the marketing puzzle. Letâs walk through the best ways to get started.
Instagram is a valuable platform for ecommerce businesses because it taps into the power of visuals. Companies that thrive as Instagram sellers do so because they present their products in an engaging, attractive way. This focus on aesthetics allows businesses to build strong brand identities, in turn driving customer loyalty.
How can companies leverage Instagramâs tools? Your ecommerce business can greatly benefit from Instagram if you:
Take the time to set up your profile for selling.
Plan and create visually appealing content.
Build a following through engagement, collaboration, and hashtag use.
Use available shopping features to streamline customer purchases.
Before you sell your first item, youâll need to complete the set-up process for Instagram Shopping. Start by ensuring that selling on Instagram makes sense for your brand. Youâll need to check the platformâs Commerce Eligibility Requirements to make sure you can comply with those policies. In addition, you should take the following steps:
Ensure your business has its own website and domain. The Instagram shop must use product listings that are available for direct purchase on your website.
Make sure your business operates in supported markets.
Convert your Instagram account to a business or creator one. Connect it to a Facebook page if you plan to sell on both platforms.
Facebook Business Manager accounts are a requirement to use Commerce Manager. They let you manage ads, pages, and anyone who might be working on them.
Beyond these steps, make sure you choose a memorable username and profile picture for your brand. Write a compelling bio that mentions your products, and donât forget to add a link to your website or online store in the bio.
Instagramâs focus on visual content makes focusing on aesthetics mandatory. Luckily, there are plenty of tools and tactics at your disposal to create this content. Easy-to-use, web-based graphic design tools like Canva or Adobe Photoshop Express allow you to make graphics quickly, and filters give high-quality photos an extra dimension. But theyâre not the only things you should focus on.
Quality content that drives impressions and sales can take many forms, but the most successful brands integrate a mix of the following content types:
Product demos and âhow-toâ content
Behind-the-scenes glimpses
User-generated content that positively showcases your brand
Professional photographs of new products and models
Even if youâre operating on a tight budget, there are still plenty of ways to create professional-looking photographs. Use techniques like flat lays to show all variations of a product and invest in solid backdrops and lighting.
The best way to build a brand as an Instagram seller is to do the following:
Create good content that people want to see.
Engage with people who comment, like, or share your content.
Use hashtag engagement to seek out opportunities to connect with potential customers.
Once your Instagram shop profile is properly configured, itâs time to add your product catalog and start promoting your wares. Tag your products in posts, Instagram stories, and Reels. Link your existing product catalog in Commerce Manager using services like Shopify, BigCommerce, or other supported partner platforms.
In addition to the basics of setting up your profile for Instagram selling, itâs important to develop the habits and best practices to help your account thrive. The following 15 tips can help any brand become a seasoned Instagram seller.
Instagram recommends creating posts on a recurring schedule so users grow accustomed to looking at your products on a regular basis. That means creating a consistent rotation of static posts, stories, and Reels. Consistency is key to getting noticed on Instagram:
The more your content stands out on a consistent basis, the higher the chances of building a loyal customer base that brings in sales.
How many posts do you need to begin with? Nine is the magic number of shoppable posts in order to activate the Shop tab on your profile. This, marketing software firm HubSpot said, helps group shoppable posts under a single tab, which makes it easier for consumers to find and, of course, buy.
Much like your brand has certain attributes offline, youâll want to ensure your Instagram feed has a complementary look and feel. Social media management platform Hootsuite says your brand identity on Instagram should be consistent with assets like your website, ads and packaging.
That means investing some time in figuring out the right aesthetic to ensure a cohesive experience for users. This includes color scheme, filters, fonts, and even brand voice for captions.
âHaving a consistent aesthetic on Instagram will help you improve your brand recognition and establish your identity,â Hootsuite added. âIt also helps customers scrolling through their feed or browsing the Explore tab to recognize your posts at a glance ⌠It can also help you differentiate your brand [from competitors].â
Your Instagram bio is the only place you can include a link, and you should absolutely do so to connect with new customers and encourage them to visit your website.
But donât just use the same old link, whenever you have a new post with a product youâd like to promote, make sure the website in the bio corresponds to it. Followers wonât always search for the correct link manually, so itâs a good idea to make sure you always update it.
One way to ensure links are always updated is to create a âmasterâ link from services like Linktree or Beacons. This allows you to keep the link in your bio consistent while adding details to a landing page.
It sounds obvious, but Instagram is a visual platform and so âstriking visuals,â as Hootsuite calls them, are most likely to stand out in the sea of images users are scrolling through.
In addition to creating quality images and uploading photos and videos that meet the right specifications, you should constantly seek out new sources of inspiration â including researching photo trends, Hootsuite says.
Another tip for selling on Instagram is to create tutorials to demonstrate how consumers can use your products. This, Hootsuite says, helps show products in action â and reports say they are the most popular type of video content on Instagram. Adding quizzes and Q&As to the list, which also help increase engagement.
Hashtags are another way that brands can help customers quickly discover products on Instagram. Use a hashtag generator to find relevant examples, as well as creating your own branded hashtag. âThey can also help you land on the Explore page, which has a special Shop tab and is visited by more than 50% of Instagram users each month,â Hootsuite said.
But Hootsuite warned, donât go overboard with hashtags. Instagram limits you to 30 hashtags per post, but even that is probably overkill. You donât want your caption to look like an indecipherable chunk of never-ending text. Instead, social media management firm Buffer has found interaction is highest on posts with 11 hashtags, so thatâs a good number to aim for.
One of the most authentic forms of content comes from users themselves: User-generated content (UGC). Plus, HubSpot noted, Millennials trust UGC more than other types of content, so itâs an ideal format for shoppable posts. Hootsuite agrees UGC is a âhuge assetâ for product promotion.
âNot only do these posts provide new, real images of your photos in action, they also boost your credibility,â Hootsuite says.
However, always make sure that you ask for usersâ permission before sharing their photos and videos of your products. Instagram etiquette dictates you send a DM with a cordial request asking the creator if your brand can repost their work. Research has shown 65% of users grant permission in just 24 hours.
Another way to appeal to Instagram users is by partnering with the users they trust and tapping into influencer marketing. âAn Instagram influencerâs stamp of approval goes a long way and is a great strategy to drive sales from your Instagram shoppable posts,â HubSpot says.
Youâll want to find influencers who not only have loyal followers, but values that align with your own. Influencer marketing platforms like SocialBakers, BlogMint and TapInfluence can help narrow the field. Just remember you shouldnât necessarily discount micro-influencers just because they donât have Kardashian-size audiences. In fact, research from influencer marketing platform Markerly found influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers offer the best mix of engagement and reach.
Everyone loves a good peek behind the curtain, and Instagram users are no exception.
Instagram recommends showing users how products are made to forge connections with new potential customers. Possible examples include scenes from the design or manufacturing process, as well as highlighting specific tools or parts that contribute to the whole. You could also consider showcasing the employees who bring these products to life.
Instagram suggests brands use the platform to show consumers all available colors, sizes and materials of a given product.Â
Remember to post products multiple times to ensure consumers become familiar with what you have to offer.
Instagram says to add the question sticker to your Stories in order to invite users to learn more about your products and feel more confident buying them. These stickers allow brands (and individual users) to ask their followers questions and they can be placed anywhere you want in a given story. When followers want to reply, they simply tap the sticker â and they can do so multiple times. Itâs a great way for not only users to get to know their friends better, but for brands to do the same with their fans and, of course, build relationships.Â
According to a separate post from Hootsuite about successful Instagram marketing campaigns, offering promo codes when selling on Instagram is a âsurefire way to drive sales.â Brands can promote codes directly in their shoppable posts to make them easy to find. These exclusive offers are another way brands can grow loyalty and engagement. Â
When selling on Instagram, youâll want to measure your performance by monitoring data on how many people viewed product information or clicked through to a product page.
Using your analytics, you can determine what products resonate with your followers. You may also find some products that are falling short. Use data to drive your strategy. Don't forget to look at both paid and organic efforts. Using one to inform the other is a quick and easy way to implement creative and messaging that you know works.
After you get your feet wet with shoppable content and start to figure out what works and what doesnât, youâll want to keep experimenting with pictures, tags, and captions.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your Instagram selling strategy is just as unique as your business is!
Instagram is a visual platform where consumers seek to be inspired. As a result, a brandâs best move is to focus on creating engaging content users canât help but notice while scrolling through their feeds.
The best way to capitalize selling on Instagram is to actually tap into other social platforms as well. By promoting offers in other channels like Facebook or Pinterest, youâre able to tap into the power of omnichannel marketing to boost awareness, reinforce brand values, and, of course, drive sales.
âSpread awareness on your Facebook Page and Twitter profile, including email lists. Let your followers know whatâs going on,â the platform says. âThis wonât just increase sales but will also build you up as a trustworthy and powerful brand.â
Double tap on more Instagram conversions and ROI! AdRoll simplifies paid advertising by streamlining your digital campaigns across Instagram, other popular social media channels, the web, and email. Check out our Instagram ads tool to get started.
There are no fees associated with selling on Instagram. Your budget is yours to decide.
You can sell directly on Instagram with Instagram Direct or with the Shop platform.
Selling on Instagram requires you to create a business profile. You can then tag products in your photos, Reels, and stories.
Youâll need to set up a business account to accept payments in Instagram Direct. You will need to link your existing e-commerce platform with Metaâs Commerce Manager tools.
Yes. Instagram requires you to have a website and domain.
You must have a website domain, adhere to the Commerce Eligibility Requirements, and operate in a supported market. You must also have a Business Manager account to set up your shop in Commerce Manager.
Yes! Small and large businesses alike sell on Instagram.
For many businesses, selling on Instagram can help drive additional volume. But itâs hard work!Â
Instagram does not take a cut of sales. Other e-commerce platforms may charge fees, however.
Last updated on June 7th, 2023.