Instagram Shopping

We all know the platform Instagram, but did you know that a report by Oberlo found that Instagram has: 

• 1 billion active monthly users,
• The average users spend 53 minutes a day on Instagram, 
• Or that Instagram helps 80% of users decide if they want to buy a product? 

In Instagram’s 10 years of operations (yes, it really has been 10 years!), it has provided businesses with a ‘platform’ to share their story, reach customers and sell products. Selling products has now become easier with the addition of the Instagram Shopping and product tagging. 

How to Sell on Instagram

Instagram Shopping provides a virtual store that allows customers to browse and buy from the comfort of their couch. The shop is connected to a business profile under the shopping bag icon and is linked via product tags. Product tags similar to user tags are added to posts to provide key information (when clicked) about a product including: 

• Name of the product 
• Product image
• Product price 
• Related products 
• Link to the product on the website 

The product tags further link to the “Shop” option on Instagram Explore, where users can view product suggestions based on their past interactions and products they recently viewed. 

How to set up Instagram Shopping

So how do you make the most of this incredible tool? 

First thing first, ensure that you have a business account and check if your account is connected to a Facebook page. If your Instagram business account is not connected to your Facebook business page, then you will need to connect them.

The two ways to create an Instagram Shop are as follows:

1. Link to your e-commerce platform partner (i.e.WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce).
2. Link to your Facebook Business Manager. 

We recommend that you link to your e-commerce platform provider to reduce the amount of time required to update products. Link to your e-commerce provider by: 

• Going to your settings. 
• Hitting the ‘Business’ option.
• Selecting the blue text saying “Set up Instagram Shopping”. 
• Hit the blue “Get Started” button and follow the prompts. 

The above process can sound deceptively simple, however depending on the set up of your e-commerce website, there can be a range of issues or complications associated with migrating your products and their images into the Instagram Shop.

Once your Instagram Shop has been approved and switched on, you can start tagging your products and add tags to your past posts. If you’re not sure how to tag, view our most recent post “Instagram: Tagging & Mentions”. 

Lastly, enjoy the benefits of increased sales as users can discover products and convert more efficiently. The tool also provides insights into how products are performing. 

We hope this marketing tip will help you expand your e-commerce operations, and build your confidence with the new Instagram Shopping tool! We provide marketing coaching sessions, set up and management services if you’re needing assistance! 

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