Instagram shops are similar to any online shop where you can list your products and customers can shop directly from it. A lot of companies already use Instagram for marketing purposes. Typically, these companies redirect the customers to their websites. Instead of this, Instagram shopping allows the customers to directly sell from their Instagram page. This allows you to market and list items at one place – all free of cost.
Through Instagram, a buyer can tap on a post, and you’ll discover more insights regarding the item available for sale. It could be anything such as a pair of sunglasses, some super sassy shoes, or a beautiful dress. Together with their actual pricing and a shopping link, these products would straight away direct you to the online shop where you can find additional information about the item and buy it.
As per Instagram, more than 130 million individuals tap on these links every month, and receive posts from brands of all shapes and sizes. The process of setting a shop can be really stressful. Instagram makes this process very efficient, not just for the sellers, but for the buyers as well.
Jim Squires disclosed to Business Insider that the new shopping feature was dispatched to reflect the manner in which individuals are already utilising the application. Moreover, he said inner examination indicated half of Instagram users follow a business on the application, while 60% say they have found new items and services on Instagram.
- My Personal Experience with Instagram Shopping
- Why should You Choose Instagram Shopping
- How to Set Up an Instagram Shop
- Tools for Boosting Your Sales
- Tips and Tricks
- Conclusion
- FAQ
My Personal Experience with Instagram Shopping
Allow me to share my own experience with Instagram shopping.
As we all know, our world has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of people lost their source of earning during the pandemic. I’ve seen big companies go bankrupt during this period, leaving thousands of people unemployed.
Likewise, a guy I know lost his job and was desperately searching for a job to feed his family. However, due to market situation, he was unable to find an appropriate job. Disappointed, he consulted me and asked me for help in this critical matter. Obviously, my first intuitive intention was to suggest that he should start something at home, like a web-shop. Unfortunately, his resources didn’t allow him to invest in a website, so the idea of Instagram shopping popped into my mind.
Sell Your Products on Instagram
Instagram shops are a great way of instantly reaching a huge customer base. In this post, I provide a step-by-step guide for setting up a successful shop on Instagram.
Though he was a bit reluctant at first and wasn’t sure if this would work out, we decided to give it a shot. Together, we dug into it and created his business account on Instagram. Trust me, it was really easy, and the results were pretty unexpected.
Using alluring captions and the right hashtags, my friend was able to attract many followers. His business eventually expanded, to a point where he could make some profits. Today, his business is doing well, and he is growing steady, every day.
Hence, my experience has been absolutely tremendous, and that is why I would always recommend it. I hope my experience ignited some spark of motivation for you, though!
Why should You Choose Instagram Shopping
First of all, Instagram is a visual stage, which implies that it’s ideal for sharing delightful pictures of your products. Regardless of whether you are a spick and span entrepreneur making items by hand, or you’re selling print-on-demand shirts, your potential clients need to see your item before buying. Instagram is the best place to achieve this.
It is a pivotal stage for retail brands, with 200 million Instagram users visiting at least one business profile daily. Since most companies already use Instagram for marketing purposes, Instagram Shopping allows them to kill two birds with one stone.
With only a couple of necessary steps, you can set up an Instagram Shopping account to create a charming shopping experience for your clients. 70% of shopping experts use Instagram for item discovery, and more than 130 million clients click on a shopping post at least once every month.
Undoubtedly, business owners who have their own websites are making thousands of dollars out of it. You can also use utilise Instagram to make some foothold for yourself and generate income.
So, let’s get you started.
How to Set Up an Instagram Shop
Here’s the step-by-step guide for setting up an Instagram Shop.
Confirm your eligibility
Before you can start an Instagram Shop, you need to meet a set of Instagram’s requirements. Let’s take a glance at their requirements!
- You can only sell actual merchandise or physical goods. Instagram shops do not allow sale of services.
- Your business should follow Instagram’s commerce policies.
- Your business should be located in one of Instagram’s supported markets.
- You need to prove your reliability. You should have an authentic and credible presence.
- You should have clear descriptions about your goods along with your return and refund policies.
Link Instagram Account with Facebook Business Page
Only you have ensured that you meet the basic requirements, you need to set up an Instagram business account. You can also change your existing personal account to a business account. Don’t worry, it hardly takes a minute. You can now access all of Instagram’s business tools, such as action buttons, Instagram Insights, and Instagram ads. Trust me; these tools are life-savers!
Next, you need to link your Instagram business profile to your Facebook business page. Make sure that you are the admin of the page you are connecting your Instagram profile with. You can easily link your account from your Instagram’s settings.
Upload Your Product Catalogue
Your product catalogue fuels Instagram Shopping. There are two of linking your product catalogue to your account. You can choose whichever one you find more convenient.
Catalogue Manager
It is a “do it yourself” technique, found inside Facebook Business Manager. Keep in mind; Instagram Shops pull item data from Facebook Shops. Hence, once you link the two accounts, you need to create a Facebook shop and sync your catalogue. This will likewise permit you to advertise and promote your items on Facebook.
E-commerce Platform Partner
It is based on integrating your Instagram Business account with specified e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify or BigCommerce.
Submit Your Account For Review
Your shop will go live once it has been reviewed. Instagram will automatically review your account, before permitting you to make an Instagram Shop.
The whole review cycle can require a couple of days and even longer in some cases. Just be patient and hold tight. When you have been successfully endorsed, Instagram will notify you of the same.
Turn on the Shopping Feature
Once the Instagram authorities have successfully reviewed your account, you need to turn on the shopping feature from your account. If you can’t see the shopping option in your Instagram settings, this implies that your account hasn’t been verified yet.
Click on “get started” on the notification pop up. Sync it with your Facebook Shop and you now have an Instagram Shop.
Promote Your Shop
Your shop has been successfully created, and now you need to start marketing through Instagram posts, stories and reels. This might look a little tough at first, but trust me, it can’t get any simpler. When you create an Instagram post, you would be able to tag your products in that image, just like you tag your friends.
When your viewers tap on the picture of your product, they would be able to gain a quick insight into the products you’ve added along with its price. Note that Instagram only allows 5 product tags in one picture and up to 20 tags in a multi-picture post.
Tools for Boosting Your Sales
Now, let me share some tools that will help you make more money using Instagram Shopping.
Curalate Like2Buy
Like2Buy from Curalate is a tool to make Instagram shopping pictures. It does this by creating a link in your profile. When users click it, they are taken to your Like2Buy gallery where they look for items, read stories, and hopefully buy something. With Like2Buy, you can plan posts ahead and schedule your stories.
While this is a great tool, it is not recommended for small businesses because it may cost you around $1000 per month. However, if you have a big business and earn a handsome pay every month, this is an investment worth making.
Shop Social
Shop Social is an online Instagram Shop manager which turns your Instagram media into shoppable galleries. It is quite user-friendly and does not require any technical knowledge. Additionally, it allows provides with shop data such as number of clicks and Google Analytics integration. It costs $49 per month.
Postcart
Similar to Shop Social, Postcart transforms your Instagram posts into shoppable items, or transform an Instagram feed into a shoppable site. You can make effective use of your Instagram descriptions by mentioning specific details about your product such as its size or colour. Postcard utilises your Instagram descriptions to robotize amounts and item varieties, for example, shading or size. The personal plan is $10 per month; the business plan is $20 per month.
Tips and Tricks
Allow me to share some tips and tricks which would enhance your Instagram Shop’s conversion!
- Begin exploiting the free Instagram tools. Look at your audiences’ data, such as their age or locations.
- Post product teasers, without being excessively pushy. This will create an urge in people to buy your items.
- Try the sponsored ads as well to see in order to reach your targeted audience. It will make your product reach more people. Track whether advertising is paying off in terms of growth rate, number of clicks per day, reach and engagement rate.
- Use Instagram Stories and Reels to post the behind-the-scenes photographs or recordings. People usually enjoy watching the production process, and it also helps you build a healthy relationship with your viewers.
- Collaborate with influencers who have a broad reach in your industry. They can convince their followers to buy your products.
- Use interactive brand hashtags every time you post.
- Keep your account active. Post multiple times every week, orderly. With Instagram, consistency is key to success.
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Conclusion
The future mall is definitely not a rambling city of stores but is concentrated on your phone. The massive growth of the e-commerce sector is proof of it. Since Instagram Shop is a growing market, to be an early mover and reap its benefits.
It is no doubt that companies use personal data to guide the shopper’s behaviours. Amazon predicts when you’ll have to restock on paper towels. Pinterest predicts what you will need to rebuild your home or enhance its beauty. Instagram already has a lot of data and understands the likes and dislikes of a particular user. It is not using this to guide customers towards products they may purchase, making it more straightforward for you to get it. It is an excellent opportunity for a business to target its audience and grow.
My suggestion is you don’t think twice before starting an Instagram shop! Just follow the steps mentioned above and you’ll surely be successful.
FAQ
Can you make an Instagram shop without having a business account?
No, you can’t. You have to set up a business account in order to sell products through Instagram.
Can you sell your services via your Instagram shop, such as food delivery or transport services?
No, you can’t. Instagram only allows selling and purchase of physical goods.
Can you tag unlimited products on a single photo?
No, you can only tag 5 products in one picture and 20 products in a multi-picture post.
