2020 was the year we said goodbye to brick-and-mortar stores and said hello to online shopping for everything. And we’re not just talking about your run of the mill website. No, we’re talking about how the second most popular social network launched their new Instagram Shopping experience to their 1 billion monthly users.

So, if you’re not exactly sure what Instagram shopping is, or how to use it, stick around and we’ll guide you through everything you need to know.

What is Instagram Shopping? 

You’ve heard the name but perhaps you’re not too familiar with the concept. Well, let’s start at the basics and get you up to speed on exactly what Instagram shopping is.

Instagram shopping is a new feature that lets you merge your online product catalogue with your Instagram business profile. It allows customers to purchase your products directly through the platform or effortlessly click through to your website.

Your Instagram shop can be promoted through the channel which is a great way for your brand to be easily accessible at the click of a button.

Think of it as a streamlined process between your social media channel and website, an enormous opportunity for any e-commerce business!

Now we’ve taken you through the basics, how do you start earning that hard-earned cash? Let’s dive in.

The options are endless  

Say goodbye to that stale “Link in Bio” call-to-action and say hello to increased revenue with a “View Shop” button. That’s right, Instagram shopping allows customers to browse your products on the platform in a variety of ways and we’ll take you through a few of our favourites.

Storefront 

A storefront is exactly how you would think of the word in a physical capacity but on Instagram. It allows brands to curate their shoppable products and create an aesthetically pleasing shopping experience for the user, just like you would when merchandising.

The storefront on your Instagram profile acts as a landing page for the audience to discover and browse all your products which can be bought directly from the channel.

Tagged products in the feed 

Tag your products like you would your friends! A shopping tag allows you to tag products in your feed which permits the audience to click on the icon and view the price and name of your product.

The icon clicks through to your website and every time you tag a product on one of your images, it appears on your “shop” tab in your storefront.

It’s as simple as one, two, sold!

Shopping tags allow you to tag both accounts and products which is great if you are considering using an influencer marketing campaign or user-generated content.

Top tip: Shopping tags allow you to tag 5 products per image so carousels are a great way to highlight your full collection, capsule or look book.

Stories 

With 62% of Instagram Stories users saying they have become more interested in a brand after seeing it feature in their Stories, it’s a golden opportunity to maximise your profit.

With Instagram shopping, you can tag stickers in your stories, like you would in your feed. A shopping bag icon will appear and when a user clicks on it, a full description of the product will pop up on their screen.

While it’s the same concept as product tagging on your feed, the viewer is exposed to far more information about the product including the name, image, description, price, link to the website and even related products.

And the best part about this feature? Small businesses with under 10k followers can now drive traffic to their store instead of having to wait to qualify for the “Swipe Up” option.

Guides 

Instagram Guides popularity has skyrocketed over the past couple of months and it’s easy to understand why. It boosts engagement, drives traffic to your website and creates value for the audience.

Instagram Guides is a great way to up-sell your products and can inspire even the most uninspired shopper to take action. So, don’t miss this feature when setting up your Instagram Shop.

Here are some of our favourite ideas and examples when it comes to merchandising your products in Instagram Guides:

• Collections: Spring/ Summer 2022 etc.
• Categories: Jackets
• Recommendations: Best-selling products or priced to-go items.
• Tips: One skirt worn in 8 different outfits.
• Events: An outfit a day for the 12 days of Christmas.

Checkout

Checkout allows the customer to purchase directly through the app without navigating away. Payments are securely processed through Facebook Pay and your new order emails will start pinging before you know it!

Instagram is also testing virtual try on products through IG stories AR filters which will give users more confidence in buying products through the app.

Although this feature is not available everywhere just yet, we do not doubt that Checkout will be the future of Instagram Shopping. Watch this space!

Live shopping 

Think of live shopping as the modern-day salesperson of the internet.

This is by far the most personable and relatable Instagram Shopping feature. Your brand can host a live broadcast where the viewers can interact, react, and ask questions in real-time. You can pin your products during a live broadcast and be creative with a product launch or demonstration.

Discovery tab 

The discovery tab and explore feature opens a myriad of opportunities for your business. This tool allows the audience to scroll through new shops, collections, guides, videos, and editor picks without being committed to following the brand.

It is specifically focused on users who are looking for a certain product or something similar. So, don’t forget those all-important hashtags to create brand awareness and get in front of a new audience.

What are the benefits? 

So now we’ve covered the ways to get your products visible on Instagram Shopping, you’re probably wondering what the benefits are? There are countless, so brace yourself as we take you through a few.

• With 130 million users tapping on Instagram Shopping posts every month, there is already a buying intention to purchase directly from the platform.
• It’s easier to get your products in front of the right audience.
• All the product information is consolidated in one place.
• Increased brand awareness. 50% of IG users are more interested in a brand after seeing an advert for it on Instagram.
• Connects with the audience and builds relationships.
• You can easily integrate all your website content onto your Instagram Shop. This means the shopper doesn’t have to leave the platform, resulting in a positive user experience.
• More traffic to your social media channels and blog.
• A higher return on investment.
• You don’t have to fight to get a good organic SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) ranking.

With all the competition out there, it’s important to make sure you are taking advantage of all that Instagram has to offer. Staying on top of the trends is beneficial to increase brand awareness, improve traffic, build relationships, and get the audience to start reaching for their wallets.

Keep an eye out on our next blog on how to set up IG shopping to increase conversions.