Your Guide to Instagram Shopping in 2024
Everything you need to know about Instagram Shopping and how to utilize it to boost sales for your business or brand.
Posted 4 months ago
Written by
Mackenzie TaylorPosted 4 months ago
When it comes to owning a business or brand, selling online is a must. And not only selling on a website but selling on Instagram can help boost your sales and can be an important way for you to expose your brand to more and more people that you might not have connected with previously. Setting up Instagram Shopping can take your business to the next level, but where do you begin? We’re breaking down everything you need to know about Instagram Shopping and how to utilize it to get the most out of your shop.
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What is Instagram Shopping?
Instagram Shopping is a way for brands and businesses to post their products on Instagram and people to easily shop via the app.
Businesses and creators can tag products indirectly in their posts making it a really easy and seamless way for people to shop online quickly! And the best part about Instagram? It means people can shop within the app … and don’t have to leave the app at all.
What all do they have on the Instagram Shop line-up? Oh, just a casual:
1. Instagram Shops
If you’re a business or brand that is selling products and you don’t have an Instagram Shop, what are you doing?
Instagram Shop will help you reach new followers and get higher traffic to the products you’re selling. With this feature, you can add a list of all the products you want people to shop which can be accessed through a button at the top of your bio called “View Shop.”
Plus, if you have an Instagram Shop, you could be featured on Instagram’s Shop tab which is located at the bottom of your feed! From that tab, users can see new products from people they follow, and prose and explore shops, Editors’ Picks, Collections, Guides, and Videos. 🎉
2. Instagram Feed Post Shopping
Instagram Feed Post shopping is one of the easiest ways for your followers to quickly and easily discover new products from you. Once you have your Instagram Shop set up, you can tag up to five products on your feed post.
When your items are tagged, your followers can click the tag and shop directly from your post. It’s so simple and makes the user experience quick and easy that they have no time to be frustrated or bounce out of the shopping experience.
A really great feature is with a carousel post, you can tag up to 20 (yes, 20!!) products on your feed.
It’s an easy and effective way for your brand or biz to sell on Instagram in an organic and “non-sales-y” way.
3. Instagram Live Shopping
Instagram Live has become a great way for brands to showcase their products and have their users buy directly from their broadcast. Yes, it’s like that late-night As Seen On TV ads!
Accounts with access to Instagram Checkout can tag up to 30 products from their Shop before going live. Then, while live, you can start pinning products one at a time to have your viewers quickly shop the items. Smart and convenient in our book!
4. Instagram Guides Shopping
While it’s not a prominent feature, Guides is such a great feature for brands to utilize when they want to showcase their best-selling products or give a roundup of new or current items.
5. Instagram Shopping from Creators
Instagram Creators have the ability to drive traffic and sales to the brands they partner with. With the Shopping from Creators feature, creators can create a shoppable Instagram post that highlights the products from the brands they want to feature. Their followers can then purchase them using Instagram checkout.
It’s a great feature and a wonderful way for you to collaborate with an influencer and help drive traffic and sales to your account!
6. Instagram Stories Shopping
If you’ve ever been swiping through your stories, chances are you’ve stumbled across a product sticker that links you to the exact product in the story.
This product sticker is a super-easy way for brands to tag their product and have users click to learn more and (hopefully!) make a purchase. On top of that, eCommerce brands can use SAP Subscription billing solution to manage recurring payments and subscriptions seamlessly, ensuring a smooth and consistent customer experience from discovery to delivery.
7. Instagram Reels Shopping
Back in 2020, Instagram announced IG Shopping and the ability to shop via Instagram Reels. In the past, you could only add products to the description of an Instagram Video but now you can tag the item directly in the video.
Can you say game-changer?
With Instagram Reels, you can tag the products within your Reels and find out more about them within the app through a swipe-up feature.
How to Set Up Instagram Shopping for your Instagram Account
Now that you know of the variety of ways you can shop on Instagram, it’s time to set up your shop to start selling! Here’s how to set up shopping on Instagram:
1. Check if you can sell on Instagram
There are a lot of strict requirements when it comes to selling on the app, so you need to make sure that you’re eligible! What are the rules?
- Your business must be on the approved market list. Currently, there are over 60+ approved countries, so make sure yours is one of them!
- Your business must primarily sell physical goods and comply with Instagram’s commerce policies.
- Your account must be an Instagram business account.
2. Don’t have a Business or Creator account? Make it one!
You need to have a business or creator account on Mellon Instagram!
3. Connect to a Facebook page
Now that you have a business or creator account, you need to connect your account to a Facebook page. Here’s how to do that:
- Go to your Instagram profile
- Select “Edit Profile”
- Under “Public business information,” select “Page”
- Choose your Facebook Page or if you don’t have one, create a new Facebook Page!
4. Upload your product catalog
If you’re selling on Instagram, you kind of need some products to link and sell! This means you need a product catalog!
There are a couple of ways to connect a product catalog to your Instagram account:
5. Submit your account for review
Now that you have your product catalog uploaded to your IG, you’ll need to submit your account for Instagram’s approval. Yes, they need to approve what you’re selling! Here’s how to do so:
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the menu icon
- Select Settings
- Sign up for shopping
- Follow the steps to submit your account for review
- Visit “shopping” in your settings at any time to check your status.
💡 Top tip: It can take a few days to get the approval (sometimes longer!), so don’t freak out if it’s not approved in a few hours. Plus, your business might be asked to show additional information to prove domain ownership, etc.
6. Turn on shopping
Now for the best part—turning it all on! Once your account gets that seal of approval from IG, you can now turn on shopping features.
- Go to your Instagram profile and click the menu icon
- Select Settings
- Tap “Business” and then tap “Shopping”
- Select the “product catalog” that you want to connect to your account.
- Click done
Yes, it really is that easy! Now that you have your Instagram shop all setup, learn how to work with influencers to get incredible UGC content for your Instagram Shop here.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up Instagram Shopping for my Instagram account?
Setting up Instagram Shopping for your Instagram account is a straightforward process, but there are a few steps involved. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
- Meet the requirements: Before you dive in, make sure your business is eligible to sell on Instagram. Your business needs to be located in a supported market and primarily sell physical products. You’ll also need to switch your account to a business or creator account if you haven’t already.
- Connect to Facebook: Instagram Shopping requires a Facebook page. You’ll need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook page to proceed.
- Upload your product catalog: There are two ways to upload your product catalog to Instagram Shopping. You can use Facebook’s Catalog Manager or partner with an approved E-commerce platform.
- Get reviewed by Instagram: Once you’ve connected your Facebook page and uploaded your catalog, submit your account for review by Instagram. Reviews can take a few days, so be patient.
- Turn on shopping features: After your account is approved, you can activate shopping features in your Instagram settings. This will allow you to tag products in your posts and stories.
- Select your product catalog: Finally, choose the product catalog you want to connect to your Instagram account.
What are the requirements to sell on Instagram?
There are a few key requirements to keep in mind if you want to sell on Instagram:
- Location: Your business must be located in a market supported by Instagram Shopping. Currently, this includes over 60 countries.
- Products: Your business must primarily sell physical goods that comply with Instagram’s commerce policies.
- Account type: You’ll need to have a business or creator account to sell on Instagram.
Do I need a Facebook page to sell on Instagram?
Yes, you do need a Facebook page to sell on Instagram. Instagram Shopping requires connecting your Instagram account to a Facebook page.
How many products can I tag in an Instagram Reels post?
You can tag up to 30 products from your Shop before going live on an Instagram Live post. You can tag up to five products on your Instagram feed post. You can also tag up to 20 products on a carousel post.
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