Written as a ghostwriter for a private client. The original publication is no longer available. Raw copy shared for portfolio purposes only.
16 June 2021
Instagram For Social Commerce: What You Should Know
Few platforms lend themselves to social commerce quite as well as Instagram. And the Facebook-owned platform knows this.
From shoppable posts to live-feed shopping experiences, Instagram has revolutionized the way we shop for and sell products. Maybe forever.
With so many e-commerce-specific features to help you showcase your products and even an in-house checkout system (US business users only), buying and selling products on Instagram is now quicker and easier than ever before.
Users no longer have to leave Instagram and visit a business’ website to purchase the tee their favorite influencer was wearing in their latest post. Brands have unparalleled opportunities to connect and engage with their followers. It’s a win/win.
Why you should sell on Instagram
Instagram has a massive 1+ billion users worldwide, offering a massive selection of tools and features that makes marketing, buying, and selling products quick, easy, and convenient for brands and users alike.
According to Instagram’s own statistics, 70% of “shopping enthusiasts” look to the platform to discover new products. 87% of users have been inspired to purchase something following an influencer post. https://business.instagram.com/shopping/
Love it or hate it, these figures don’t leave any room for misunderstanding: shoppers are using Instagram to find products, and these products are selling.
With recent upgrades transforming Instagram from a critical component of your e-commerce strategy into a unique Social Commerce channel in its own right – a digital storefront, if you will – and there are so many ways to present and sell your products:
Shoppable posts allow users to shop by clicking simple links in your posts. According to Hootsuite data, over 130 million users tap on a shoppable post every month! https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-statistics/
Shoppable stories let you tag products in your Instagram stories so customers can shop directly from your content.
Product stickers are clickable shopping stickers you can add to stories.
Explore tab shopping lets users shop directly from the Explore tab in their Instagram apps.
IGTV shopping works a little like shoppable stories, letting you tag products for customers to click and shop.
Instagram reels shopping lets you create reels with tagged products and shoppable links.
With Instagram shopping, you can create a very real digital storefront. This includes an entire catalog of products that users can browse and share to their hearts’ content.
This catalog doesn’t just provide you with a chance to showcase your products with attractive imagery and snappy captions. With Instagram’s social commerce features, you can include a product detail page, providing users with prices, descriptions, images, videos, and anything else they might need to make a purchase decision.
How social commerce works on Instagram
Social commerce on Instagram is an incredibly valuable tool that only a fool would waste. That said, there are some barriers to entry that you must pass before you can set up your Instagram shop.
Firstly, Instagram Shopping isn’t available in every location. Your Instagram account must be in an applicable market to receive the full benefits of the platform. https://help.instagram.com/321000045119159
Instagram Shopping is only helpful if you have a real, tangible, eligible product to sell. At this time, you can’t sell services through Instagram’s social commerce features (although Instagram’s Book Now, Reserve, or Order buttons may be beneficial if you’re a service provider). https://en-gb.facebook.com/help/instagram/122793804938499
Your business must adhere to Instagram’s merchant agreement and commerce policies. https://www.facebook.com/legal/commerce_product_merchant_agreement https://help.instagram.com/1627591223954487
Your business must own its own e-commerce website.
You must have an Instagram business profile linked to a Facebook Page.
How to create a business profile on Instagram
As mentioned, you need an Instagram business profile before you can benefit from the full range of social commerce features. But don’t worry if you don’t have one yet; it’s swift and simple to change your Instagram account to a business profile:
Head to your Instagram account and click the three lines in the top right-hand corner of the page.
Tap’ Settings.’
Tap’ Account.’
Click ‘Switch to Professional account.’
Choose ‘Business.’
Let Instagram know what type of business you are.
Enter the rest of your business information, then link your Instagram account to a Facebook Page – this step is important; if you skip it, you won’t be able to utilize the full range of Instagram Shopping features. Once you’ve created a business profile, you can go ahead and set up your Instagram Shop:
In the Instagram app, navigate back to the ‘Settings’ tab.
This time, click on ‘Business.’
Next, tap ‘Set up Instagram Shopping.’
Click ‘Get Started’ to open your Instagram shop and connect your product catalog.
How to write a good Instagram bio
Your Instagram bio is the first thing on your page and sets the tone for your brand. It’s limited to 150 characters, so making every character count is essential.
Defines your value proposition: Your value proposition is essentially your Unique Selling Point (USP). It tells people why they should care about what you have to say and why what you’re offering is the best.
Highlights your brand’s voice and personality: Whether your brand voice is cheeky and personal or formal and scientific, your Instagram bio is your chance to tell people what to expect when interacting with your business. Check and triple-check your tone of voice in your bio matches your brand image as a whole for a cohesive experience.
Includes a CTA: A good Instagram bio is short yet effective and should encourage users to take action after reading. This could be to create and share their own user-generated content, visit your online store to make a purchase, or something else. Consider what you want to achieve with Instagram, and mention it in the bio.
How to edit your Instagram bio
Editing your Instagram bio is – like most things on Instagram – quick and easy. Simply head to your Instagram page and hit that “Edit Profile” button.
From here, you can add your business name, user name/Instagram handle, and add a link to your website or a high-traffic landing page. You’ll also be able to edit your bio and add contact information for the business.
Branded hashtags and sister accounts
In addition to adding a link to your website, you can also utilize tags and hashtags in your Instagram bio.
If you have a sister account or an account used for user-generated content, this is an excellent place to tell users other ways to interact with your brand.
If you use branded hashtags as part of your marketing campaigns, you should always include them in your Instagram bio. Not only will this let users know what to enter when creating user-generated content, but it also offers a chance to boost your social proof by sending users directly to a feed filled with happy, engaged customers.
Emojis
When writing your Instagram bio, you’ll have access to your keyboard’s full range of emojis. Not are emojis highly engaging, but they’re also a brilliant “cheat” if you’re running low on characters – a picture really is worth a thousand words, after all!
Keywords and SEO
Finally, adding a few keywords in your Instagram bio is never a bad decision! Although hashtags are the primary search method on Instagram, having a few relevant and SEO-friendly keywords in your bio can help your brand appear higher in search results and boost brand visibility.
Instagram Advertising
Insta-promotions offer a valuable method of advertising that brands can use to connect and engage with a wide variety of potential customers.
At first glance, Instagram ads appear the same as regular posts and stories, with a “sponsored” label to let users know when they’re viewing paid-for content. This almost invisible advertising lets users enjoy well-targeted and engaging posts in-between their usual browsing while providing your brand plenty of visibility at prices you control.
There are five main Instagram ad types:
Photo ads: “Clean, simple, and beautiful” photo-based ads appear on users’ Instagram feeds alongside posts from other accounts they follow. A “sponsored” label will let users know the post has been paid for.
Video ads: Create videos up to 60 seconds long and promote them the same way as photo ads to create a more engaging experience for users.
Carousel ads: “Add another layer of depth” to your Instagram ad campaigns with multiple videos and images in a single post.
Stories ads: A creative, full-screen experience, Instagram Stories ads will appear in-between the Stories of other accounts users follow, and include CTA possibilities.
Ads in Explore: In Explore, you can post anything from shoppable ads to subject-orientated feeds that will appear in front of users looking to expand their interests. https://blog.hootsuite.com/get-brand-Instagrams-explore-page/#:~:text=The%20Instagram%20Explore%20page%20is%20made%20up%20of%20photos%2C%20videos,like%2C%E2%80%9D%20according%20to%20Instagram.&text=That’s%20decided%20by%20the%20Instagram,people%20you%20follow%20have%20liked
How to create ads on Instagram
There are a few different ways to promote and advertise on Instagram. The easiest option is simply to promote one of your existing posts:
Choose one of your posts and click the blue ‘Promote’ button.
Select your goal.
Select your target audience (or let Instagram target users who are likely to enjoy your content.)
Set your budget and for how long the ad should run.
Check the details, add a payment method, and create your promotion.
You can also create Instagram ads via the Facebook Ads Manager. This is an excellent option for creating cross-platform ads with fantastic audience targeting tools for precise and engaging ad placements. https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1513393428972189?id=1997185213680277
How to use Instagram Social Commerce key features to drive sales
Now you know how to create a business account on Instagram and transform your posts into promoted ads, let’s look at some of the Instagram social commerce features in a bit more detail.
Instagram Shopping
Instagram Shopping lets you open a digital store right on the platform, so users can “shop right at the moment of discovery.”
This set of unique and innovative tools transforms your Instagram account into a landing page where users can browse your products and even make purchases (US-only) without leaving the app. https://business.instagram.com/shopping/
In addition to appearing in the Instagram Shop tab, Shopping lets you utilize product tags to highlight your products, customize your shop with Collections, and even create Product Detail Pages. By allowing potential customers to view all the relevant information about your products – from price to description – Instagram is revolutionizing online shopping and social e-commerce.
Hashtags
There’s no escaping it; hashtags are an essential part of Instagram marketing and the best way to boost your brand visibility. But, despite knowing they’re an essential part of the puzzle, so many brands struggle to utilize hashtags to their full capacity.
On Instagram, you can use hashtags in three places:
Feed posts: Add up to 30 hashtags in a caption or comment to help your posts show up in more places.
Instagram Stories: You can add a maximum of ten hashtags in an Instagram Story, either using a hashtag sticker or placing them in a textbox.
IGTV: IGTV videos can contain up to 30 hashtags in the description.
Depending on the words or phrases you use in your hashtag, you could be competing with millions of posts or end up with something so niche nobody will ever see it. To ensure maximum, relevant exposure, it’s a good idea to use a few different tags:
Widely popular: Choose 1-2 hugely popular hashtags to maximize exposure and get your posts in front of as many users as possible.
Moderately popular: These hashtags won’t get you in front of millions, but standing out against thousands is an excellent compromise between exposure and relevancy: showing your posts to those that are genuinely interested in the topic without having to cut through too much noise.
Niche-specific: Choose 1-2 niche-specific hashtags that are specific to your target market and industry.
Branded: You should have at least one branded hashtag that customers can use to share user-generated content. Be sure to include this in every post, Story, and in your Instagram bio.
Experts are divided on the premium number of hashtags to boost brand awareness. While some recommend using the maximum number allowed, others suggest keeping your hashtag usage between 5-10 per post.
Just make sure the hashtags are relevant… Nobody is interested in seeing your new shoes on a feed about ice creams (unless, of course, your shoes feature a super-funky ice cream pattern!).
Influencers
At least 87% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase decision, so leveraging social proof in your Instagram marketing strategy is essential. https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
Influencer marketing is a critical component here… Combining expert opinions with user-generated content and the knowledge that people they follow and trust are using and enjoying your products. In fact, studies have down influencer marketing is a massive 10x more effective than affiliate marketing when it comes to online customer acquisitions. https://shanebarker.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics/
Working with influencers lets you tap into their established community of engaged followers. Rather than convincing new customers to trust you, you can use the trust built up by the influencer account to showcase how your products are valuable and worthwhile.
Influencer marketing is also a really cost-efficient method of building brand awareness. On average, for every $1 a brand spends on influencer campaigns, businesses earn around $7.65, so it’s easy to see how profitable influencer marketing can be! https://shanebarker.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics/
For maximum success, it’s vital to find an influencer that matches the priorities and tone of your brand. For example, if you’re selling steaks and sausages, there’s no point in asking a vegan influencer to promote your products!
You should also be aware of followers. While influencers with millions of followers might be attractive, they will also be expensive. On the other hand, micro-influencers (those with fewer than 15K followers) offer a smaller pool of potential customers, but their engagement rates tend to be the highest. https://www.marketingcharts.com/digital/social-media-116631
Selling on Instagram Stories, Reels, and IGTV
As digital marketing evolves, research has found social video generates around 1,200% more shares than image or text-based content combined! https://learn.g2.com/video-marketing-statistics What’s more, 86% of people say they would like to see more video content from brands https://cxl.com/blog/optimize-videos/, and 8/10 people have made a purchase after watching a brand’s video. https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/video-marketing-statistics#:~:text=Eight%20out%20of%20ten%20people,from%20video%20streaming%20and%20downloads
When it comes to video content, Instagram offers users a plethora of choices. Not only can you add video content to a standard feed post, but more bespoke options like Stories and Reels allow you to engage with followers in new and exciting ways.
Despite a short lifespan of just 24 hours, Instagram Stories are used daily by over 400 million people and offer a behind-the-scenes glance into your brand’s personality. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-stories-now-has-400-million-daily-active-users/526818/ This makes it an excellent channel for sharing a wide range of videos with a limited lifespan. You can even add your Stories to a ‘highlights’ album for easy browsing and extended visibility.
Reels are the next step in the Instagram video evolution. These 15-second clips are very reminiscent of TikTok content and are made to be fun, engaging, and inspiring for viewers. Reels could include top-tips, hacks, recipes, or even challenges for viewers to replicate at home. Short demos or tutorials of your products are also valuable.
For more long-form video content, IGTV could be the place for you. Here, you can record videos between 15-seconds up to 10 minutes long, and larger accounts can even upload videos up to an hour in length! https://elisedarma.com/blog/igtv-ultimate-guide These videos are brilliant for providing viewers with more information about your brand or product: try Q&A sessions, complete product demonstrations/tutorials, or even unboxing videos. You could even take the “TV” bit to the next level and create a series-style story, with new ‘episodes’ being released regularly and characters your follows can grow to love.
Whichever video content you go for, you can easily tag products, add music, or even play around with stickers and hashtags to make your content engaging and discoverable… Boosting sales and brand visibility with every “hey guys…!”.
Shoppable Instagram feeds
Until recently, the only place you could put a clickable link on your Instagram profile was your bio. However, with the introduction of Instagram Shops, it’s now possible to create shoppable feeds.
To use this feature, you need to be set up and approved for Instagram Shopping. After this, you can easily add product tags to your feed posts, Stories, and more. These links don’t just tell users what product you’re showcasing in your content but can also link shoppers to a product description page – where they can see the full product description and price.
For US social commerce business accounts, users can even benefit from Instagram checkout to purchase the product without ever leaving Instagram. If you’re not eligible for Instagram Checkout, users can “view on website” to complete their purchase with ease.
Instagram for Social Commerce: See it, ❤ it, buy it
Instagram is, first and foremost, a social media platform. Still, as it continuously introduces new e-commerce tools and features, it’s no wonder many businesses are transforming their Instagram profiles into nothing short of a digital storefront.
With everything from Insta-promotions – enabling businesses to transform any post or Story into an engaging promoted ad – to TikTok-inspired Reels designed to engage and delight, Instagram is the perfect place to connect with new and returning customers. And now, with the new Shoppable features and Instagram Checkout, users don’t even need to leave the app to purchase directly from their favorite brands and influencers… Streamlining the customer journey and boosting sales.
PS Copywriting 