How to Set Up an Instagram Shop

Online shopping is booming like never before, and social media is making it easier to shop directly on your favorite platforms.

Instagram has made its intentions clear: It wants to become a forerunner in the e-commerce sphere and is well on its way with the popular Instagram Shop feature.

If you have products to sell, you can set up an Instagram Shop and integrate your product catalog with your profile. Doing this will allow you to promote your products directly to your audience using Instagram’s other features. These features include posts, stories, and the shop tab.

Using Instagram Shopping also means you don’t have to keep directing your followers to your website. Instead, they can browse and buy your products on Instagram.

Setting Up Shop

Did you know that around 130 million users tap on a shopping post on Instagram monthly? If that doesn’t inspire you to set up shop on your Instagram profile, nothing will.

Before structuring your shop, your business must be eligible according to Instagram's specific criteria. This means your shop and products must comply with Instagram’s merchant agreement and commerce policies. Additionally, you must have a business account with Instagram and link it to a Facebook page representing your brand.

Also, you must sell physical products, and your business must own your e-commerce website.

Build the Foundation

Keep the following factors in mind when building the foundation of your Instagram shop:

• Brand Identity

  Your Instagram profile must reflect your brand identity. Choose a username that is easy to search and links to your business. Your profile picture should ideally be your logo or an easy-to-recognize symbol.

• Visuals

  All the photos and videos on your feed should work together to create a consistent brand look. Use one or two color palettes or styles and high-quality visuals to spotlight your products.

• Captivating Bio

  You have limited space to craft a compelling Instagram bio, so make sure that you provide a clear description of your business and the products you sell. You can add a link to your website in this section, but it’s unnecessary if you want to sell exclusively from your Instagram shop.

• Use Instagram Highlights

  Instagram has a nifty little feature called Highlights that you can use to feature best-selling products and organize your offers. You can even use it to promote customer testimonials.

Connect to Your Facebook Shop

You must have administrative access to your Facebook page to link it to your Instagram business account. Go to Instagram settings, tap on Business, then Shopping, and follow the prompts.

Create a product catalog on Facebook using the Catalog Manager or other e-commerce applications that work with Facebook. Your Facebook catalog is the central hub for all your product information, so update it accurately with images, pricing, descriptions, and stock counts.

When your catalog is complete, submit it to Facebook to be reviewed. Facebook will let you know if it complies with the necessary policies. Just note that it may take some time for you to get feedback.

Enable Shopping on Instagram

When you get a notification from Instagram that your catalog is approved, you can enable product tagging. Go to Instagram settings, tap on Business, then Shopping, and then Continue to get started with the tagging.

You can tag your products in posts and stories by tapping Tag Products when you create a new post. In stories, you can use the product sticker to highlight your items.

Use Shopping Features

You want to ride with Instagram’s algorithm, so make your posts shoppable with shopping tags to increase their visibility. The algorithm identifies tagged posts and prioritizes them in users’ feeds. Do not be tempted to skimp on your visuals. Instead, take the extra time to ensure that you post high-quality images only.

Also, use Instagram ads where appropriate. You can use shopping ads to target users most likely to be interested in what you sell. Instagram ads work with targets and demographics, so you can extend your brand’s reach and gain a wider audience at the same time.

Influencers count as a feature on the platform, so you can consider partnering with influencers in your industry or niche to attract more potential customers.

Engage With Your Audience

When your products begin circulating on Instagram and you start noticing higher engagement, you’ll find that this is the perfect time to become more active on your feed.

Respond promptly to comments and direct messages, especially if people ask questions and raise concerns. You want to kick off your Instagram shopping experience efficiently, so build a strong relationship with your followers by implementing the feedback you get from them.

When the comments and questions begin pouring in, you can increase engagement around your Instagram shop by hosting contests and product giveaways. Ask your followers to tag their friends and share your posts to get a chance to win. Doing this will instantly boost your shop’s visibility.

While giving away prizes and products, you can ask winners to share selfies with the items they’ve won. Feature this user-generated content on your profile to add authenticity and build trust with your audience.

Monitor Your Shop’s Performance

Starting an Instagram shop is much like opening a brick-and-mortar store: You don’t know what tomorrow will bring. For this reason, you should keep a close eye on your shop’s online insights to see how well your shop is doing and how many products you sell.

You can use data from your e-commerce platform to analyze your sales performance and use the trends and customer behavior gleaned from it to optimize and streamline your shop.

When your shop is up and running, you should also experiment with new sales strategies as your audience’s preferences shift. Social media trends often dictate which products sell and which don’t, so if you can align your shop with current trends, you’ll be well on your way to success.

Ready, Get Set, Sell!

Building an Instagram shopping experience for your followers won’t happen overnight, but your dedication and effort will reward you with engagement and an expanding profit margin. Take your brand to new heights on Instagram using the power of online shopping, and continue to reap the benefits as you go along.