Yes, you have heard it right, it’s called the Instagram shop. Is Instagram a shop now? Well, almost.
The new Instagram shop business feature is here and is about to transform Instagram’s sense of reality once and for all. Forget what you know, it’s all about to change.
It first launched in the US and is now global; this is going to be the biggest in-app change yet. Many of us tend to follow our favourite brands and businesses.
You can now purchase your favourite product and brands by browsing on Instagram.
Instagram has announced that they hope their Instagram shopping feature can further help businesses to succeed.
What Exactly is an Instagram Store?
We know you are wondering what this really means, but so are we.
By clicking on the shop icon placed under the search bar on your feed, you are able to discover a whole selection of posts recommended based on who you follow. That entire section is filled with posts that you can buy products from.
You are now able to directly see products of the business and brand accounts that you follow if they have their IG shop account set up.
With the Instagram shopping feature taking over we are no longer confined to directionless browsing. We can be directed to the products we would like to buy.
The website’s link will be on display under the product and with just one click you will now be directed to the site’s page for that particular product.
The Future of Instagram Shop
This new feature has the possibility of joining with an impressive Instagram checkout. This tool is in fact already in use in the US. Instagram is hoping to go global with the checkout tool which enables you to purchase on Instagram directly.
It will wipe out any need to leave Instagram to go to another website. We will be able to buy as we view it directly on the Instagram store.
We believe this is going to be the greatest marketing tool for businesses reaching their audience on Instagram so far/to date.
That is why we have dedicated the rest of this article to help you set up your own Instagram Store.
The Essentials You Require to Make Your Own Very IG Shop
There are a few important things that you must have to be able to get your account verified by Instagram.
Your business needs to be in a country that already has access to the Instagram shopping tool.
You need to own the domain of your website from which you are going to sell your products.
You need to have a Facebook page you can connect to. If you haven’t got one, not to worry, you can easily set one up as you apply for this feature.
You must ensure your business applies correctly to their merchant agreements and commerce policies.
Your business needs to have eligible products and one product is all you need.
Step By Step Guide to Set up Your Own Instagram Shop
If you have checked and got everything above then follow the stages below to build your IG shop.
- Transfer to a business or professional account:
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Choose Settings
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Pick Account
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Choose Switch to Professional Account
2. Connect to your Facebook page:
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Go to your Instagram Business profile
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Choose Edit profile
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Choose Page option under the Public Information Business
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Choose the Page you would like to connect to
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For those of you do not have a Facebook page simply click on Create a New Page
3. Upload your product catalog via catalog Manager or E-commerce Platform Partner:
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The Catalog manager can be found within Facebook Business Manager.
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You can also choose to use their E-commerce platform partners such as Shopify or BigCommerce.
4. Now that you are all set, submit your Instagram shop request:
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Click on Settings
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Select the Sign up for Shopping Option
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Follow and complete the instructions
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To check your status, visit shopping in your settings (only available once your business has been successfully verified)
What to do With Your Instagram Shop Once You Have Been approved
All you need to do now is to turn on the shopping feature:
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Choose Shopping
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Choose Continue
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Pick a catalog to link to your business account
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Save changes
Now start with tagging your products. Upload a picture as you normally would. Now that your catalog is linked to your account, tagging is going to be as easy as tagging a person in your picture.
Click on the tag product icon on the image. Then search for the product name. Once you have found your product name then select it and tap done. You can now tap, share and there you have it.
Tips to Grow Sales With Your Instagram Store
Just like any other marketing strategy, consistency will be the key. You must always ensure to tag your products. This will give your products more exposure and your audience will be able to see it.
The more your followers and customers see the tags the quicker they will begin to purchase from your Instagram directly. If you want to adapt quickly to this new feature you could even use a hashtag of “taptobuy” in your image’s description.
Another clever way you can use this new business tool is via Instagram Stories. Just upload a story as you normally would, and click on the sticker icon on the top-righthand corner. This will give you the opportunity to make your tag via your catalog.
Ensure your influencers always tag the products they are promoting so it is more accessible by their audience.
Instagrams Effort to Help Businesses Grow
Instagram has been adding and enhancing its features to really help businesses grow. 2020 has put things into perspective for all of us and everyone’s favourite social media platform, Instagram, has kindly introduced extremely useful business tools.
Instagram first introduced its QR code earlier this year and now the IG Shop feature is global. We cannot wait for the Instagram checkout to go global. It will bring businesses so much growth and that is exactly what we all need in 2020.
Instagram has the success of other businesses at the heart of everything they have introduced in 2020. This is exactly what makes them more than just a social media platform. They truly deserve all the credit they get.
