Consumers aren’t the only ones singing about shopping this holiday season. The digital marketing world has been focused on it for months! Google replaced Smart Shopping in July with shoppable image ads last week. Now Instagram is rolling out shoppable Stories to all eligible businesses. This comes after Instagram launched sending shopping global in March and introducing shopping to Stories in June.
Yes, that was a mouthful! Let’s break down who can use shoppable Instagram Stories and why they’re so important for brands.
Shopping on Instagram: A Quick Overview
Believe it or not, Instagram shopping debuted back in March 2017 – practically ancient history in the digital world! Unlike traditional e-commerce, Instagram designed its shopping experience to be less aggressive and more more immersive. Shopping posts mimicked the look of regular posts, except for a “Tap to View Products” button that revealed product details.
Tapping those details brought you to a product page with a description and a call to action. If you were ready to buy, you could then click through to the brand’s website.
This subtle approach has proven effective: over 90 million users engage with shoppable posts every month.
Setting Up Your Instagram Shop
Remember how we mentioned “eligible businesses”? There’s a process to get approved for shopping on Instagram before you can add it to Stories. Here’s what you need to do:
- Ensure you have the latest Instagram app and a business profile.
- Make sure you’re an admin on the connected Facebook page or Business Manager account.
- Set up your product catalogue on Facebook.
- Confirm you’re selling physical goods, not services.
Once you’ve completed these steps, Instagram will automatically review your account. It may take a few days, but you’ll get a notification once you’re approved.
Next, you’ll need to enable product tagging. Look for the “Get Started” alert on your profile (it appears after approval). If you don’t see it, go to Options > Products > Continue. Select your product catalog, hit “Done,” and start tagging your products in your Instagram posts!
Shoppable Instagram Stories: The Next Big Thing?
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You can now leverage shopping in one of the most immersive and engaging formats available: Instagram Stories. With over 400 million users, Stories offer full-screen visuals and effortless viewing. It’s no wonder Facebook execs are predicting it will surpass the News Feed in popularity!
Adding products to Stories is as easy as using stickers. After you’ve jazzed up your Story with music, locations, and shoutouts, just add the product sticker. And there you have it:
(We’ve got even more Instagram Story hacks for you here!)
While you can only tag one product per Story post, you can always add more posts to feature more items. Tapping on the sticker and then “See Details” will lead users to the product page, where they can learn more, visit your website, or explore similar products.
Shoppable Content in Explore
But wait, there’s more! Instagram is testing a dedicated shopping channel within the Explore tab (that’s the magnifying glass icon). This means users interested in shopping will soon discover brands they might like that use Instagram’s shopping features. For brands, it’s another opportunity to reach new customers beyond the traditional News Feed or Stories.
Don’t Miss Out!
So, what’s the takeaway? If you’re selling physical products, now is the perfect time to take advantage of Instagram shopping. It’s a rapidly evolving space that seamlessly blends shopping with the future of content consumption. Go forth and sell!
Speaking of stories, have you checked out LinkedIn Stories yet?