Harness Instagram's Shoppable Features To Drive Sales

Social shopping is becoming more and more popular – given the excessive use of social apps and the ease of completing a transaction without even leaving the application, it’s no surprise that social commerce sales are expected to reach $45.74 billion in 2022. More than half of the country's adults make a purchase on social media.

Margo Mulvihill, CEO of Where Digital Goes, a sales focused social media agency, shares tips on how to harness Instagram’s shoppable features to maximize sales.

Simplicity And Ease Of Use

“Make the purchasing process easy and convenient for customers. When customers can see all the product details and purchase directly from your Instagram page, they are more likely to buy,” says Mulvihill. The less barriers or clicks there are between the product page and checking out, the better the chances that consumers will complete the transaction. “Make it easy for customers to purchase your products by including a link and shoppable tags to the product page within your post. This way, they can simply click on the link and be taken directly to the page where they can complete their purchase.”

“Not only will making the shopping experience beautiful for customers make them more likely to return, but it will also give you content and engagement that the algorithm can use to work for you,” she adds.

Attractive Images

In this case, a picture is truly worth a thousand words. High-quality, attractive images are key, as they are the first impression the customer will have about your product, and the motivator for potential shoppers to move further along their shopping journey.

“Customers should be able to see all the details of the product in the image, so use close-up shots and avoid using filters that can distort the colors,” advises Mulvihill.

On-brand copy to go along with images is also critical. “Use clear and concise captions that include all the relevant information about the product, such as the price, size, and color. Keep language simple and easy to understand so that customers can quickly get all the information they need. Also, let your natural personality shine in the language you use – people are more likely to buy from those with whom they share a connection.”

Relevant Hashtags

With algorithms changing quicker than we can keep up with, it’s getting more and more difficult to reach new audiences organically. The platforms are geared to drive users to pay for ads in order to reach potential customers. But hashtags are one way to get your posts in front of new audiences.

“Use relevant hashtags that describe your product. This will help potential customers find your products more easily.”

Doing your due diligence and researching relevant hashtags that are popular at the moment can pay off by reaching a larger audience. And the more engagement you get on your posts, the more the algorithms will favor it as well.

Offer Discounts And Promotions

A little encouragement can always help get a new customer to hit the purchase button for the first time. “Offering discounts and promotions will help to drive sales from loyal customers and encourage new customers to purchase your products.”

When running ads with a promo code, you can also use the code to track conversions and gauge the success of your campaign. It’s a win-win for both the shopper and the brand.

Stories & Reels

“Stories are a great way to showcase your products in a fun and creative way. You can use stories to give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your business, or to highlight new products,” says Mulvihill.

Over 500 million Instagrammers use stories daily. With video consumption being at an all-time high, stories allow brands to share more in-depth information and in a more personal way.

70% of Generation Z and 59% of millennials watch stories on Instagram – if you have a younger clientele, stories may be an effective way to reach them.

Paid Advertising

“Use paid advertising to reach a wider audience on Instagram. Show your products in all their glory, experiment with full screen immersive formats,” recommends Mulvihill.

When creating adverts for Instagram, it’s important to run A/B tests to figure out what works best and then increase spend on what is working. Run interesting and engaging ads featuring shoppable posts, which could include collaborations with influencers, or highlighting press coverage you’ve received within your ad.

Mulvihill also points out that it is critical to “assess the data and adjust strategy accordingly to continue driving more sales.”