Did you know that 130 million people click on an Instagram shopping post per month? We won’t break down the math, but it’s pretty clear that Instagram is a powerful tool for anyone in the e-commerce industry. Plus, with “Checkout on Instagram,” consumers are able to buy your products without even leaving the app. 

Get Started 

In order to set up your profile for e-commerce, you need to make sure you check off the requirements to be able to use the Instagram shopping features. Facebook lists them on the site. Start by going through the following questions: 

• Is your business located in a supported market?

• Does your business sell physical goods?

• Does it comply with our commerce policies?

• Is your Instagram account a business account?

• Is your account connected to a Facebook Page?

 If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you should be good to go! If not, you may need to contact Instagram or reconfigure your account. 

Connect

Next, you’ll need to connect to a Facebook catalog. This will act as a container for all the products you’re trying to sell.  You can do this two different ways: 

1. You can use your Business Manager account to create a new catalog. Just tap “Add” and catalog your heart out! 
2. Another way to set up your catalog is through the “Shop” tab on your Facebook Business page. You’ll need to add some information (address, currency, etc.), and once you’ve done so, you can start adding in your products. 
   
   

 Wait it out 

As you probably know, Instagram has a lot of requirements and guidelines for business profiles. Since you’re going to be selling your products on the platform, there’s a review period in which Instagram will decide if you’re approved or not. You can expect to hear back within a few days to two weeks. 

Have fun with it 

After all the finger-crossing and finally getting good news from Instagram, you can finally get the ball rolling on your profile. This is the fun part, so don’t be afraid to experiment a little and think outside the box. 

Optimizing your product posts 

When it comes to selling on Instagram, everyone has a different style. Some businesses prefer standalone beauty shots of their products, while others prefer more of a “branded content” approach. After choosing the photos you want to post, upload them just like you would upload a regular image. When you’re ready to share it, hit “Tag products” — this is where the magic happens. You can add as many as 5 tags per photo, so choose wisely! 

Measure results 

Business owners are always looking at the numbers to see how well they’re doing. Instagram e-commerce is no different. Once everything is up and running for your profile, you can track analytics by heading to the “Insights” tab on your Instagram. Here you can see what kinds of people are looking at and buying your products, how many are liking and/or commenting, and where they’re from. These insights are powerful components of your overall strategy and will help you continue to move forward with your business. 

Instagram is more than just a marketplace of ideas — now it’s an actual marketplace! Who would have thought? If you haven’t given it a try already, now’s a great time to test it out. Good luck and happy selling!