With over 2 billion monthly users, Instagram has emerged as one of the most powerful social media platforms. While it is the perfect place for creating engaging content, the platform also lets you sell products.
But how to sell on Instagram? Well, you’ve reached the right place!
Selling on Instagram is possible thanks to Instagram Shopping, which lets you access the business side of the ‘gram. With this, you can run Instagram ads, add a product catalog, generate shoppable posts, create an Instagram Shop, display product collections, sell through DMs, and even provide Instagram Checkout (only in the US).
While the features can kickstart the selling process, it’s also important to stand out to get potential shoppers. For this, you must incorporate effective strategies such as adding product tags to posts, creating a compelling bio, partnering with relevant influencers, and more.
Without further ado, we will explore the A-Z of selling your products on Instagram. Let’s get started!
JUMP TO HOW TO SELL YOUR PRODUCTS ON INSTAGRAM.
Table of Contents
What Do You Need Before Selling On Instagram?
Before you start selling, here are a couple of essential setups you need to do to access the business side of Instagram –
Understand Instagram Shopping
Instagram Shopping is a concept that lets sellers set up a professional account and allows Instagrammers (potential customers) to easily shop for your products on the platform. This enables you to:
- Upload product catalogs
- Create shoppable posts
- Add product tags on images and reels
- Access Instagram Shop
- Run ad campaigns
Switching To Instagram Professional Account
Accessing Instagram Shopping is only possible if you have switched to a professional account (business account). It is completely free to use.
When you switch to a professional account, Instagram offers access to:
- Dashboard analytics to track user engagement
- Learn about users’ usage time
- Access marketing tools
- Schedule and boost posts (Integrate with Meta’s tools)
- Display your business type
- Add contact information about your business
To switch to a professional account, visit your Profile > ‘Edit profile’ button. Scroll down and locate ‘Switch to professional account.’ Follow the steps & you’re good to go!
Keep in mind that the exact navigation may vary slightly based on app updates and system type.
Facebook Page
It creates a bridge between Meta’s essential tools. Once you connect Instagram with your Facebook page, you can create and manage ads directly.
Meta Commerce Manager
Another crucial element that helps manage product catalogs and access sales channel on Facebook & Instagram. You can easily export the product feed from your online store to the Commerce Manager. Connecting the two platforms streamlines the operations and provides one coherent way to run marketing campaigns.
Another way to manage operations effectively would be by using the Meta Business Suite.
This is important when creating an Instagram Shop.
Facebook (Meta) Ads Manager
Facebook’s Ad Manager is important for running Instagram ads. The ad creation process begins and ends here. Using Ads Manager can help you with:
- Select objective: Choose different objectives like awareness, traffic, engagement, leads, app promotion, and sales.
- Create targeted ads: You can generate custom, lookalike, and retargeting audiences.
- Add budget: Select between daily and lifetime budgets and add end dates for the campaigns.
- Design: Use ad creatives to enhance your campaigns.
- Ad Placement: Decide where you want to display your ads on the platform. You can also use Advantage+ ad placements.
The process is almost similar to running a Facebook ad. Ensure you have a Facebook (Meta) Ad Account for Ads Manager.
Understand Eligibility Criteria to Sell On Instagram
Instagram has a set of rules that every seller must keep in mind before they start selling their products on the platform –
| Comply with Instagram’s policies | Your Instagram professional account must comply with Instagram’s Terms of Use and Community Guidelines. |
| Represent your business and domain | Ensure your Facebook Page or Instagram account lists products available for direct purchase from your website. If using Facebook Commerce to direct customers, provide your primary sales domain, which should match your linked store or website. You may need to verify this domain through Facebook’s Domain Verification process. |
| Be located in a supported country | Your Facebook Page or Instagram account must be in a country that Facebook and Instagram support for their commerce features. Currently, only the United States supports direct checkout on Facebook and Instagram. Keep checking to see if Meta will add this feature to more countries. |
| Demonstrate Trustworthiness | Your Facebook page or professional Instagram accounts must show they are trustworthy. This includes having a real and well-established presence and a good number (a few hundred or over a thousand) of followers. |
| Provide accurate information and follow best practices | If you don’t meet these requirements, you could lose access to Facebook Commerce features or even have your account disabled. Facebook Commerce includes Facebook shops, Marketplace Stores, and Instagram shops. |
Easily upload your Shopify product feed to Meta!
Use unique data feed URLs that sync your Shopify feed on Facebook & Instagram in a blink of an eye!
How To Sell Products On Instagram?
Here’s a list of all the ways you can start your selling journey on Instagram –
Create Instagram Shop
Instagram Shop is an extension of your online business where a seller can curate products in one place and provide an immersive shopping experience to customers. To access the Shop, customers can visit your brand’s business profile and click on the ‘Shop’ button, which takes them to the in-app online store.
Here’s how the Shop button looks on the profile:
After customers click the Shop button, here’s what they see:
‘Shop’ comprises collections and product detail pages, which can be created after integrating a product catalog. For customers to initiate checkout, you can either link your eCommerce website or add the ‘Checkout’ feature.
| ❗Note: The ‘Checkout’ feature is only available in the US. |
If you’re a Shopify seller, you can easily upload the product catalog and create an Instagram Shop in a few steps.
| Want to learn the secret behind running effective marketing campaigns? Understand Instagram marketing to skyrocket your overall efforts. |
Use Instagram Ads
The best way to boost visibility or get conversions is by running ad campaigns. With the help of Meta Ads Manager, Instagram lets you advertise with comprehensive tools for creating ads on Facebook and Instagram.
There are three ways you can run an ad campaign:
- Directly on Instagram: Create ad campaigns on Instagram by converting to a professional account. Boost posts, reels, and stories with the help of tools that get activated when you use a professional account.
- On Meta Ads Manager: Create ads on the Ads Manager by creating ad sets, choosing an objective, setting a budget, generating custom audiences, or using enhanced tools like the Advantage+ Suite.
- Facebook Page: You can also create and manage ads on your Facebook Page by linking your professional Instagram account.
This gives Instagram businesses the freedom to choose between the three depending on their budget and accessibility.
There are different types of ad formats that you can try for your advertising campaigns:
- Photo ads: These ads have a single product image and appear in the customer’s feed.
- Reel ads: These are video ads that appear in-between when an Instagrammer is scrolling through the reels section.
- Story ads: These ads appear between stories. They can be an image or a video.
- Carousel Ads: It’s a series of images or videos the viewer scrolls through on their feed horizontally.
- Sponsored Ads: Sponsored ads are a paid way to display your ads to specific audiences. They guarantee reach and have ‘Sponsored’ written on them.
You can even add product tags to these ads. These tags have information about the product, such as cost, type, features, etc. The tags take you to the store’s website or the Instagram Shop.
The best part about advertising on Instagram is that you can also display these ads on Facebook.
| Learn more: Create carousel ads on Facebook to generate interactive ads. |
Adding Store Link In Bio
Instagram lets you add the link to your store on your bio. A bio can be accessed when an Instagrammer visits your profile. They can easily view your store link, which redirects them to your eCommerce store.
Adding links to the bio is a good choice for those who wish to invite traffic to their online store or if ‘Shops’ is not available in their region.
Below, you can see how Urban Outfitters adds their store link in the bio:
If you’re or have a small business, this tactic can help you as it is free and quickly make conversions.
| Bonus! To run efficient ads on Meta, learn about Advantage+ Catalog Ads. |
Generate Shoppable Posts
You can easily add product tags to your Instagram posts, just as you can add product tags to your ads.
You can upload your product images as posts and add tags even when using a professional account. This way, it’s easier for customers to learn about your products after they click on a product tag. It redirects them to your Shop and displays the product page.
This is how it will look:
The product tag is highlighted in this ad. When the customer taps it, they’ll be taken to this page:
This is the product page on H&M Home’s Instagram Shop. As the customer scrolls down, they can even read the product’s information:
| 🤔How To Add Product Tags To Posts? To create shoppable posts on Instagram, do the following:- Press  icon. Upload product images with a caption. Select  for Android or Next for iOS.Then, select ‘Tag products.’ Place the tags on the products or, wherever suitable, in the image. While tagging, search for the products you wish to tag. Tap  for Android or Done for iOS. |
Live Shopping
A new way to promote and sell products is to use Instagram Live. This feature is ideal for organizing auctions and is an excellent method for addressing customer queries, demonstrating product functionalities, or showing what the product looks like in person before the buyer decides to buy.
For example, Chinese eCommerce brands are known to use live shopping as a means to promote their goods and services.
| Also read: Effectively connect your Shopify admin with Instagram in a few simple steps. |
Collaborate with Influencers
The ‘In’ in Instagram is for influencers!
Collaborating with influencers in your niche is a great way to sell your products. This increases the likelihood of buying, acts as social proof, and works as word-of-mouth advertising.
Audiences trust the voices of the influencers they follow. This strategy can help build the brand’s credibility, increase discoverability, and boost awareness.
In the example below, notice how a popular make up artist collaborates with a cosmetics company (see caption):
Display Products In Reel Ads
These are reel ads that display your product catalog to the target audience. It displays products which, upon tapping, either takes the Instagrammer to your Shop or your online store.
They look like this–
| Further Reading: Learn about auction vs. reservation ads on Facebook. |
Effective Strategies For Selling On Instagram
Let’s take your Instagram selling game to the next level.
We’ve gathered some of the best strategies you can incorporate to improve your selling strategy. Let’s take a look at them –
Leverage Instagram Shopping Features
Use the Instagram Shopping features to the fullest! By setting up an Instagram Shop, adding collections, and creating product detail pages, potential customers can tap on a product to find out more about it without leaving Instagram. This makes shopping easier and more tempting for users because they can buy products from their feeds.
Instagram Shopping offers an immersive shopping experience that lets Instagrammers view and buy products in one place.
Use User-generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to foster trust and authenticity for your online business. When customers share their experiences, it helps potential buyers understand your product better and adds a personal touch.
This real engagement boosts your brand’s credibility and can encourage new customers to check out what you offer. To get the most out of it, we recommend sharing customer stories that show how your product has made a difference in their lives. UGCs can be a reel, story or a post.
Another great thing about doing this on Instagram is that you can also start interaction by creating polls or asking questions, such as keeping AMAs (Ask Me Anything). And, don’t forget to promote sharing. Encourage customers to tag your brand in their posts, and offer shout-outs or feature their content.
Monitor Performance and Adjust Strategies
The best part about switching to a professional account is that you gain access to dashboard analytics and tools that can help you examine the performance of your marketing campaigns and track user behavior.
The dashboard offers firsthand insights into how well your page is doing, your followers’ engagement, and overall stats. You can also track the trends and understand your audience better.
| Further reading: Learn the best time to post on FB. |
Schedule Your Posts Wisely
Posting at the right times is important if you want people to see it. You can look at your analytics to determine when your audience is online. Go to ‘Total Followers’ and find ‘Most Active Times.’ This will show you the best times to post. By doing this, you’ll increase engagement and attract new followers.
For example, in analytics, if most of your target audience is online around 10:00 AM, schedule your posts around that time.
If your target audience resides in another country, track their online timezone and post ads, reels, etc., during that time frame for maximum engagement.
Unlock the power of AdNabu’s Product Data Feed URL! Effortless syncing, more sales.
Start your journey today!
Keep Tabs on the Latest Trends
The platform is about learning about the latest trends and following through with them. Understand how other brands similar to your niche function on Instagram, what trends they are following, or how well they can execute them.
This can significantly boost e-commerce performance. Trends like AR filters, interactive stories, and reels enhance engagement and offer immersive shopping experiences. For example, AR filters enable virtual product try-ons, reducing purchase hesitation.
Using popular hashtags, joining viral challenges, and embracing new features early increase visibility and attract more followers. By staying current, businesses stay relevant, capitalize on Instagram algorithms, and drive higher engagement and conversions.
Be Yourself
Above all, be your true self. Customers gravitate towards brands that they find relevant and can invoke positive emotions.
Authenticity fosters trust, which leads to good engagement and a high chance of customer retention. Not only that, you go a step further than your competitors, generating a unique identity, elevating brand image, and attracting the right audience.
| Great For Small Businesses: Apart from big entrepreneurs, even small businesses who want to grow on Instagram will benefit in the long run. |
How To Sell On Instagram Without a Website
If you don’t have an online store but still want to sell products on Instagram, you’re not alone. So many small to medium sized businesses kickstart their selling journey from Instagram first.
But how do they sell then? The answer lies in the following:
- Using DMs: Many businesses on Instagram ask potential shoppers to drop a comment on their product’s post. After they comment, an automatic message is delivered to their direct message inbox (DMs). There, they can get contact details and payment options too. They can also interact with the sellers directly in the DMs.
- Create ads on Instagram: Run ad campaigns directly on Instagram by boosting your products on the platform. Ensure you have turned on the professional mode for this.
- Create your Instagram Shop: You do not need a website to generate an Instagram Shop. However, you still need to connect to Meta Commerce Manager in order to access the Shops feature. Instagram also generates a product catalog for you for the time being but we recommend adding a product list to Commerce Manager to streamline your work.
- Leverage your professional account: Utilize the tools provided in a professional account. This will help you amplify your reach and understand your target audience without the need of an extra third-party tool’s intervention.
Benefits of Selling On Instagram
In the last couple of years, Instagram has significantly moved toward online shopping. It has proven to be successful for several businesses by boosting their reach and generating great ROI.
Here’s how the platform benefits sellers:
Access to a Large Audience: Instagram has a massive global user base, exposing businesses to millions of potential customers. This platform is viral among younger demographics, making it ideal for brands targeting this audience.
High Engagement Levels: Instagram is known for its high engagement rates compared to other marketplaces. Users interact more frequently through likes, comments, and shares, which can help increase the visibility of products.
Engagement Through Visuals: As a highly visual platform, Instagram allows businesses to showcase their products visually appealingly. High-quality images and videos can significantly enhance product attractiveness and drive sales.
Seamless Shopping Experience: Instagram Shopping features such as shoppable posts, stories, and the Shop tab allow users to browse and purchase products directly within the app. This integration provides a smooth and convenient shopping experience, which can increase conversion rates.
Conclusion
Instagram offers many marketing features, providing a vast ocean of opportunities for those ready to dive in. Beyond just photo sharing, it serves as a valuable platform for online merchants seeking to broaden their reach. So, seize the moment and embark on your selling journey on Instagram!
FAQs
How can I start selling products on Instagram for free?
It is possible to sell on Instagram for free. You can switch to a business/professional account, create shoppable posts and stories, or add your store link in the bio.
How do I set up Instagram Shopping?
To set up Instagram Shopping, you must first have an Instagram Professional account and comply with Instagram’s commerce policies. Link your product catalog from your business manager (Meta Commerce Manager), and submit your account for Instagram’s review. Once approved, you can begin tagging products in your content.
What are the requirements for enabling Instagram Shopping?
The primary requirements include having an Instagram Business account, a linked product catalog, adherence to Instagram’s commerce policies, and being in a supported market.
Can I use Instagram ads to promote my products?
Yes, Instagram ads can be a powerful tool to promote your products. Creating targeted ads can reach a broader audience and drive traffic to your online store.
What is the recommended frequency for posting on Instagram to promote products?
The frequency of posts can vary based on your audience and product type, but a general recommendation is to post at least once daily to maintain visibility and engagement.
Is it possible to link directly to my online store from Instagram posts?
Direct linking from posts is impossible, but you can use product tags and direct users to your bio, where you can include a link to your online store.
How to sell on Instagram without a website?
It’s possible to sell on Instagram without a website by uploading product catalogs on Meta Commerce Manager, creating posts, generating an Instagram Shop (you need to look for a way for checkout), through DMs (checkout too), and use Instagram professional account mode to boost visibility and access marketing tools, such as branded content, analytics, etc.
