The next mobile shopping transformation is here and you should start preparing for it immediately.
Instagram Shopping is slowly making its way into Instagram feeds, featuring mostly fashion and accessories brands for now, but soon expanding to more Instagram merchants and products. Did I mention this feature is free? That’s right, your followers will soon be converting from organic posts with no ad spend.
So we’re here to help marketers prepare and take advantage of it.
We’ve previously written about the benefits of setting up a business profile and advertising on Instagram. Since then Instagram officially announced they surpassed 15 million active business profiles on the platform.
Brands are already taking advantage of browsing and discovery activities, carried out every day on the visual platform, using analytics and insights tools to serve relevant content to potential customers. Instagram Shopping will provide a more seamless and direct route to gain increased value from these already-effective Instagram marketing efforts.
Last November, ahead of the year’s busiest shopping season, Instagram tested the new Instagram Shopping feature with 20 global leading brands such as Nike, Kate Spade, Vans and Lululemon.
Instagram recently announced that it’s expanding to US merchants within the fashion, apparel, jewelry and skincare categories that use BigCommerce and Shopify.
Businesses using these e-commerce platforms can request access to the service directly from their CMS (BigCommerce | Shopify). The setup process is like running Facebook Dynamic Product Ads requiring only a few steps. If you’re not one of these platforms, but still located in the U.S. you can request access for the service here.
Eventually Instagram is expected to roll out the feature to e-commerce businesses across the globe and change the mobile shopping experience as we know it.
By connecting a product catalog to an account, the feature opens a self-access tool – tagging products rather than users for immediate product information.
At the moment the feature is limited to approved retailers’ single photo posts, but Instagram has intentions of expanding to carousel and video posts in the future. Nevertheless, it is possible to feature more than one product on a single post to maximize reach.
Instagram’s New Shopping Journey
One post featuring several products
Product information immediately available
User directed to product page to complete purchase
On the visually focused mobile platform, Instagram users challenge businesses to post creative and engaging content before a swipe down the feed submerges the post for good.
Prepare now to take full advantage of Instagram’s new Shopping experience when it arrives – to keep your followers engaged and buying.