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Writer's pictureFahad H

How to Sell on Instagram

You might think to yourself, “How to sell on Instagram?” Instagram is much more than an app to post your daily pictures and videos with a bunch of hashtags. 

It can act as a valuable marketing tool if you play your cards right. There are a lot of brands out there that create an Instagram shop to go with their social media profile. 

They’re able to create Instagram ads that alert people to shop on Instagram.

Instagram shopping is an avenue that’s not going away any time soon. As more people get glued to their phones, you must increase your audience interaction by becoming adept at social media. Here are some things to think about before you learn how to sell on Instagram. 

Can You Sell Directly on Instagram?

Yes, you can. One of the things to help monetize your social media profile is through making shoppable posts using the Instagram app. 

What Are Shoppable Posts?

When you’re making an Instagram post, you want to create something to help drive sales. You can post a picture of a product and tag in a way that lets users explore it without going off the page. 

They don’t have to leave the app to know the items you’re selling on your Instagram page. It’s an effective way to increase the retention rate. You can post a link to your product, place the price below the image, and write a small description. You’ll want to create an Instagram business profile. 

All of this helps you gauge what type of action you should take to improve your presence on your social media page. Here’s a bit of the process:

  1. Make a shoppable post on your Instagram feed

  2. Tag the product type inside the picture

  3. Make it clickable pop-up

  4. Add the price

  5. Have a direct product link to purchase it on your website 

Here’s an example of how you can see this from Raycon Global, an Instagram account that sells wireless technology. 

Click on view products, and it’ll take you to this page here: 

From that point, click on the desired product. Now, you can go straight to the website link and purchase it.

Take steps to ensure that you have a working business profile on here. Find out how to get approved. Whether it’s you or a business manager running things, it’s good to have the right set up with your Facebook page. 

Have a Simple Call to Action in Your Profile to an Instagram Landing Page

A right call to action is crucial to getting more attention to your product page. Maybe you have a sale going on that you want people to know. You can create a simple link in your profile to make it easier on your customers.

Here’s an example:

Here’s a Los Angeles fashion brand called “Tobi.” 

Take a look at the description. It says “50-80% Off Sitewide” and points directly to the landing page. You’ll click on that, and it takes you here:

In this day and age, you’re catering to a mobile-first environment. You want to have a clear cut Instagram bio that points people in the right direction. By not taking advantage of this promotion via Instagram, you’ll miss out on a lot of sales.  

When you combine the right CTA with a solid landing page, it’ll help you boost sales. Mobile-first sites have begun to take priority over desktop responsive pages.

Another thing to think about is posting a story to your Instagram page. 

Post Exclusive and Behind-the-Scenes Content on Your Instagram Stories

Instagram has a feature where you can post stories. This does a few things:

  1. Gives your audience a look into your daily life

  2. Interaction between you and your customers

  3. See who views your content 

  4. Measure your rate of conversions

The true of promoting things through stories is seeing the demand of your product. Stories only last for 24 hours. It’ll provide an excellent opportunity to post sales that last for that amount of time. Whether you post videos or photos, it’ll help you encourage your customers to buy immediately. 

Here’s an example of story:

Quay is a sunglasses brand, and they’ve collaborated with J. Lo and other celebrities to create exclusive shade collections. The picture above shows a behind-the-scenes look. Go to the “See More” arrow and click on it.  

After you share your post, you can add a see more option to give them a direct link to the product you’re selling. This works well for any businesses you want to promote while creating an Instagram story. If you have Shopify, you can link back to your store. 

It’s essential to make it easier for your Instagram users to engage with your content. By targeting Instagram posts, you can gauge what type of content appeases your followers. It’ll help you make more money on this social site. 

How Does Instagram Make Money in 2019?

There are several ways you can make money on Instagram. Utilize different tools to help make it easier to monetize your feed. Here are some tactics to help you get the most out of your Instagram. 

Become an Influencer

YouTube isn’t the only place where you can become an influencer. Instagram has that same power.

When you’re an influencer, you have the authority to be an early adopter when it comes to using products. 

Maybe there’s a health product you enjoy or a fashion line that uses recyclable material. You can get paid to create sponsored posts. Hashtag the item you’re wearing and @ the brand. It’ll provide an excellent way to develop a sound campaign. 

Lots of brands go with a form of marketing because they know influencers set trends. People are more willing to take the advice of someone they actively follow than the word of a big corporation. Influencers will humanize the brand so that it’s more relatable to the masses. It’s especially the case when you have a high-level celebrity like a professional athlete, singer, actor, or personality. 

When you develop a large following, brands will look for you to help them promote their items. Sponsorships are quite profitable when you’re able to reach over thousands to millions of people. It’ll make things more viable when people start shopping on Instagram. 

Another method to make money is by becoming an affiliate.

Affiliate Marketing on Instagram

Having a social presence is a great way to amplify an affiliate network. It takes time to build up an audience or expand. That’s why it’s beneficial for two perspectives to combine into a powerhouse.

You both can start creating a platform that will help expand your channel. Creating different channels helps to make the brand more long-lasting. 

Your partner might have more experience relating to a core audience. You might have beautiful details when it comes to writing descriptions and email marketing strategies. It’s vital to tap into both your strengths. 

You can post a direct affiliate link in your bio. Additionally, you can post a link in your stories. If there’s a sale going on or you have a blog post, this is an excellent way for people to check your profile and shop Instagram.  

Although you won’t be able to track who sees your post after a while, save your stories. You can create specific labels per story, and it’ll give your links more longevity. Being able to connect with your audience on a personal level works wonders. 

This form of online marketing is still a great strategy for both a beginner or intermediate. 

How Do I Set Up an Instagram Store?

When it comes to creating an Instagram store, create a method to catalog your products on a more social platform. Different shoppers can checkout items from your page. 

A few benefits of creating your store include:

  1. Makes shopping easier for your target audience.

  2. You have a more direct approach to marketing products.

  3. Get the right products to people who intend to make a purchase.

All of this is great, but you need to take the right steps to get things started. Select the kind of products you feel will match the essence of your store. Create a custom landing page that includes your message. 

Here a few tips to help get things organized. 

Step 1: Know the Requirements

Before you get that first photo or video together for shopping posts, be aware of the groundwork of Instagram.  

If you’re in the business of selling a service, this is not the place for you. Instagram only allows you to sell physical products. Not to mention, there are policies you must follow.

Make sure you have the latest version of the Instagram app on your phone. This will help you get the Instagram shopping feature. Now, you’ll want to get your Instagram business profile started. 

Go to your Instagram settings and scroll down to “Switch to Business Profile.” Additionally, you can link your Instagram profile to your Facebook business page. Just make sure that you’re the admin.

Once that’s old news, begin creating your product catalog on Facebook.

Step 2: Put Together Your Product Catalog on Facebook

Connectivity is key. There’s a certain energy between social media accounts and your website. Let’s talk about this in more detail. 

Instagram shops get details from Facebook shops. Create your Facebook page and keep in mind that you should sync your product catalog together with Instagram. Also, promote your products in this manner. 

It’s a good idea to create a Shopify store so you can add products and connect it with your Facebook page. There’s a product manager option in the Shopify dashboard where you select “Make Option Available.” Click the Facebook option. 

Step 3: Create Your Instagram Sales Channel

Pretty much the same method in which you created the Facebook page is how you’ll proceed with the Instagram channel. Click the plus icon to add the sales channel and select the Instagram option.  

Step 4: Wait for Approval

If you’ve done everything correctly, you should get approval for your Instagram business profile. It’ll take a few days to process.

Once you get this cleared, you’ll see a notification to begin tagging your products on Instagram. Now, you’ll officially start to set up shop. 

Step 5: Confirm Shop and Begin Tagging Products

You’ll want to confirm which Facebook shop goes with the Instagram profile. When you put up your products, set up different tags in your posts and Instagram stories. 

Can You Sell on Instagram Without a Website? 

While having a website is excellent and highly recommended to sell products, you don’t need one for your Instagram. Some people don’t like the hassle of creating and maintaining a full website. Luckily, you can skip this step.

Direct Message

If you post a product in one of your posts, you can give the price and size details in the description. Put a call to action in the text like “DM me for details.” If someone contacts you, you can send multiple photos of the item.

They can give you their address, and you both exchange payment details. You’ll directly contact the consumer from a more organic approach. 

Broaden Your Reach

Hashtags provide a reliable method of targeting on Instagram’s search box. When you post a product, not only have the description. Put a separate comment and create hashtag you know people look for when they’re searching for items.  

Additionally, you should search the hashtags yourself. You may stumble upon people who have an interest in what you’re selling. Follow them and interact with them. Additionally, you can like their posts and comments. That can mean a follow back and an inquiry about a product on your page.

Use Instamojo for Payment 

Instamojo makes it easier for people to go through product links and pay you. Create an Instamojo handle and listing page with all your payment links. If someone purchases a product, you’ll receive an email notification.  

It’s essential to make your Instagram account easy for users to search through your shoppable posts. By following these criteria, you can have a more successful Instagram store. What are some tactics you use to make your profile more profitable? Please drop some feedback below.

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