Instagram Social Commerce: Strategies for Business Success

“Where did you get that dress?” In the past, the answer might have been this or that shop, but nowadays, it’s all about Instagram.

People love spending time window shopping on IG, admiring beautiful pictures and videos of things they’re interested in buying. Especially with the rise of Social Commerce, which involves using social networks and interactions to facilitate online selling, Instagram has become a shopping paradise for people worldwide.

According to statistics from 2021, approximately 44% of people reported using Instagram for shopping on a weekly basis. The number has probably increased since then.

Recently, with the introduction of Instagram Reels, and short videos designed to compete with TikTok, creators (including business owners) now have more opportunities to get creative. On the audience’s side, they can explore new shops that might pique their interest even further.

Trust us, 2023 is set to be another significant year for Instagram commerce. It’s not too late for businesses to learn and seize this unmissable opportunity.

In this article, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about how to use Instagram shopping so you can make the most of what you have and strive for success. So, let’s begin! 

Benefits of Instagram Social Commerce

Increased Visibility and Reach to a Global Audience

In 2021, the number has shown that Instagram had over 2 billion monthly users. Looking at this impressive number, you can clearly see that it represents a vast pool of diverse audiences, not limited to where your company was established only. This means that Instagram has the potential to connect you with communities worldwide who share common interests.

But that’s just considering organic reach. Let’s not forget that Instagram, as a free-for-user platform, also offers brands the opportunity to run ads. If you ask any Instagram user, they’ll likely admit to seeing ads on the app frequently.

Therefore, if your brand decides to advertise your products or services on Instagram, it’s highly probable that you’ll significantly increase your visibility anyway.

Seamless Shopping Experience Within the App

We’ve discussed creating exceptional user experiences quite a bit, and with E-commerce on Instagram, the shopping experience becomes even more seamless. What do we mean by “seamless”? Well, when users come across interesting products in the images on their timeline, they can simply click to instantly view the tagged brands.

What’s even better is that they don’t have to leave the application at all; they can just send a direct message (DM) and/or click to make a purchase. All these steps, from the initial discovery to the final purchase, happen seamlessly within the app.

Instagram aptly calls this type of experience “shopping in the moment of discovery.” You discover, you shop, and it’s all finished in the blink of an eye.

Utilizing Visual Content to Drive Sales

Most people are naturally more drawn to visual content rather than text-only material. In fact, there are so many brands out there that should leverage visual content effectively in order to drive sales.

Instagram, as a visually-based platform, is particularly well-suited for businesses selling products that are easily photographed and aestheticized, such as clothing, jewelry, art, design, beauty, and physical wellness products. The platform’s nature will also allow your brand to get creative with graphics in your content.

By incorporating visual content, customers can get a clear view of your products and services, understanding their appearance and the benefits they offer. Consequently, this is likely to boost your sales.

Building a Loyal Customer Base

Lastly, don’t underestimate a basic feature like “follow” on Instagram. This feature can play a crucial role in building a loyal customer base for your brand because any consumer who genuinely likes your brand is likely to hit that follow button on your page. 

Furthermore, Instagram provides a platform for users to discover user-generated content (UGC), which happens to be one of the most effective forms of free advertising. In your Instagram marketing strategy, you can actively encourage people to create posts and tag your products in their photos, reels, or stories. This approach can significantly broaden your target audience over the long term. 

Strategies for Implementing Instagram Social Commerce

Setting up an Instagram Shop

If you want to get started in this online market, the first step is setting up a shop to warmly welcome your customers. You have two options of setting up a shop to choose from: a creator account or a business account.

Creator accounts are specifically for content creators and influencers. These accounts provide you with a professional dashboard where you can gain valuable insights into your growth, track detailed metrics about your followers and post reach, and customize your message filters to your liking.

However, if you’re aiming for a more business-oriented approach with the goal of building a personal brand, then a business account is the way to go. By opting for a business account, you’ll gain access to even more comprehensive analytics, the ability to directly tag products in your posts, and the option to create product catalogs.

Leveraging Product Tags and Stickers

If you’ve already set up Instagram Shopping, you can take advantage of product tags in your posts and product stickers in your stories. How do they work? You may ask – when users spot these tags or stickers, they can simply click to discover more details or simply get redirected to your brand’s page.

Plus, when you use these tags and stickers, your products get listed in the Instagram Shop catalog. Now, you can see why this can be an excellent way to boost your sales.

Another great thing is that you can use this feature almost anywhere! Business accounts, qualified public Instagram accounts, and their partners can leverage tags and stickers on feed posts, Instagram stories, IGTV videos, Reels, and also during Live broadcasts.

What’s more, Instagram also gives you the ability to remove tags if you decide not to allow specific creators to use them. So, your brand has an extent of control over this feature.

Utilizing Shoppable Posts and Stories Effectively

As there are many formats of content you can create on Instagram, be sure you utilize shoppable posts and stories effectively. Start from making interesting content, whether it’s real-time content or pre-made posts, these can help showcase your products to a global audience.

Equally important is ensuring that shopping for your products is as convenient as possible; this can be very simple things, such as including a website URL in your bio or responding to Q&A inquiries promptly. All in all, remember that it’s your brand’s top priority to maintain a consistent brand image and offer a user-friendly and seamless experience.

And don’t overlook the valuable insights provided by Instagram’s analytics. These KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) can provide you with valuable data to fine-tune your social commerce strategy.

Exploring Influencer Partnerships for Promotion

If you’ve done everything right but aren’t seeing the expected rewards, it might be time to consider teaming up with influencers. Influencers can play a crucial role in promoting your brand, essentially serving as modern-day word-of-mouth marketers. After all, people tend to trust recommendations from people they like.

However, it’s important to note that choosing the right influencers isn’t a simple task. It largely depends on your marketing strategy and budget. Keep in mind that there are both macro-influencers, who have a massive following, and micro-influencers with smaller but highly engaged audiences. You can opt for someone at the top of the list with the most followers, or you can choose creators with fewer followers who align with your brand’s values and lifestyle if you know your niche market.

On the bright side, collaborating with influencers who resonate with your brand can enhance your brand’s perception and authenticity.

Real-life Success Stories

Now, you probably already have an idea of how to set up your shop with Instagram’s e-commerce features; one more aspect you might want to learn is examples of businesses that have excelled in this game.

While there are countless success stories worldwide, let’s take a look at two standout examples from the beauty industry: Glossier and Sephora.

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A post shared by Glossier (@glossier)

Glossier, a true unicorn in the beauty market, had humble beginnings back in 2010 as a beauty blog called IntotheGloss.com. Four years later, Glossier took its first steps online with just four products. Fast forward another four years, and the brand had blossomed into a massive hit, evolving into a multi-million dollar business.

What makes this brand unique is its understanding of the target audience, which is why the brand personality truly resonates with millennial customers. They don’t rely on expensive photoshoots with supermodels; instead, they opt for lively iPhone photos.

Moreover, their content is incredibly diverse, ranging from memes and GIFs to relatable quotes and adorable animal pictures. In 2021, the company has scaled to a $1.8 billion valuation, and it’s likely possible to grow even further. 

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A post shared by Sephora (@sephora)

Sephora, the renowned multi-brand beauty retailer, is also making the most of Instagram’s social commerce features. They like to post high-quality images and videos of their products while Sephora has also engaged in successful campaigns with numerous well-known influencers.

After launching their own shop on Instagram Shopping, their 20 million followers no longer need to leave the app to make purchases. During the challenging year of the pandemic, Sephora’s sales experienced a significant surge, approximately doubling the previous figures. Sephora remains a prime example of a brand that seamlessly evolved in both the retail and social platform realms.

Still, it is important to note that the success of businesses on Instagram can change over time due to shifts in algorithms, trends, and user behavior. This is precisely why businesses need to always adapt and evolve to stay competitive in the social e-commerce landscape!

It’s Time to Boost Your Instagram Selling 

Ever since Instagram ventured into the world of e-commerce, it has unlocked numerous opportunities for business owners, creators, and, of course, all of us as consumers!

As of 2023, Instagram still holds the fourth spot on the list of the most popular social networks, going after only Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, the chat application. People spend a lot of time on Instagram seeing beautiful pictures. You might consider letting your products shine on this platform. 

For businesses that haven’t started yet, 2023 presents an exciting opportunity. Instagram can serve as a promising avenue for the growth of your business. Trust us, the potential here is substantial!