Pete walks through Instagram's Shoppable Posts feature for selling physical products. You'll need a business account, a Facebook product catalog, and approval from Instagram. Tag products directly in posts or carousels, but keep it light or you'll lose followers.
Questions this video answers
2018.
1 billion monthly active users.
Up to 5 products per single image post.
Up to 20 products per carousel post.
Anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Chapters
Hi, I'm Pete from HubSpot and today I'm going to talk to you about how to start selling on Instagram. If you enjoy this video, don't forget to like it and subscribe to our channel. Post any questions or suggestions you have in the comments below. Let's get started. Back in 2018, Instagram launched a new feature called Shoppable Posts. Shoppable posts make it easier than ever for brands to connect directly with consumers and and sell their products right on Instagram. With 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is an amazing platform to meet your target audience where they're already spending their time. Instagram Shoppable posts are marked with a tap to view products pop up or small white circle with a shopping bag icon. When users tap on a tagged product, the name of the product and a price tag appears. Tap the price tag and you'll be directed to a page where you can purchase the product. So how do you start using Shoppable Posts on your own feed? To get started, there are a few requirements you'll have to meet. First, you need an Instagram business account. To switch an existing account to a business account, open the Instagram app and tap on Settings. Then tap Switch to Business Profile. Second, you must be on the latest version of the Instagram app on either iOS or Android. Lastly, your business must sell physical goods that comply with Instagram's merchant agreement and commerce policies. You can find these on Instagram's website under Help Center Instagram for businesses Shopping on Instagram. Once you've checked all those boxes, it's time to connect your Instagram business profile to a Facebook catalog. A Facebook catalog in Facebook Business Manager is essentially a file that contains a list of all the products you you want to sell. To get started, head to the Business Manager account in Facebook that owns the page linked to your Instagram business account. From your business manager account, you can create a new catalog or identify an existing catalog you'd like to use to sell on Instagram. Start by opening your business manager settings and clicking on People and Assets. Here you'll find a catalogs option. Click on Add and choose Create a New Product Catalog. First, give your product catalog a name, then select the type of products you want to add to your catalog. Now you can add it to your product feed. Remember, it's very important to keep your product catalog synced with your Facebook page. You also want to be sure that your product descriptions and prices are accurate. If you're running a sale or promotion, make sure your product catalog reflects it. If you're using Shopify or BigCommerce to sell your products already, you can connect your Instagram business profile to a Facebook catalog directly within those platforms. Once you've connected your catalog, your account will be reviewed by Instagram before you can access their Shoppable posts feature. The approval process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Once you've been approved, you will receive a notification letting you know you're ready to start selling on Instagram. The next step is to connect your product catalog to your Instagram account. Head back to the shopping section in your Instagram settings and tap on products. Here. You'll be able to select a product catalog to connect to your business profile. When you're finished, tap Done. Once you get access to Shoppable posts on Instagram, adding tags to your posts is super quick and easy. You'll begin uploading a photo to Instagram as you would for any other post after you've added your effects and filters. Hit Next. When you have the product feature enabled on your account, you'll find the option to tag products on the screen where you normally add your caption and other information. Just enter the names of the products you want to tag, then select them as they appear in the search box. Once you've finished, tap done and share your post. You can tag products in both new and existing posts from your Instagram business profile. You can also Tag up to 5 products per single image post or 20 products per carousel post. While selling on Instagram is easier than ever, it's important to remember your audience shouldn't feel like they are being aggressively sold to. Businesses should maintain their current content strategy, incorporating shoppable tags on photos that are a natural fit for their profile. Looking for even more help with your Instagram marketing strategy? Click the link above to learn more. Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like it and subscribe. Let me know how you're doing in the comments below.
