Instagram is currently booming for brands. However, selling on Instagram is more complicated than simply posting product photos and declaring it a marketing day.

You’ll need a strategy if you want to convert your fans and followers into paying customers.

What exactly does it mean to “sell” on Instagram?

Instagram is the right choice for your business if you want to optimise your sales funnel and expand your product reach. With the rise of Instagram features, you can now turn your hobby into a source of income by showcasing your talent and building your personal brand on Instagram. Shopping with creators refers to the process of building a brand and allowing people to shop for inspiring looks without leaving Instagram. This feature is only available to US merchants who use Instagram checkout.

What should you do before selling on Instagram?

To sell on Instagram, you must first create an Instagram business account. When you convert your personal Instagram profile to a business profile, you gain access to a variety of selling and reporting options.

Now, let’s go over the main highlights of the Instagram business profile. You can get real-time analytics on how your posts and stories performed throughout the day. The Activity tab provides information about profile visits, website clicks, reach, and impressions.

We’ve highlighted real-world examples of selling on Instagram, as well as why they work, in the section below.

• Promotional images and product photographs

There are no surprises or secrets here.

According to Instagram, 60% of users use the network to shop for products.

Whether you’re a retailer or an eCommerce firm, sharing product images is a no-brainer way to connect with your customers and digital window shoppers.

In the meanwhile, several firms are finding success with Instagram Stories as a social selling platform. Brands may experiment with fresh creatives, calls-to-action, and Stories-specific offers outside of their usual feed by doing so. If you’re still growing your brand’s following, keep in mind that you’ll need at least 10,000 followers to use this feature.

• Shopping on Instagram

Instagram’s native shopping services for e-tailers saw several significant improvements in 2019.

Your followers may now purchase things directly from your profile using the Instagram Shopping platform (denoted by the shopping bag icon).

Instagram Shopping, in a nutshell, merges your product catalogue and tags into your Instagram feed to offer a smooth shopping experience.

For e-tailers and companies with an active product catalogue on Facebook, enabling shopping on Instagram is a smart step. If you’re interested in activating Instagram shopping, keep in mind the following approval criteria, which must be assessed by Instagram:

• Accepting the merchant agreement and commerce policies of the platform
• Having an Instagram Business account that is active
• Having a Facebook Page that is linked
• Primarily selling physical products and goods
• Owning access to a Facebook Catalogue (either directly or through a third-party eCommerce service)

• Shoppable Instagram tools

Aside from native Instagram shopping, there are a plethora of tools available with features geared toward selling on Instagram.

Advanced analytics and user-generated content curation are advantages of using these types of Instagram social selling tools. Check out Outdoor Voice’s Instagram lookbook. On-site user-generated content not only helps convert more visitors but also directs customers to your social presence.

• Collaborate with creators and influencers

It is important to note that not all of your Instagram sales must come from your account.

Influencer marketing, for example, has emerged as a more compelling and relatable way for brands to get their products in front of their target demographic.

The idea is simple: collaborate with someone who has a large, engaged audience to raise brand awareness and potentially find new customers.

• Instagram advertisements

Of course, many brands have had success with Instagram ads.

Using creative ad types like Stories and Carousels, such ads provide a lot of flexibility and targeting options for reaching customers shopping on Instagram.

Instagram has long been one of the most popular social media platforms. If you haven’t already, now is the time to start selling on Instagram. Hopefully, the tips above will provide you with some much-needed motivation and inspiration to increase your sales on the platform. You’re on the right track as long as you follow Instagram’s best practices and keep an eye on your analytics.

As time goes on, the popularity of social media for businesses will only grow. As a result, the only way to reap the benefits is to carefully plan your selling strategies.

The Social Lions is a digital agency based in Mumbai that can help your sell your products better. So, don’t put it off. Explore now!