Business Advice: Instagram gives your customers a new way to shop

Article by Emma Gosper, Business Advisor, Western Sydney Business Centre

 

Last week Instagram announced its newest feature which allows customers to shop directly from Instagram business pages. This will come as a welcome function to online retailers and any businesses who sell online, now able to add shoppable posts to their feeds. This new addition makes it easier than ever for retailers to send customers directly to their products, and easier for customers to shop, with less steps than the traditional online shopping experience.

With the new feature, retailers can upload their post to Instagram as normal, and tag specific products in the post. For example, a clothing retailer might upload an image of an entire outfit; shoes, shirt, pants, bag. Then, they can give a description on each item, a price, and a direct link to that specific item on their online store.

As a customer, when you tap the image, you will see all the details above (description and price), and click through directly to the item, eliminating the need to visit the online store through your browser and then search for the item you want, amongst all the other items.

You can tag up to five products per image and still add captions and filters to make it your own, just like a regular Instagram post.

Instagram has also added a shop button on your business profile, so customers can go directly to your online store from your main Instagram page.

To get started, get your account approved by Instagram by visiting Instagram.com and follow the easy step by step instructions to enable the feature. There is also a step by step process for uploading your first shop post.

Don’t forget to let your customers know that you now have this option available, so create an Instagram story, go live, send them an email blast and promote it as much as possible. Let them know you’re making their shopping experience easier, simpler and faster, and you’ll also be demonstrating that you care about your customers and are keeping up with new experiences like this to give them the best shopping experience possible.

Related posts

Hand holding smartphone with chatbot interface.

How To Boost Your Sales and Engagement with Lead Generation Chatbots

Reading Time: 3:52 min

Nowadays, more and more customers expect instant responses, even outside traditional business hours. As businesses strive to enhance customer experiences and optimise lead generation, chatbots have become indispensable. These AI-driven…

View post

A Quick Guide to Doing Competitor Analysis for Small Businesses

Reading Time: 1:54 min

Understanding your competition is crucial for any business, big or small. But for small businesses, doing a competitor analysis can seem daunting. Where do you even start? And more importantly,…

View post

Focus on What Matters with a FREE Business Health Check

Reading Time: 1:43 min

Ever feel bogged down by daily tasks, leaving no time to focus on the bigger picture? You’re not alone. Many Penrith business owners struggle to step back and strategize. But…

View post

What do you want for your business?

Reading Time: 1:33 min

This is the big question that often comes up, especially as we kick off a new year – you know, the whole goal setting and vision board drill. Some folks…

View post

How Can AI Help Your Small Business with Customer Service?

Reading Time: 2:11 min

Small businesses often find themselves in a tough spot, trying to keep up with customer service standards set by much larger companies. But there’s a silver lining – Artificial Intelligence…

View post

10 Creative Content Ideas to Revamp Your Facebook and Instagram Business Profiles

Reading Time: 4:36 min

As a small business owner, keeping your Facebook and Instagram feeds fresh and engaging can be a real challenge. You might often find yourself asking, “What more can I post?”…

View post

Our Channels

Correspondence: PO Box 4029, Penrith Westfield NSW 2750

Office Locations

We have Advisors available to meet you in our head office in Western Sydney and we also offer a mobile service to your place of business. Online sessions are also available.

Head Office
Suite 1, Level 1, 111 Henry Street,
Penrith NSW 2750

Area’s Serviced: Penrith, Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains, Blacktown, Hills, Fairfield, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Wollondilly, Camden, Cumberland and everywhere in between.