With all the new additions to Instagram this year, like Boomerang, photo zooming, Stories and longer videos, it’s clear that the Instagram team has been cranking!  With the end of 2016 upon us, there was bound to be another addition to Instagram, and that addition is Instagram Shopping.

Instagram shopping

 

What is Instagram Shopping?

Instagram Shopping is the one-stop-shop (no pun intended) for those who see an item in a picture that they want.  The customer journey is solely contained within Instagram from seeing the item for the first time, to purchasing the item. With this addition, businesses may now have a solution to solving one of the biggest Instagram for business questions out there to date: How can I get a decent ROI on the time I spend on by business’ Instagram and make sales from what I share through Instagram? With almost all smartphone users comparing product prices, browsing for similar products and researching products on their mobile device, this new addition to the uber-popular social media platform is a total slam-dunk. Another big piece of the puzzle– Instagram isn’t taking a cut of the money collected from transactions that take place through Instagram Shopping, unlike Etsy and other similar online/app-based retailers.

In a study conducted by Instagram, they found that

  • 60% of Instagrammers say they learn about products and services on the app.
  • 75% say they take actions like visiting sites, searching, or telling a friend after being influenced by a post on Instagram.

 

What Will Instagram Shopping Look Like?

The Instagram Shopping feature addition is said to not disrupt the current feed design, but will simply be added on to the existing features, kind of like what happened with tagging people in your photos. When you or your business posts a photo that includes products or e-commerce experiences, a tiny “Tap to view products” label will appear in the bottom left corner of the photo, just like what happens when you tag someone. Once the “Tap to view products” label is tapped, it will bring up a tag for each product that has been tagged in the photo. With the information from the photo below, it appears that the tags for the products are hidden until you click the “Tap to view products” pop-up tag, which will be helpful to those who don’t want their photos (or their feed) masked with tags and item prices.

PRO TIP: With this feature, you can only tag up to five items, so use your tagging sparingly!

When a tag is selected by the user, a section will appear with more detailed information about the product shown within the Instagram app itself, so that users don’t have to hassle with being forwarded to the retailer’s website. From the introduction demo, it looks like users will also be able to scroll back and forth between the tagged products by swiping left or right.

If the user decides that he or she would like to purchase the product they’re viewing, they can simply tap the “Shop now” button, which will prompt a link with the item on the business’s website to pop up, all within the Instagram app. From there, the user will be able to purchase the product, fully bringing their journey to a close.

With all the new additions to Instagram this year, like Boomerang, photo zooming, Stories and longer videos, it’s clear that the Instagram team has been cranking!  With the end of 2016 upon us, there was bound to be another addition to Instagram, and that addition is Instagram Shopping.

Instagram shopping

 

What is Instagram Shopping?

Instagram Shopping is the one-stop-shop (no pun intended) for those who see an item in a picture that they want.  The customer journey is solely contained within Instagram from seeing the item for the first time, to purchasing the item. With this addition, businesses may now have a solution to solving one of the biggest Instagram for business questions out there to date: How can I get a decent ROI on the time I spend on by business’ Instagram and make sales from what I share through Instagram? With almost all smartphone users comparing product prices, browsing for similar products and researching products on their mobile device, this new addition to the uber-popular social media platform is a total slam-dunk. Another big piece of the puzzle– Instagram isn’t taking a cut of the money collected from transactions that take place through Instagram Shopping, unlike Etsy and other similar online/app-based retailers.

In a study conducted by Instagram, they found that

  • 60% of Instagrammers say they learn about products and services on the app.
  • 75% say they take actions like visiting sites, searching, or telling a friend after being influenced by a post on Instagram.

 

What Will Instagram Shopping Look Like?

The Instagram Shopping feature addition is said to not disrupt the current feed design, but will simply be added on to the existing features, kind of like what happened with tagging people in your photos. When you or your business posts a photo that includes products or e-commerce experiences, a tiny “Tap to view products” label will appear in the bottom left corner of the photo, just like what happens when you tag someone. Once the “Tap to view products” label is tapped, it will bring up a tag for each product that has been tagged in the photo. With the information from the photo below, it appears that the tags for the products are hidden until you click the “Tap to view products” pop-up tag, which will be helpful to those who don’t want their photos (or their feed) masked with tags and item prices.

PRO TIP: With this feature, you can only tag up to five items, so use your tagging sparingly!

When a tag is selected by the user, a section will appear with more detailed information about the product shown within the Instagram app itself, so that users don’t have to hassle with being forwarded to the retailer’s website. From the introduction demo, it looks like users will also be able to scroll back and forth between the tagged products by swiping left or right.

If the user decides that he or she would like to purchase the product they’re viewing, they can simply tap the “Shop now” button, which will prompt a link with the item on the business’s website to pop up, all within the Instagram app. From there, the user will be able to purchase the product, fully bringing their journey to a close.

Published on November 14, 2016

About the Author: Olivia Haymond

Olivia Haymond is a Social Media Marketer at Aginto Solutions. She's passionate about educating and engaging others via social media. When she isn't crafting new blog articles or creating social media strategies, you can find her creating videos for her YouTube Channel. Follow her on Twitter!