Social commerce is becoming the new trend in the eCommerce and mCommerce worlds. We can see the results of this statement. The increasing number of social media users justifies the statement. Social media platforms have made it the most suitable platform to set up an online shop.
People spend most of their time on social media platforms, and if you want to establish a strong and consistent relationship with your customers, having a social media shop is a must for your business. Out of all the social media platforms, the one platform that has outreached big social media heads like WhatsApp and Facebook is Instagram.
Importance of having an Instagram Shop
Setting up an eCommerce website is expensive if you have unique products to sell online. No worries, you can sell your products on Instagram too. Instagram is the place that gives the opportunity of reaching a wide range of target audiences at once. Take a look at the benefits it has to offer us:
1. Wide Customer Reach
“Instagram has 500+ million daily and 1.22+ billion monthly active users.”
With such a massive user base, Instagram has become a huge engagement rate magnet. High engagement rates will benefit your business as customers will come to know about your products easily.
“60% of Instagram users claim to discover new products from Instagram.”
Focus on delivering a delightful shopping experience by offering proactive customer care services rather than solely relying on high-quality products with top-notch features.
“87% of customers confirm their buying decision after visiting the product’s Instagram account.”
2. Requires minimum amount of investment
You don’t need to spend a fortune to start selling your products on Instagram. For smooth product selling on Instagram, you just need to have a loyal customer following.
For selling your products on Instagram, your customers should know what you are selling to them but don’t consider Instagram as a form of advertisement. Your customers’ loyalty towards your business will make them return to your store whenever they need to purchase anything.
How to Sell Products on Instagram Without a Website?
Instagram was founded in 2010, and in the 13 years since its launch, Instagram has achieved great success. And the new features that are introduced in Instagram have made it the best platform for starting a business and taking it to new heights.
Here, in this article, we have mentioned a 10-step procedure you need to follow if you want to sell products through Instagram without having an official business website. Starting to sell your products through Instagram will give you a perfect chance to build an online presence for your business through social media platforms and help your business reach a wide range of your targeted audience.
1. Select your niche product
You need to have a product in order to sell something on Instagram. Research some products you think will be easy to sell and decide then a product you want to sell. The process of researching and deciding your product niche will give your business journey a direction.
Choosing a product in which you hold your specialization will give your business growth a kickstart in the long run. As you specialize in that product, only a few will know the product like you, which will help you express the product more easily to the audience, and they will be attracted to your business.
Customers are always in search of your business, and this will help them find your business and your products easily. This will also benefit your business with high traffic on your audience base and account.
To accurately assess the significance of a niche, you should search for hashtags specific to that niche and make a note of the number of followers and posts. The more focused your niche, the easier it will be to increase your audience and successfully market your product. As you continue to generate captivating content for your page, you will undoubtedly witness the fruits of your niche selection.
2. Set up a Business Account
Having a business profile on Instagram can give you an edge if you want to sell. Here are the benefits that come with creating one.
- Instagram Insights
A built-in analytical tool that tells about valuable metrics like how your content is performing.
- Promoted Posts & Advertising
Pay to promote the high-performing posts or advertise them on your follower’s feeds.
- Shop in the App
Set up your Instagram shop, which allows customers to shop on Instagram without leaving the app by giving them the feature of shoppable Instagram.
- Swipe-Up Links
After achieving 10,000 followers on your Instagram business account, you will be able to take advantage of the swipe-up links feature in your story posts.
- Add Valuable Information
To make it easy for your followers to connect with you, it’s important to include contact links such as your phone number and email address. This way, they can reach out to you quickly and efficiently.
Make sure to add these details to your profile to enhance your online presence and improve communication with your audience.
Converting your Instagram account into a business account is relatively easy. Follow these simple steps;
- Log in to your Instagram account.
- Go to Settings > Account
- Select “Switch to Professional Account” and choose “Business”.
- After following these simple steps, you are redirected to a Facebook business page, where you have to connect your Instagram business account to Facebook. Note: This step is totally optional. You can skip it if you want to.
- Choose your business category and fill out the required contact information, and there you go.
And done. You have finished setting up your Instagram business account.
3. Develop an attractive Insta Bio
Crafting a killer Instagram bio in under 150 characters is key to making a great first impression. Follow these steps to ensure your profile stands out.
- Can you define your brand’s value proposition in one line? Specifying your niche and demonstrating your authority to stand out in the market is important.
- It is important to include a clear call to action statement in order to make it easy for potential customers to convert.
- To make it simpler for potential customers to inquire about your products, be sure to offer your business phone number or email address.
- Since adding links in captions is not feasible, many users use the phrase “link in bio” in their post captions. Therefore, having a link in your bio can be a potent tool for promoting your brand on Instagram.
4. Showcase Your Products on Your Page
When shopping in a physical store, asking the owner to show you the products is common. The same goes for online shopping. Customers want to see product images before making a purchase. Displaying your products on your page can be a game-changer for your business. It can give your customers a clear idea of what you have to offer and entice them to make a purchase.
Instagram is a platform that heavily relies on visuals, so take advantage of this by posting eye-catching photos with compelling captions. By featuring your products prominently on your page, you can increase visibility and make it easier for customers to find what they want. Take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your products and grow your business.
With Instagram shopping, you can create a product catalog that can be easily shared. Users can browse and buy products directly on the app, making it their own eCommerce store. Instagram also allows you to tag products from your catalog in your posts and stories, making it easier for customers to find and purchase them.
5. Choose your Payment Options
When customers are presented with their preferred payment method, it enhances their convenience in making online purchases. To maximize the advantages of offering multiple payment methods in your Instagram shop, you can provide a variety of payment options. Additionally, you can utilize payment QR codes within product images, incorporate payment links in your bio or product descriptions, and include payment addresses to facilitate payment acceptance.
By analyzing your customer base, you can decide which payment options are most suitable for your target audience. Implementing multiple payment options increases conversion rates and establishes brand credibility.
6. Boost your Reach by Using Appropriate Hashtags
Utilizing hashtags can significantly assist in broadening your reach and advertising your content. It’s crucial to monitor and analyze the effectiveness of your hashtags. Experiment with various appropriate hashtags to determine which ones are most effective for your brand.
To optimize your hashtag strategy, keep in mind the keywords your potential customers will use when searching for products similar to yours. Utilizing a top-notch hashtag research tool can make all the difference in identifying the most effective hashtags for your target audience. By simply entering a relevant tag, the tool will provide you with a plethora of excellent suggestions.
Don’t stuff too many hashtags in your captions, just like keyword stuffing. Although Instagram allows you to add only 30 hashtags for every post, as a precaution, do not use 15+ hashtags, as your customers can misunderstand your post with spammy posts. Practice including only 4 or 5 hashtags only for every post.
7. Appropriate use of Instagram Stories
Utilizing Instagram Stories provides an excellent opportunity to exhibit your merchandise and offer clients an inside glimpse into your enterprise.
Incorporating interactive features like polls and quizzes can effectively involve your followers and elicit valuable product feedback. Merely sharing a picture or reel on your feed isn’t adequate to maintain viewer interest; regularly posting stories is also necessary. You can display recent product reviews through Instagram stories, demonstrating to your audience that your offerings are worth purchasing.
As Instagram is your marketplace, it’s crucial to be proactive in addressing any customer queries. Responding to comments is akin to providing customer support, and it’s a straightforward task.
8. Take benefits of Instagram Story Highlights
Create noteworthy summaries of significant stories to allow users to access them beyond the 24-hour limit. Typically, these summaries include lists of products available for sale and customer reviews. By showcasing content that demonstrates customer satisfaction, you can establish trust with your audience and showcase your products’ superior quality and distinctiveness.
Additionally, it is beneficial to include instructions on how to place orders through your Instagram account, especially if you don’t have a website. This will assist the audience in contacting you directly.
9. Post. Engage. Repeat
Consistency is key on Instagram for expanding your business. By consistently posting, you can foster greater engagement within your community and effectively understand their needs. Establishing and adhering to a reliable content plan to convert visitors into customers is essential. This plan should be practical and adaptable.
To create captivating content, consider the following tips:
- Keep your captions concise and focused. Increase engagement by posing questions or encouraging followers to tag someone in the comments.
- Share photos featuring influencers endorsing your product or showcase pictures of customers using your product.
- Engage with your audience by initiating conversations in the comment section, thereby reaching a wider customer base and boosting engagement.
10. Influencer marketing
In the realm of Instagram marketing, influencer marketing has emerged as a highly popular strategy. By collaborating with an influencer who possesses a substantial following, brands can tap into a fresh audience and promote their products or services in a manner that exudes genuineness and authenticity, setting it apart from conventional advertising methods. When engaging in influencer marketing on Instagram, there are a few key considerations:
- Ensure that the influencer you choose aligns well with your brand. Their audience should overlap with your target audience, and their content should be consistent with your brand’s identity.
- Collaborate with influencers who boast a high engagement rate. This indicates that their followers actively participate and show interest in their content, making them more likely to encounter and pay attention to your brand’s message.
- Clearly define your partnership goals. What do you hope to achieve? How will you gauge success? By establishing concrete objectives, you will be better equipped to evaluate the effectiveness of the partnership.
By considering these factors, you can construct a fruitful influencer marketing campaign on Instagram that propels you toward your business objectives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the most effective approach to selling products on shoppable Instagram involves maintaining a regular posting schedule, sharing original content, and showcasing visually appealing photos and videos.
Engaging with your audience as much as possible is important to generate positive sales outcomes. Additionally, incorporating more reels and diverse content can be beneficial. To broaden your audience, consider running Instagram ads and leveraging influencer marketing.
Don’t forget to address any questions or FAQs that viewers may have. By implementing these strategies, you can successfully sell products on Instagram even without a website.