Tips For Selling Products on Instagram

While selling your products on Instagram is pretty simple, that doesn’t mean it’s completely effortless. You still need to be thoughtful and creative with your shoppable Instagram posts and Stories. To help you stand out amongst the other shops, we’ve lined up some of our best tips for selling products below:

1. Striking Visuals: 

Instagram constantly updates their platform and is constantly evolving to attract users, but the value of striking images and videos on Instagram remains constant. The art of taking good photos and uploading high-quality videos is key to standing out in the crowd and stopping users from scrolling on by.

Keep in mind that Instagram, on occasion, will change up its image and video specifications. You want to be sure that you’re uploading the correct file sizes so your photos look sharp.

You want your product images to be exciting and editorial, with surprising details that make users want to look closer. Snapping a pic of a shirt on a hanger won’t cut it. You may consider trying an exciting collage tool, or check out some Instagram photo trends for inspiration.

2. Adding Hashtags:

Adding relevant Instagram hashtags is a smart strategy to apply to all of your posts, and this includes shopping content. This will increase the discoverability of your content, and boosting the engagement on each post.

This will also help you land on the Explore page, which now has a special “Shop” tab and is visited by more than 50% of Instagram users each month (in case you’re wondering that’s more than half a billion people).

A few best practices for hashtags:

• Do your research: First thing you want to check out is the hashtags your competitors are using, and investigate which hashtags are popular in your industry. You can also look into which Hashtags are trending that apply to your business or product.
• Don’t Add Too Many Hashtags: Just because Instagram allows you can add 30 hashtags into your caption, doesn’t mean you should. Nine is typically the magic number.
• Double-check Meanings. There are plenty of horror stories from brands that hopped on a trending hashtag bandwagon without doing their research. Don’t make the mistake of selecting a hashtag that actually means something else. If the hashtag is a phrase or new pop culture term then make sure you do some research and look at the other posts that are associated with hashtag. Just because it is trending doesn’t mean it’s trending for the right reasons. Also make sure that the hashtag coincides with you brand and product.

You should be monitoring the hashtags you use on each post. Instagram Analytics will let you see how effective your hashtags are, so you can refine your strategy for future posts if needed.

3. Share a sale or promotional code

The power of a good promotion is undeniable. How often have you mulled over a purchase for months (okay, most likely days) before finally hitting “Purchase” when a perfectly-timed 15% off code appears?

Running a promotional campaign can almost guarantee a drive of sales. And when you can promote the code directly in your shoppable Instagram posts, it makes it even easier for customers to act.

Offering your Instagram customers an exclusive sale is a great way to build your audience loyalty and increase engagement. Whether you add in a coupon code to a post or in your Instagram stories, this can help drive sales. These customers already follow

4. Show your product in action

One of the most popular types of video content on Instagram is the tutorial or how-to video.This format is very ideal for shopping posts, because it offers viewers product education and proof-of-concept. This can also be a great way to showcase how to style a garment or if a garment has multiple ways to wear it.

A good example is how Fenty Beauty regularly shares educational beauty tutorials, where they feature products and have them tagged for purchase. These videos are also compulsively watchable, and they also showcase the quality and versatility of each product.

5. Be authentic

When sharing product posts, don’t miss out on connecting with your audience. There’s no need to stick to product copy. Your personality and voice should shine through in your content.

You could pair your photo or video with a thoughtful caption offering a surprising insight, an interesting fact, or an emotional connection. You might talk about how the product was made, or what inspired it

Instagram shoppers tend care about more than just how a product looks (or how much it costs). Gen Z shoppers in particular want to support businesses that share their values, and resonate with their personal identities.

6. Play with color

While black and white images and videos, or even muted colors, can be aesthetically pleasing you should play around with color. You want your content to be vibrate and eye-catching. For a show-stopping post, consider shooting against a colorful accent wall or backdrop.

7. Establish a signature style

Creating a consistent aesthetic on Instagram will help you improve and establish your brand recognition and help to establish your identity on the platform. This will help customers scrolling through their feed or browsing the Explore tab to recognize your posts at first glance. Plus, it adds up to a very pleasing feed when users visit your page. Having a cohesive aesthetic on your page can say a lot about your brand and show consistency.

Your signature style on Instagram should be consistent with your brand visuals elsewhere. Your website, ads, and product packaging should all fit together, with complementary images.

Tips:

• Reinforce your brand identity with your signature palette. Are you refined and muted? Sweet and pastel? Dark and sultry? Bright and energetic? Your style guide can be a helpful tool
• Use the same filter or Instagram presets on all your posts for a consistent look.
• Include at least one of your signature colors in each post.

8. Be inclusive

If you want your brand to reach a wide audience, you need to ensure your images are meaningfully representative.

With over a billion users, it’s safe to say that Instagram users are a diverse group. But too often, the people in Instagram promotions and images look the same: white, able-bodied, slim. Only 2% of advertising images feature plus-size women.

And Instagram users who don’t see themselves reflected in that narrow slice of humanity are understandably fed up. Boring brand images aren’t just a failure of imagination; they’re also bad for business, as customers who feel excluded will take their business elsewhere.

9. Share User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGM) refers to any posts or Stories from Instagram users that feature your products. UGM is a huge asset when it comes to promoting your products!

These posts provide new, real images of your photos in action, and they also boost your credibility. These posts are real users are considered to be more authentic, and this translates to trust. These kinds of posts serve as visual testimonials.  In fact, 79% of survey respondents say UGM influences their purchasing decisions. These users enjoy your product so much they are not just using it/ wearing it, but are posting it and tagging you.

If these photos come from high-profile customers, all the better.

Before sharing UGC on your own feed, make sure you’re following best practices for sharing user-generated content:

• Ask permission before reposting
• Tag the original creator
• Ensure the photo fits with your brand aesthetic

Shopping on Instagram is continuing to grow in popularity, and it’s only a matter of time until features like Instagram checkout are everywhere. There’s no time like the present to dive in and find out how much it can benefit your business!

Save time managing your Instagram presence using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard you can schedule and publish photos directly to Instagram, engage the audience, measure performance, and run all your other social media profiles. Try it free today.

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If you have questions or concerns about your Social Media presence or setting up your online shop, give Stratedia a call at 860.415.0430  or visit us online at stratedia.com. We‘re ranked #1 as the top seo company CT by Clutch.co! Let Stratedia help you, GET TO THE TOP!