The power of social media is a proven fact in every sphere of our lives and it has entered the field of shopping too. And to encourage business growth, Instagram now offers selling opportunities to help merchants in displaying their products through their Insta posts so that they reach millions of Insta users and generate sales. Are you actively selling on Instagram? If not, gear up – we will guide you on how to sell on Instagram:

How To Sell On Instagram?

To sell on Instagram, merchants need to create their Instagram shop first – it is just like an online store, but on Instagram. And, they can insert shoppable tags of products from this shop on all their posts. Also, merchants will get "View Shop" button right on their profile.

Create Instagram Business Account To Sell On Instagram

To create Instagram shop, the first step is to create Instagram Business Account through your personal Instagram account. For this, you simply need to:

1. Go to your profile
2. Click on three horizontal lines in the top right corner
3. and hit “Setting and Privacy”
4. Scroll down to the "For professionals" tab
5. and hit "Account type"
6. Click on “Switch to a professional account”
7. Provide the information asked to switch to professional account
8. Connect the Facebook page (if you wish to)
9. Use Meta’s Commerce Manager to launch the store
10. Add store information and connect the third-party platform you use for your online store
11. Import your catalog with Meta Pixel or add the products manually (bulk upload possible with spreadsheet)
12. Submit it for review and approval by clicking on "Settings" and then "Sign up for shopping"

Make sure you meet the Instagram selling eligibility criteria to get the approval for selling.

Remember: Each product on the shop should have one image, description, link to the landing page, and SKU number.

How Long Does It Take To Get The Approval To Sell On Instagram?

It takes 1-15 days to get the approval and the seller will receive a notification on approval of the selling request.

In case, you get a rejection, keep retrying and complying with the policies.

What To Do After Approval?

After the approval, the merchants simply need to activate the purchase features of the Instagram store so that interested buyers can transact. For this,

1. Go to 3 horizontal lines on your profile
2. and "Settings and privacy", Click on "Business"
3. Click on "Shopping"
4. Choose the catalog to connect your account
5. Click on “Done”

Now, you are all set to sell on Instagram with shoppable posts through which your buyers can shop.

How Much Does It Cost To Sell On Instagram?

Selling on Instagram is completely free – you will have to pay if you wish to run ads.

What Can You Sell On Instagram?

Fashion, beauty-skin care products, home décor, and home improvement items, eco-friendly products tend to get maximum sales on Instagram. You can use Instagram even though you are not selling a product – it will amplify your reach.

Why Should You Sell On Instagram – What Are The Benefits?

The prime reasons why you should choose to sell on Instagram are pretty clear - it is influential. It influences fashion-related purchase decisions. Buyers check the Insta page of their favorite stars/influencers out of curiosity. Not only that, they stock the exact items as well out of FOMO.

Did you know that 80% users use Instagram to research trending products/services before purchasing?

Here are some statistics (source: Business Dasher and Statista) for you:

1. 70% users shop on Instagram
2. Monthly number of shoppers on Insta is around 8,00,000
3. 44% of Insta users shop on Instagram each week
4. 74% of women and 68% of men prefer Instagram over other shopping apps
5. 90% of users follow at least one business on Instagram

Not just that, after trying those on, buyers also seek advice/suggestions from their followers! So, just imagine, how much reach your product will get after you collaborate with a popular face on Instagram.

Some other benefits of selling on Instagram include the following:

• Ascending graph of engagement and reach
• Branding at a very low cost

Tips To Maximize Your Sales On Instagram

Here are tips to help you with Instagram selling:

1. Create Exclusive Content

Once the Instagram shop is ready, display your products through your posts to communicate with your buyers. Create image/reel/video posts of

• Products
• Making of the product (the backstory – raw material collection to manufacturing)
• Use-cases of the products (tutorials and experiments)

Also, encourage customers to post unboxing/review videos by tagging/mentioning your business and reshare these on your account. The fact is to sell on Instagram, you have to inspire and influence your buyers with good-quality products as well as compelling content (with excellent images).

Did you know that 130 million people engage with purely shoppable posts each month?

2. Promote Intricately

Promotion is a part of business – so promote as much as possible. Also, use relevant hashtags, announce festive offers/discounts, take help of unrevealing/countdown games for new launches, and conduct contests/giveaways and live sessions to maximize your sales. Last but not the least, add a call to action on all your posts to take your buyers directly to your online store.

3. Additional Tips

1. Engage with buyers through likes, comments, and shares on social media
2. Be consistent with the posts – use planners so that you can make timely postings
3. Use a backdrop to make the images and videos look rich
4. Explore different types of posts instead of limiting to just one format – try single images, multiple images, reels/video, etc.
5. Tag products
6. Collaborate with influencers
7. Run targeted ads

End Words…

Selling on Instagram is no doubt beneficial for the merchants – at least numbers say so! Merchants witness 42% sales growth after selling on Instagram. So, if you are not yet selling on Instagram, you are missing out on a series of selling and brand-building opportunities. So, step onto this platform to explore new heights for your business in the coming days.

By integrating PayG payment gateway with your online store, you can effortlessly collect payments from your Instagram shoppers through their preferred payment mode. Are you ready to kickstart then?