Happy New Year, friends! We are starting the year off with a career topic that you might be curious about if you’re a shop owner, or looking to start selling your own products: how to make your products shoppable on Instagram. With expertise in creating immersive online experiences for small businesses, Lexi Parker, Founder of Revel Union is walking us through the process today. There’s also a pretty fab giveaway at the end of this post, don’t miss it!!
From Lexi of Revel Union… Lifestyle brands and online boutiques have so many more channels to reach their customers now compared to 10—or even five—years ago. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record: if you’re selling products online, you should be investing time in marketing on Instagram. It’s the way of the social media world, and no modern advertising plan is complete without it.
If you’ve already mastered cohesive product photos, consistent scheduling, and engagement, it’s time to make your product images shoppable through the app to drive sales directly from your posts. Instagram calls it a “visual shopfront” where images can display details and pricing with just a click. Customers can browse and buy products with the click of a button for convenience, and therefore, quicker sales conversions.
Today, we are breaking down how to make your curated products shoppable on the Instagram app just in time for the new year. Before you begin, please note that your Instagram account must be a Business Account and approved for shopping to feature products. This process isn’t difficult, but might take a few days. You must also have a Business Page on Facebook. One more consideration: you will need a desktop computer to begin this process.
Step 1: Add Products to your Business Page on Facebook
Using a desktop computer, set up your Facebook Catalog through the Shop section. From your dashboard, click through Settings > Authorizations (on the left hand menu) > Go to Business Manager. From your Business Manager Account, click “Pages” at the top left of the navigation bar.
To create a new catalog, click Assets > Catalogs > Ecommerce. Then upload product info yourself or connect Shopify if you have an account.
Step 2: Integrate Instagram
On Instagram, find your page settings. Tap ” Shopping”. Click Continue. Next, select a product catalog to connect to your business profile. Click Done.
Step 3: Tagging Your Posts on Instagram
Once your post is ready to share with your image and caption, select “Tag Products” from the Share screen. Tap the products in the photo that you want to tag, just as if you were tagging a person. Enter the product names as they appear in your uploaded catalog or on Shopify and select them as they appear in the search box. Click “Done” and then “Share.”
Pro-tip: we always recommend that your product tags touch the actual product to avoid confusion.
And that’s it! I hope this how-to was helpful as you make your products more accessible through your Instagram feed. Feel free to email me at with any questions about how to get started!
The Giveaway
To celebrate a fresh, new year, we are partnering up with Revel Union to offer one interior designer a FREE Shopify site! If you’re ready to uplevel your business for the new year with an online shop that converts or if you’ve ever wanted to start selling your own products, this could be your time. ENTER HERE for your chance to win. Here are a few details on what the winner will receive:
• E-commerce Web Design – desktop + mobile optimization
• SEO Optimization
• Mailchimp Integration
• Backend Store Setup
Branding Expert: Revel Union | Photography: Madeline Harper
