Instagram continues to go from strength to strength and is now becoming even more appealing to online shoppers. The image-focused social media platform has the backing of parent company Facebook, and the boost in investment and expertise is evident. For advertisers, the platforms are linked making it incredibly easy to push products in front of targeted demographics.
Instagram alone has over 800 million users and has so far cultivated positive interactions between brands and users.
Partnering with Instagram influencers
Instagram is unique because it offers a level playing field for all users to build a following. Some people bring their brand or fame with them, while others gain notoriety by publishing shareable, relevant or interesting content on the platform. Savvy marketers and brand developers have learned to target Instagram users that have large follower numbers and build strategic partnerships with them. The brand may offer free products or payment for the influencer to feature a specific product in a post. Previously, interested customers needed to leave Instagram to seek out promoted products. Now, the images themselves can act as links to sales pages which makes the process much smoother.
How to shop online on Instagram
Shopping on Instagram is very straightforward. Open up the Instagram app and search for a brand you love. As you scroll through their feed you may notice some product images have white dots on them. As you click through to the image you will be offered a way to buy the product without leaving the page. It’s so simple.
When you click the white dot on a product image, you’ll see a detailed description of the product along with the price. You can continue clicking through to the official website of the company and complete the purchase there. When you’ve ordered the items you’re interested in you can return to browsing Instagram.
Traditional website sales pages can struggle to show how an item might look in real life situations. Instagram offers an innovative way to showcase amazing products being used by true fans and models alike. It’s intimate, realistic and can bring high-quality storytelling into the online shopping experience.