Instagram is being one of the dominant social networks in the business sector: it serves perfectly as a product showcase. In addition, it is a perfect place to offer products. However, something that has been needed for a long time is to be able to place direct links in our publications so that potential buyers go directly to the purchase link of the different websites.
About a year ago, Instagram featured «Instagram shopping» a new functionality that was only available in very few markets. And that focused, solely and exclusively on the business world. A few days ago the social network that is part of Facebook, did ad which Instagram Shopping spread to more countries. And one of them is Spain.
Instagram Shopping: a new way to bring your Instagram business profile to life
What is this Instagram Shopping about? Well, as we explained: it is the best way to put direct links to the purchases of the products shown in your photographs. But it is done in a very aesthetic way, as well as easy to implant.
Likewise, Instagram Shopping is open to all companies "Never personal profiles." And to be able to place links, it is not necessary to reach a certain number of followers as it does in Instagram Stories in which you must have, at least, 10.000 followers or 10k.
What do you need or what requirements does Instagram ask to use this new function?
As we have told you, Instagram Shopping is open to business profiles; personal profiles will not be accepted. If this is your case, go to a corporate one. Meanwhile, before Instagram activates this function in your account, you must meet some requirements that we detail to you next:
- Your business must sell physical products that meet the deal for merchants and trade policies
- Your company must be in United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain or Brazil
- You must convert your Instagram account into a company profile
- The company profile must be connected to a Facebook catalog, which you can create and manage in Business Manager through the Shopify and BigCommerce platforms, or directly on your company's Facebook page
If you think that you meet all these points that we have detailed, you can only request Instagram to activate this function in your account. Apparently, the social network takes several days to register Instagram Shopping.
How do I activate the function if they have already given me the «OK»
You will not receive any message from Instagram, you must be the one to observe if you have met the requirements or not. If yes, the steps to follow are those that the company itself leaves on its support pages:
- Touch the upper left icon shaped like a person silhouette to go to your profile
- Touch the alert Start Searching at the top of your profile
- If you don't see the alert in the image above, tap the settings wheel on the main screen of your profile
- Toca Shopping
- Tap Continue
- Choose the product catalog that you want to connect to your company profile
- Touch Done
I am already registered. What will I get with Instagram Shopping?
From now on you will be able to be able to tag each element of the images you upload to Instagram. And yes, like when you tag a person who appears in a publication, in this case, we will tag with information about their price, name and we will place a link that will lead to our sales page, more specifically to the product page.
On the other hand, these labels will appear on the screen when the user clicks on the photograph. At that precise moment the different labels that we have placed will appear. In addition, to identify the publications that have these purchase labels, in the images an icon will appear for a shopping basket.
Meanwhile, Instagram warns that A maximum of 5 products can be tagged if your post consists of a single image. And a maximum of 20 labels in case the publication consists of several photographs. In addition, this can be implemented in new publications as well as in previously published ones.
Finally, also warn you that both the currency and the language that will be displayed on the label is the one that appears in your linked store catalog. Therefore, before taking the step, do a preliminary study. It will help you learn more about your target audience.