Instagram Checkout is Here, So Don’t Stress–Just Add to Cart
If you’re like me and have taken it upon yourself to single-handedly boost the economy via your online shopping habit, you’ll love Instagram’s latest update. Instagram Checkout, which originally launched for only a few major brands like Zara, Revolve, and Nike, is now available to all users – and following through on buying that cute top has never been easier.
There are so many wonderful Instagram shops to support, created and run by amazing artisans and entrepreneurs. This update means that so many of these small businesses now have the chance to reach more and more potential customers.
This update goes hand-in-hand with Instagram’s Shopping for Creators feature, which allows influencers and content creators to tag brands in their posts – and link out to a place their followers can purchase whatever featured product for themselves.
If you’re a brand or business looking to utilize this tool, and drive visitors to your profile to check out, be sure you’re EMPHASIZING that users can shop from your profile.
Later recommends using the trending hashtag #TapToShop on posts that are shoppable. Another great way to drive traffic? Exclusive product on your Instagram. If your loyal customers can only get the newest addition to your line of ceramics from your IG profile, you’ll be sure to drive traffic that way without any issue.
It will be interesting to see if Instagram’s algorithm and this new shopping feature will affect what suggested posts users receive once they’ve reached the bottom of their feeds for the day.
According to Later, there are over 200 million users on Instagram visiting at least one business profile every day, with 83% of users discovering new products and services during those visits. These numbers are invaluable to brands and small businesses relying on e-commerce during COVID-19. This raises the question: is Instagram using this as an opportunity to become everyone’s go-to online shopping and e-commerce platform? All the signs point to yes.
How To Optimize Your Instagram
About SOPHIA PELOSI
Sophia Pelosi is the Associate Marketing Manager at BlogHer, as well as a contributing author and editor for BlogHer.com. She’s based in New York City, and is passionate about pasta from scratch, daily meditation, the state of Maine, 70s disco fashion and her beagle Lucy. The only commercials she likes are ones that make her laugh or cry, and she didn’t like reading Jane Eyre as much as she thought she would. Follow her on Instagram.