2020 is proving to be a wild year! We’re seeing so many different types of businesses suffer tremendous losses in the face of the pandemic, yet, whether because of boredom or necessity, people continue to use social media and to shop online. That’s why if you have a product to sell online, particularly one that lends itself to looking attractive in photographs, you should be taking advantage of shoppable posts. 

Instagram, with its staggering 1 billion users, lends itself easily to shoppable posts because of its highly visual format. And in March of 2019, the platform introduced Instagram Checkout, which lets users complete their purchase without leaving Instagram – meaning fewer abandoned purchases on the part of distracted shoppers. 

How Do Shoppable Posts Work? 

It’s pretty straight forward, actually. Say, for instance, you own a business that sells jewelry. If you’ve set up your Instagram Business account and linked it to your Facebook Business Account, you’re already part way there. Just post a photo of one or more of your products on Instagram and tag each product (you’re allowed to tag up to five products per post). Once a customer clicks on the tag, the Shop Now interface within Instagram opens for the product to be purchased. A recent Hootsuite blog goes into greater depth about how to set up shoppable posts on your Instagram Business page.

Why Do Shoppable Posts Work? 

According to the marketing agency Mediakix, “The product tagging feature allows businesses and brands to get deeply specific with regards to the type of content they’re displaying and promoting. No longer do brands have to tailor post promotions to a single central link listed in the bios on their profiles. Instead, they can tag up to five separate items in a single photo — a specific hat, a book, a pair of glasses. Users can follow a tagged product link to find more information on the product or purchase it.”

Ready to Put Shoppable Posts to Work For You? 

Just make sure your photos are appealing and tell your brand’s story, then get posting! Or, if you’d like some expert help, call the marketing wizards at Tree Ring Digital, and they’ll make sure you’re ready to harness the incredible power of social media to sell your products.