Instagram has taken over our lives. From stalking celebrities and finding our next holiday destination to posting fun stories – this platform offers so much and more to keep users hooked.

One of the most exciting additions is the ability to purchase products without having to leave Instagram through shoppable posts.

Now, instead of just posting a product image and hoping it will direct people to your e-commerce store, you can leverage this feature and have customers buy a product from your Instagram feed, with a single tap. 

As per a study, 130 million Instagrammers are tapping to reveal product tags in shopping posts each month. 

So, if you’re looking to convert your Instagram following into customers, Instagram shoppable posts ought to be part of your marketing plan. 

Here are five tips for creating shoppable content to boost conversions through Instagram.

Use enticing visuals

Instagram, as we all know is about powerful visuals – visuals that tell a story, inspire, and engage your audience. This is all the more important while creating shoppable posts because you need to showcase your products and make them look appealing to drive sales. 

You don’t have to be a professional designer to create stunning Instagram posts. With free online tools like Visme, you can craft dazzling visuals in under 15 minutes, and be sure each of your posts is compliant with your visual identity. Tell a story of your brand by giving a makeover to your Instagram profile and start increasing conversions with your fresh post ideas.

From lifestyle imagery and people shots to focussed product imagery and flat lays – there are various techniques to present your product. What’s important is using high-resolution images in an appropriate setting that lets viewers visualize using your product while compelling them to make the purchase.

It’s also essential to develop a visual identity and define brand guidelines to create consistency across all your posts. 

Tag products wisely

Product tagging is what sets shoppable posts apart from the rest. Tagging displays the name and price of the product which indicates that users can buy that product by tapping on it. 

Remember that people are viewing your feed on a smartphone which means you have limited space to communicate. Hence, tagging every item is not the best idea because that’s going to leave you with a very cluttered visual.

So, tag products wisely. Select one to three products that you want to highlight in a single image and only tag those. While tagging, make sure you’re doing it correctly without ruining the aesthetic. 

Use carousel posts

Product catalogues are a fantastic way to showcase your range of products and appeal to more people. Why not replicate the same experience on Instagram?

Instead of posting shoppable content as single posts, it’s a good idea to use the carousel feature to present the entire range. You can also use carousels to group select products, present lookbooks, or show close-ups to drive product sales. 

Insert relevant hashtags and captions

Instagram marketing is not just about visuals. It’s also about writing punchy captions that accentuate your communication and add character to your posts. 

While crafting captions for your Instagram shoppable posts, use them to complement the visual, evoke emotions, and strike a conversation with your audience. Don’t repeat the obvious – maximize this space to add value.

Another way to stand out and infuse personality in your posts is by adding emojis. Did you know that using emojis in your caption can increase engagement by 43%?

Your Instagram captions are incomplete without hashtags. So, insert relevant hashtags (branded or otherwise) to improve engagement while making your posts easily discoverable. 

Leverage user-generated content

User-generated content serves as the perfect form of social proof to establish credibility and influence purchase decisions. When your followers see your product being used or recommended by “real” people, they’re able to instil more trust in your brand. 

So, collate all that user-generated content and leverage them to create shoppable content on Instagram. That being said, make sure you take permission from the original creator and give due credit to them when using it on your feed.

Don’t have enough user-generated content? You can host social media contests to encourage your followers to share some. 

Conclusion

Social media marketing is no longer limited to just posting inspirational content. With the rise of social commerce and shoppable formats, you have the opportunity to use your social presence to drive conversions and offer a shopping experience from your feed.

What’s more, with the coronavirus pandemic and people working from home, you have all the reasons to leverage this feature and boost sales.

So, follow these five essential tips and create Instagram shoppable posts that attract traffic and increase conversions.  

Author Bio

Simki Dutta is a content marketer at Venngage, a free infographic maker and design platform. When she’s not working, she can be found refreshing her Twitter feed and binge-watching Netflix shows. You can find her on LinkedIn and Twitter.