How to link and market on Instagram using Shopify

Overview

Instagram, boasting over 2 billion monthly active users, stands as one of the world's most popular social media platforms. Many users engage with the platform first thing in the morning, scrolling through images and reels. With users spending more than 12 hours monthly, Instagram has evolved beyond mere entertainment. 

The integration of Shopify has transformed it into a shopping hub, presenting a lucrative opportunity for merchants and e-commerce businesses to promote and sell products on the world's third-most-used social platform.

How does Instagram shopping work?

Instagram Shopping is a powerful feature empowering businesses to showcase their products within posts and stories seamlessly. The mechanism is simple yet impactful—businesses can strategically tag products in their visual content. When users click these tags, a direct transition occurs, guiding them to a dedicated product page. 

This page provides an in-depth view of the product, offering additional details and presenting a streamlined avenue for users to make quick and convenient purchases. Instagram for Shopify feeds bridges the gap between visual inspiration and tangible acquisition, enhancing the overall shopping experience for users and offering you, as a merchant, an effective platform for product promotion and sales.

Benefits of integrating Instagram with Shopify

The amalgamation of Instagram and Shopify has acted as a catalyst for next-generation e-commerce businesses, propelling them towards heightened success. Here are some key benefits:

1. Expanded visibility

With Instagram boasting a vast user base, integration with the platform enables businesses to tap into a broader audience, enhancing visibility and brand reach.

2. Increased sales opportunities

Instagram Shopping streamlines the purchasing process, allowing users to make direct product acquisitions within the app. This seamless experience translates to an uptick in sales for businesses leveraging the integration.

3. Enhanced customer engagement

Capitalizing on Instagram's visual prowess, businesses can effectively showcase their products, fostering a visually compelling environment. This captivates users and nurtures improved customer engagement by providing an immersive brand experience.

Why is Shopify Instagram integration important for e-commerce businesses?

The integration of Shopify with Instagram's business profile holds immense significance for e-commerce ventures, primarily due to the invaluable benefits of Instagram shopping. More than 44% of Instagram users use the app every week, and more than 62% of users use the app to research a brand after TikTok. This makes using the platform vital for reaching the target audience.

Businesses can leverage a trifecta of advantages by seamlessly intertwining with the platform—heightened visibility, increased sales, and enhanced customer engagement. This integration is a strategic gateway, allowing businesses to tap into Instagram's vast user base and provide a seamless shopping experience.

How does selling on Instagram with Shopify function?

Selling on Instagram with Shopify involves a streamlined four-step process, ensuring a seamless integration of these two powerful platforms. Here's a breakdown of the steps:

1. Instagram on your Shopify page

The initial step entails incorporating Instagram onto your Shopify page. Achieve this by seamlessly installing the Instagram sales channel within your Shopify account. This integration serves as the foundation for a cohesive selling experience.

2. Shopify on your Instagram page

The subsequent step revolves around embedding Shopify on your Instagram page. This is accomplished by establishing a connection between your Shopify and Instagram accounts. By seamlessly linking these platforms, businesses can effectively showcase their products and add product descriptions on Instagram, creating a unified and efficient selling environment.

Requirements to link Shopify to Instagram

Before establishing a link between Shopify and Instagram, particular prerequisites must be met. These essential requirements encompass

1. Facebook page for your business

A fundamental prerequisite is the possession of a dedicated Facebook business page for your business. This is a crucial foundation for seamless integration and the connection between Shopify and Instagram.

2. Instagram business account

To facilitate the link, it is imperative to have an active Instagram business account. This specific account type is essential for unlocking the full spectrum of features and functionalities during the integration process.

3. Shopify account

 A vital requirement is possessing a Shopify account. Ensure that your business is registered on the Shopify platform, laying the groundwork for a cohesive link with Instagram and enabling an effective e-commerce presence on the social media platform.

How to connect Shopify and Instagram: Comprehensive step-by-step guide

Follow these steps to connect your Shopify and Instagram accounts seamlessly:

Step 1: Create a Shopify store and Instagram business account

Ensure you have a Shopify store and an Instagram Business account. If you lack a Shopify store, sign up on Shopify's website, select a plan, and set up your store. For Instagram, download the app, sign up, and create a business account if you still need to do so.

Step 2: Connect your Instagram account to your Facebook page

Log in to Facebook, navigate to Settings, choose Instagram, and connect your account by following the provided prompts.

Step 3: Set up a Facebook shop

To link your Instagram Business account to Shopify, establish a Facebook Shop. Generate a new page on Facebook, access "Meta Business Suite," and follow the prompts to set up your shop.

Step 4: Link your Facebook and Instagram business accounts to Shopify.

Inside your Shopify account, go to the Facebook and Instagram Shopping Sales Channels. Initiate the setup, link your Facebook account, and await approval. Once connected, effortlessly manage both accounts within Shopify.

Step 5: Enable Instagram shopping

On your Instagram profile, navigate to Settings > Business > Shopping. Connect your Instagram account to your Facebook Shop and await Instagram's review and approval of your product tagging.

Step 6: Tag Shopify products in Instagram posts and stories

Upon approval, craft a new Instagram post, select a photo or video, tap "Tag Products," choose the product to tag, and share your post.

How to integrate Instagram feed with Shopify

Follow these steps to effortlessly blend your dynamic Instagram content with your Shopify page to enable Instagram shopping features, thus enhancing engagement and fostering a captivating online shopping experience.

Step 1: Download an Instagram feed app

Start the integration process by downloading a dedicated Instagram feed app from the Shopify app store. There are several apps available on the Shopify app store that can help you with this.

Step 2: Connect your Instagram account

Following the app installation, proceed to connect your Instagram account seamlessly. The app will guide you through this process, providing prompts to ensure a smooth and secure connection between your Instagram account and Shopify. Save the settings once you have completed all the steps.

Step 3: Customize your Instagram feed

Tailor your Instagram feed or the homepage to suit your brand aesthetics by customizing various aspects. The app typically allows you to choose specific photos for display, determine the quantity to showcase and define the layout or presentation style that aligns with your brand image.

Step 4: Add your Instagram feed to your Shopify page

Conclude the integration by adding your personalized Instagram feed to your Shopify page. The app usually facilitates this step by generating a code snippet. Simply embed this snippet into your Shopify page, seamlessly showcasing your dynamic Instagram content to your online audience.

Strategies for increasing sales post successful integration of Instagram with Shopify

Maximise your sales potential following a seamless Instagram and Shopify integration with these effective strategies:

1. Harness the power of Instagram Stories

Showcase your products dynamically through Instagram Stories by sharing and re-sharing, leveraging the platform's immersive features to captivate your audience and drive engagement.

2. Engage audiences with Instagram Live

Foster real-time connections by utilising Instagram Live to interact with your audience. Conduct live product demonstrations, Q&A sessions, giveaways, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content to enhance customer engagement.

3. Leverage Instagram influencers

Collaborate with influential personalities on Instagram to amplify your product reach. Capitalize on their audience's trust to promote your products authentically and boost your brand visibility. You can even enable influencer discount codes, providing an exclusive incentive for their followers and fostering a mutually beneficial relationship that drives sales and enhances brand loyalty.

4. Expand reach with Instagram ads

Utilize targeted Instagram ads to reach a broader audience. Tailor your campaigns to specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring your products are showcased to those most likely to convert into customers.

Utilize Instagram features to promote your Shopify products effectively

Leverage the power of Instagram integration to seamlessly promote your Shopify products and improve conversions with these impactful features:

1. Shoppable posts

Tag your products directly in Instagram posts with shoppable posts having hashtags. Users can click on the tags and hashtags to access a dedicated product page, which provides comprehensive details and facilitates convenient purchases.

2. Product stickers in Instagram stories

Elevate your storytelling with product stickers in Instagram Stories. Users can click on the stickers to explore product details on dedicated pages, streamlining the path to purchase.

3. Shop tab

Curate a centralized shopping hub on your Instagram profile with the Shop tab. Users can effortlessly browse through all your shoppable posts in one dedicated space.

4. Swipe-up links in stories

Enhance engagement in Instagram Stories by incorporating swipe-up links. Users can swipe up to access links leading to product pages, enabling them to delve deeper into product details and make purchases.

5. Instagram checkout

Streamline the purchasing process with Instagram Checkout. Users can directly buy products within Instagram by clicking on the Checkout button, initiating a seamless transaction where they can enter payment and shipping information.

Examples Of e-commerce businesses that grew after Shopify Instagram integration

If you are still not convinced that this is the strategy you want to follow, let us show you some brands that leveraged this strategy and grew their sales and brand presence.

Kylie Cosmetics

Kylie Cosmetics operates as an online retailer specializing in selling makeup and beauty items via its website. Utilizing Instagram advertisements seamlessly integrated with its Shopify store, Kylie Cosmetics introduces new products, markets makeup brushes, and showcases its latest collaborations.

These ads feature a harmonious mix of vibrant color schemes, cleverly crafted copy, and a distinct call-to-action (CTA).

FashionNova

Following the popularity of Instagram, Fashion Nova, a budget-friendly e-fashion company, strategically carved out a successful niche by leveraging user engagement (ER) while simultaneously solidifying the brand's reputation through paid partnerships with the same IG influencers whose styles they emulated. This approach propelled Fashion Nova from relative obscurity to becoming the preferred brand of pop stars in just a few years.

Fashion Nova demonstrates a keen understanding of its audience, regularly posting pictures almost daily and cultivating relationships with influencers who effectively shape public opinion, albeit at a considerable cost. According to Fashion Nova's CEO, each post can generate sales reaching $50,000.

Tentree

Tentree, an apparel brand, embodies robust, sustainable principles reflected in its Instagram feed. Specializing in eco-friendly practices, the brand crafts clothing using hemp, cork, and organic cotton materials.

On Tentree's Instagram account, you'll find informative posts delving into sourcing sustainable materials alongside a wealth of user-generated content (UGC) that aligns seamlessly with the brand's identity. Engaging its audience, Tentree also hosts giveaways. The brand strategically incorporates clear calls-to-action (CTAs) in its posts, empowering customers to purchase directly from its unique and environmentally conscious offerings.

Conclusion

Connecting Instagram with Shopify is an excellent method for eCommerce enterprises to enhance their visibility, boost sales, and foster customer engagement. By adhering to the strategies delineated in this blog post, you can proficiently showcase your Shopify products on Instagram, facilitating the growth of your business.