How to Add Shop to Instagram: A Complete Guide for Beginners

By Cepy 8/09/2023 Post a Comment

Hi Online Friends,

If you're looking for a way to sell your products on Instagram, you might have heard of Instagram Shop. Instagram Shop is a feature that allows you to showcase your products and let your customers shop directly from your profile, posts, stories, reels and more.

But how do you add shop to Instagram? What are the requirements and steps involved? And how can you make the most of this feature to grow your sales and reach new customers?

In this article, I'll answer all these questions and more. I have experience around "add shop to instagram" and I want to share with you some tips and best practices that will help you set up and optimize your Instagram Shop.

What is Instagram Shop?

Instagram Shop is a set of features that allow you to create an immersive storefront on Instagram. You can curate a list of shoppable products that are directly accessible through the "View Shop" button on your profile page. You can also tag your products in your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos, so that your customers can tap on them and see more details or buy them without leaving the app.

But that's not all. Brands with Instagram Shop can also be featured on the Instagram Shop tab — a shopping destination accessible from Instagram’s main navigation menu. Instagram Shop is a streamlined way for users to discover shoppable products on Instagram, with the option to search by categories, see "Editors' Picks," and more.

Why should you add shop to Instagram?

Adding shop to Instagram can bring many benefits for your business, such as:

- Increasing your brand awareness and reach by being featured on the Instagram Shop tab and other places where users can discover shoppable products.- Driving more traffic and conversions by making it easy for your customers to shop your products without leaving the app.- Building trust and loyalty by providing a seamless and engaging shopping experience for your customers.- Leveraging the power of social proof by allowing your customers to see how others are using and reviewing your products.- Growing your community by encouraging user-generated content and interactions around your products.

What are the requirements to add shop to Instagram?

To add shop to Instagram, you need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

- Your business is located in a supported market. You can check the list of supported markets here.- Your business has an eligible product. You can only sell physical goods that comply with Instagram's merchant agreement and commerce policies.- Your business owns a website domain in which you intend to sell from. Your shop must contain product listings that are available for direct purchase from your business’s website, and you must represent the store or website associated with the domain provided.- Your business has an Instagram Business or Creator account. You can learn how to switch to a Business or Creator account here.- Your business has a Facebook Page. You need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook Page if you plan to sell on both platforms. You can learn how to link your accounts here.

How to add shop to Instagram in 5 easy steps

Now that you know what Instagram Shop is and why you should use it, let's see how you can add shop to Instagram in 5 easy steps.

Step 1: Create a product catalog

The first step to add shop to Instagram is to create a product catalog, which is a list of all your products, inventory, and descriptions. There are two ways to create a product catalog: manually or using a third-party platform.

If you want to create a product catalog manually, you need to use Facebook's Catalog Manager, which is a tool that allows you to upload and manage your product information. You can access Catalog Manager from Facebook's Business Manager or Commerce Manager.

To create a product catalog manually, follow these steps:

- Go to Catalog Manager and click on "Create Catalog".- Choose "E-commerce" as your catalog type and click "Next".- Choose "Upload Product Info" as your method and click "Next".- Enter a name for your catalog and select the Facebook Page that is linked to your Instagram account. Click "Create".- Once your catalog is created, you can add products manually or use a data feed file. A data feed file is a spreadsheet that contains all the information about your products, such as name, price, image URL, etc. You can learn how to create and upload a data feed file here.

If you want to create a product catalog using a third-party platform, you need to use a platform that is integrated with Facebook's Commerce Manager, such as Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, etc. These platforms allow you to sync your products with Facebook and Instagram automatically, without having to use Catalog Manager.

To create a product catalog using a third-party platform, follow these steps:

- Go to Commerce Manager and click on "Get Started".- Choose "Connect Your Website" as your method and click "Next".- Choose the platform that you use to sell your products online and click "Next".- Follow the instructions to connect your platform account to Commerce Manager. You may need to install a plugin or app on your platform to enable the integration.- Once your platform account is connected, your products will be synced with Facebook and Instagram automatically.

Step 2: Submit your account for review

The next step to add shop to Instagram is to submit your account for review. This is a process that verifies that your account meets the eligibility requirements and complies with the policies for selling on Instagram.

To submit your account for review, follow these steps:

- Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner.- Tap on "Settings" and then "Business".- Tap on "Shopping" and then "Continue".- Choose the product catalog that you want to connect to your account and tap "Done".- Wait for the review process to complete. This may take a few days or weeks, depending on the volume of requests. You will receive a notification when your account is approved or rejected.

Step 3: Turn on shopping features

Once your account is approved, you can turn on shopping features on Instagram. Shopping features allow you to tag your products in your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos, as well as create collections of products that are displayed on your profile page.

To turn on shopping features, follow these steps:

Step 4: Tag your products

Now that you have turned on shopping features, you can start tagging your products in your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos. Tagging your products allows your customers to see more details or buy them without leaving the app.

To tag your products in posts, follow these steps:

- Create a new post or edit an existing one.- Tap on "Tag Products" at the bottom of the screen.- Tap on the photo where you want to add a product tag.- Search for the product that you want to tag and select it from the list.- Tap "Done" and then share or save your post.

To tag your products in stories, follow these steps:

- Create a new story or edit an existing one.- Tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen.- Tap on the "Product" sticker.- Search for the product that you want to tag and select it from the list.- Move and resize the sticker as you like.- Tap "Done" and then share or save your story.

To tag your products in reels, follow these steps:

- Create a new reel or edit an existing one.- Tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen.- Tap on the "Product" sticker.- Search for the product that you want to tag and select it from the list.- Move and resize the sticker as you like.- Tap "Done" and then share or save your reel.

To tag your products in IGTV videos, follow these steps:

- Create a new IGTV video or edit an existing one.- Tap on "Add Shopping" at the bottom of the screen.- Search for the product that you want to tag and select it from the list.- Tap "Done" and then share or save your IGTV video.

Step 5: Optimize your shop

The last step to add shop to Instagram is to optimize your shop for better performance and results. Optimizing your shop means making sure that your products are appealing, relevant, and easy to find for your customers.

Here are some tips to optimize your shop:

- Use high-quality photos and videos that showcase your products in an attractive and realistic way. Avoid using filters or effects that may alter the appearance of your products.- Write clear and concise product titles and descriptionsthat include the main features, benefits, and specifications of your products. Use keywords that your customers may use to search for your products.- Categorize your products into collections that make sense for your customers. Collections are groups of products that are displayed on your profile page. You can create collections based on themes, seasons, occasions, or any other criteria that suit your business.- Update your product catalog regularly to reflect any changes in your inventory, prices, or availability. You can also add new products or remove old ones as needed.- Promote your shop and products on your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos. You can also use paid ads to reach more potential customers and drive more traffic to your shop.- Analyze your shop performance and results using Instagram Insights. You can access Insights from your profile page or from the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Insights show you how many people are visiting, browsing, and buying from your shop, as well as which products are the most popular and profitable.

A detailed table breakdown related to the topic

To help you understand the topic better, here is a detailed table breakdown related to the topic of adding shop to Instagram. The table compares the different shopping features that are available on Instagram, such as product tags, product stickers, checkout, and live shopping.

Feature	Description	Benefits	Requirements
Product tags	A feature that allows you to tag your products in your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos.	- Makes it easy for your customers to shop your products without leaving the app. - Increases the visibility and discoverability of your products. - Provides more information and details about your products.	- An approved Instagram Shop. - A product catalog connected to your account.
Product stickers	A feature that allows you to add a sticker with a product name and price to your stories and reels.	- Makes it easy for your customers to shop your products without leaving the app. - Increases the visibility and discoverability of your products. - Provides more information and details about your products.	- An approved Instagram Shop. - A product catalog connected to your account.
Checkout	A feature that allows you to sell your products directly on Instagram, without redirecting your customers to another website.	- Provides a seamless and secure shopping experience for your customers. - Reduces the friction and drop-off rate in the purchase process. - Allows you to access customer information and insights.	- An approved Instagram Shop. - A product catalog connected to your account. - A US-based business with access to Instagram Checkout.
Live shopping	A feature that allows you to sell your products during a live video on Instagram.	- Creates a sense of urgency and excitement for your customers. - Allows you to showcase and demonstrate your products in real time. - Allows you to interact and engage with your customers.	- An approved Instagram Shop. - A product catalog connected to your account. - A US-based business with access to Instagram Checkout.

FAQs about add shop to Instagram

How do I get approved for Instagram Shop?

To get approved for Instagram Shop, you need to meet the eligibility requirements and submit your account for review. The review process may take a few days or weeks, depending on the volume of requests. You will receive a notification when your account is approved or rejected. If you are rejected, you can appeal the decision or make changes to comply with the policies and resubmit your account.

How do I edit or delete a product tag?

To edit or delete a product tag in a post, follow these steps:

- Tap on the post that contains the product tag.- Tap on "Edit" at the top right corner of the screen.- Tap on the product tag that you want to edit or delete.- To edit the product tag, tap on "Change Product" and select a different product from the list.- To delete the product tag, tap on "Remove Tag" and confirm.

To edit or delete a product tag in a story, follow these steps:

- Tap on the story that contains the product tag.- Tap on "More" at the bottom right corner of the screen.- Tap on "Edit Story".- Tap on the product sticker that you want to edit or delete.- To edit the product sticker, tap on "Change Product" and select a different product from the list.- To delete the product sticker, drag it to the trash icon at the bottom of the screen.

How do I create a collection of products?

To create a collection of products, follow these steps:

- Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner.- Tap on "Settings" and then "Business".- Tap on "Shopping" and then "Collections".- Tap on "Create Collection".- Enter a name for your collection and tap "Next".- Select the products that you want to add to your collection and tap "Done".

How do I promote my shop and products on Instagram?

To promote your shop and products on Instagram, you can use organic or paid methods. Some of the organic methods are:

- Tagging your products in your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos.- Creating engaging and informative content that showcases your products and their benefits.- Encouraging user-generated content and reviews from your customers.- Collaborating with influencers and creators who can promote your products to their audience.- Using hashtags, keywords, and captions that are relevant to your products and niche.

Some of the paid methods are:

- Creating ads for your products using Facebook's Ads Manager or Instagram's Promote button.- Choosing the right objective, audience, budget, and format for your ads.- Tracking and optimizing your ads performance and results using Facebook's Ads Manager or Instagram Insights.

How do I access Instagram Insights for my shop?

To access Instagram Insights for your shop, follow these steps:

- Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner.- Tap on "Insights".- Tap on the "Content You Shared" tab.- Tap on the "Shopping" filter at the top of the screen.- You can see insights for your posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos that contain product tags or stickers. You can also see insights for your collections by tapping on the "Collections" filter.

Conclusion

Adding shop to Instagram is a great way to showcase your products and let your customers shop directly from the app. It can help you increase your brand awareness, reach, traffic, conversions, trust, loyalty, and community.

To add shop to Instagram, you need to meet the eligibility requirements, create a product catalog, submit your account for review, turn on shopping features, tag your products, and optimize your shop.

I hope this article has helped you understand how to add shop to Instagram and how to make the most of this feature. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below.

And if you want to learn more about how to grow your business on Instagram, check out this article: How to Advertise on Instagram: A Complete Guide for Beginners.

Google Ads Guide