Getting Started with Instagram Shopping
Last year Instagram unveiled their latest product offering aimed at entering the lucrative online shopping industry. Instagram Shopping allows sellers to link directly to their own product pages via instagram links as well as providing the option for a proprietary in-app product page and checkout system. With Instagrams estimated one billion users and highly consumer-oriented culture, this platform has been received with great interest by both shoppers and sellers alike.
Instagram/Facebook’s documentation, while comprehensive, can be very disorganized at times and the multitude of requirements asked of sellers that span both the Instagram and Facebook platform can be a landmine to navigate. In this article I will walk you through setting up a selling profile on your account in as simple terms as possible. No more getting confused as to what exactly you need to do and where. Let’s get started.
1. The first thing you need to do is set up a Facebook business page for your business. Yes, as Instagram is now owned by Facebook the company of course would like their users to be integrated on both of their platforms whenever they can. Unfortunately, a Facebook page and business account are required to use Instagram shopping.
2. In your Instagram settings, designate your Instagram account as a business page and link it to your business’ Facebook page.
3. On your business’ Facebook page, enter your ‘Business Settings’ and set up a catalogue. This is where you will add products that you want to sell, including photos, prices, descriptions and a link to a web page if applicable.
4. Now, back on your Instagram settings, press “Business” and send in a request to Instagram to approve of your page. This process usually takes up to a week and Instagram checks to make sure you are following their criteria for sellers.
