How To Set Up An Instagram Shop: Step By Step Guide

Are you a business owner looking for avenues to promote your products?

With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram offers many opportunities to grow your business. 

Instagram shops let users select and buy products directly from the app rather than directing them to your website—this ease of shopping results in higher client conversion rates. 

So, if you are a business owner looking for a platform to sell your products, it's time to set up an Instagram Shop!

What is Instagram Shopping? 

Instagram shopping is a feature that allows businesses to promote their products as posts, stories, or Ads on Instagram. 

Users can explore the products and make purchases directly on Instagram or navigate to their e-commerce site to make a purchase and checkout. The Instagram shop can be handy for small businesses. 

How To Set Up An Instagram Shop? 

Want to set up an Instagram shop but are unsure how to go about it? Here are the steps for setting up an Instagram Shop.

Step 1: Check Eligibility Criteria

Before setting up your Instagram Shop, it is essential to check your eligibility. Here is the checklist to be eligible to set up an Instagram Shop:

1. You are located in a market supported by Instagram Shopping.

2. Your catalog should include physical and eligible products.

3. Your business follows Instagram’s merchant agreement and commerce policies.

4. You should have an eCommerce website.

5. You should have an Instagram Business profile.

Step 2: Convert To A Business Account

If you have an Instagram Creator account, convert your account to a Business account for setting up your Instagram Shop. To convert your account to a Business account, follow the below steps:

1. Tap your profile picture at the bottom right corner of your Instagram home page.

2. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right.

3. Go to Creator tools and controls.

4. Tap Switch account type.

5. Tap Switch to the business account.

6. Tap Switch.

Step 3: Link Account To Facebook Page

To continue setting up your Instagram Shop, you must link your Instagram account to a Facebook page. To link your account to a Facebook page, you can follow the below-given steps:

1. Go to Edit Profile

2. Tap on  "Page" under the "Public business information" option.

3. Select a Facebook page that you would like to connect to.

4. If you don’t have a Facebook page, select “Create a new Facebook Page.”

Step 4: Upload Product Catalog

The Next step towards accomplishing your goal of setting up your Instagram Shop is to upload your product catalog. You can upload your catalog in two different ways:

1. Using catalog Manager

2. Using E-commerce platform partners.

Step 5: Submit for Review

After you upload your catalog, you must send your account for review. Sending it for review is an easy job. Just follow the below-given steps, and your account will be submitted for review:

1. Open your business Instagram profile, click on the “Menu”

2. Select “Settings”

3. Sign up for Store

4. Follow the instructions to submit your account for review.

5. To check the status, open “Settings” and go to “Shopping.”

Step 6: Enable Shopping Feature

If Instagram approves your account, it will send you a notification. The next step is to enable your shopping features. Follow the steps given below, and you can easily enable the shopping features.

1. Go to your Instagram Business profile and tap on Menu.

2. Select "Settings."

3. Tap "Business," and then select "Shopping."

4. Select the "product catalogue".

5. Tap on "Done."

Step 7: Tag Products in Posts

After you are done with setting up your Instagram Shop, it's time to start selling your products finally. You can use shoppable tags on your content that people can click to buy your products. To tag your products on your content, use the following steps:

1. Tap on the “Tag Products” button. Select a spot for tagging the product, and use the search bar to search for and select it from the catalog.

2. Tap Done and then share.

Step 8: Promote Your Shop

The most important thing is to promote your shop. Without promoting your shop, all your efforts will be in vain. You can use various promotional strategies, such as ads, targeting the Explore page, collaborating with influencers, etc. 

Creating Shoppable Instagram Posts, Videos, And Carousel Posts 

Shoppable Instagram content is changing the e-commerce game on Instagram. If you are unsure how to leverage the benefits of Instagram Shoppable content, here is your guide to creating such posts, videos, and carousels. 

How To Create Shoppable Instagram Posts?

Creating Shoppable Instagram posts involves tagging products in your posts. To do so: 

• Step 1: Select a spot in the image

• Step 2: Tap tag the product

• Step 3: Search for and select an item in your product catalog. 

Before tagging your products, ensure that your catalog is up to date. You will not like to promote products that are out of stock or cite the wrong pricing.

How To Create Shoppable Instagram Videos?

Can you add tags to videos? The answer is definitely yes, you can create Shoppable Instagram Videos. 

• Step 1: Go to the catalog search option

• Step 2: Search and select the required product from your catalog

• Step 3: Tag it to the video. 

Tags are a passive feature that will never destroy your audience's entertainment and experience. So, liberally use tags in different types of videos.

How To Create Shoppable Instagram Carousels?

To create shoppable Instagram carousels, follow these simple steps:

• Step 1: Upload your carousel 

• Step 2: Select a spot in the image

• Step 3: Tap tag product 

• Step 4: Search and select an item in your product catalog to tag an image. 

Similarly, you can add multiple tags to multiple pictures in your carousel. Remember you can only add a maximum of 20 tags in your carousel, so be very wise while adding the tags.

How To Create Shoppable Instagram Stories?

Curious to know how to create shoppable Instagram stories for your business? Well, here are a few steps that you can follow: 

• Step 1: After you upload your story

• Step 2: Select the sticker icon at the top-right corner

• Step 3: Search and select the product from your catalog to create a shoppable Instagram story.

A small tip to make your story more appealing is personalizing your sticker to match the background. 

Final Thoughts

Instagram Shopping is growing its popularity. Soon, Instagram Shops will become a global feature making them the next-gen favourite marketplace. 

So, don't wait for Instagram Shopping to become popular. Now is the ideal time to dive in and leverage its benefits. Let's go on an Instagram shopping spree!

FAQs

1. Can you set up Instagram shopping with your website?

Yes, you can set up Instagram shopping with your website by linking your Instagram account with your Facebook catalog and making sure that your website meets Instagram requirements. 

2. How to get approved for Instagram shopping?

The first step is to check your eligibility for Instagram shopping. If you are eligible connect your Instagram Business account with the Facebook catalog and submit it for approval.

3. How to create Instagram Shopping ads?

Use Facebook Ads Manager to create a campaign, select "Catalog Sales" as the objective, choose your product catalog, and customize your ad format and audience.

4. How to create an affiliate shop on Instagram?

Sign up for the Instagram Affiliate Program, promote any partners' brand products, and simply use the affiliate tag to earn a commission on any sales generated through your post.

5. How to create an Instagram live shopping stream?

Set up Instagram Shopping, schedule your live shopping event, select the products to showcase, and go live while showcasing and selling products in real-time.