Instagram is a great way for brands to get exposure and grow their following. But converting followers into paying customers has always been hard, as the only place links are clickable is in the profile’s bio.
But it’s soon changing this approach with the introduction of shoppable product tags. Brands will be able to tag any items in their pictures, which take the user to a seperate product page with more information and a ‘shop now’ link that goes straight to the seller’s storefront.
By using tools like Like2Buy, shops have already been experimenting with converting their followers by creating a page that mimics the brand’s profile, but replaces the photos for links to its webshop. For example, clothing store Nordstrom has a link to this page in its bio.
It’s nice to see Instagram recognizing the need for brands to be able to sell their products aside from just building a social media presence. By offering them a native solution instead of relying on third-party services, everyone’s happy — customers will have a better experience and retailers will sell more.
The company is currently working with 20 retail partners including Kate Spade and Warby Parker to test the new features, which for now are available to a select group of users in the US, with plans to expand soon.
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