Learn How to Use an Online Store on Instagram in a Few Steps

June 30, 2022

With the growth of social media, opening an online store on Instagram and selling through this platform is crucial for your business.

Social media has features for purchases directly on the platform, which is very useful for small businesses seeking growth online.

Read a step by step process on how to use Instagram online store, tips on how to sell in your online store on Instagram, and online store tools that help your business succeed.


Boost your online store on Instagram:

Confirm your qualification

In order you to use the Shopping feature on Instagram, you need to meet all the requirements:


‍1) be located in an available market;


2) have a quality product;


3) be compliant with the seller agreement and the platform's commercial policies;


4) have a website domain to sell from.

Switch to an Instagram business profile

Make your account available for everyone to access, and link your Instagram account to your Facebook page.

Upload your product list

The Shopping feature on Instagram is made up of your product list. There are two ways to connect a product catalog to your online store on Instagram:

1) Catalog Manager: this method is for those who do the process themselves, located in Facebook's Business Manager.

2) Partner e-commerce platforms: this is an integration performed by certified e-commerce platform partners, such as Shopify or BigCommerce.

Analyze the account

After following the previous step and connecting your catalog to your Instagram account, check out the step-by-step to submit your account for analysis. These reviews typically take a few days:

1) Log into your company's Instagram profile;


2) Tap the three-bar icon, select "Settings";


3) Sign up for the "Purchases" feature;


4) Follow the steps to submit your account for review.


5) At any time, go to "Purchases" in Settings to check the ''status of the request''.

Some stores are notified that additional information will be required to prove ownership of the site domain.

If you receive this notification, follow the prompts to complete the domain verification process and ultimately submit your account for review.

Enable shopper mode on your Instagram profile

After your account is approved, it's time to enable the "Shopping" feature.

If you can't find the "Shopping" option under "Settings", your account probably hasn't been reviewed yet or hasn't been approved to use this feature on the social network.

Follow the process:

1) Log into your company's Instagram profile and tap the three little bars;

2) Select "Settings."

3)Tap "Companies" and then tap "Purchasing";

4)Select the "Product Catalog" that you want to connect to your account;

5)Select "Finish"

Brand your products in the web shop on Instagram

After following all these steps, the hardest part is done!

Now, create a post with the product photo and choose the "Tag products" option. This option appears in two post templates:

1) Posts in the feed: the button is below the content and tagging people.

2) Posts in stories: the product tagging is inside the Stickers tab.

Tips on how to sell in your virtual store on Instagram

Now that you know how to start a business account, you need tips on how to promote and sell your virtual store on Instagram. Check out this step by step:

1. Promote your products creatively

Detailed product images, pictures with personality, attention-grabbing, and differentiated elements that stand out are essential!

2. Insert your site in the profile bio

Include a decent description that tells briefly who your company is, the purpose of your company, and whatever is of value to your followers.

A link to your website, blog or Landing Page is essential.

3. Use CTA in images

Among several posts on users' timeline, include a Call to Action in your photos to spur your customers to buy your product.

4. Bet on videos

This format is successful nowadays and works very well with users.

Create quick, interesting and informative content. Always indicate on the video more information about the product or service in the bio link.

5. Bet on Instagram Ads

Instagram Ads work in a very complete and strategic way for lead generation.

You can do them in three formats: photo carousel, retargeting for Facebook campaigns and sponsored pattern.

6. Partner with influencers

There are those users with hundreds of thousands of followers. They are what we call influencers.

If one of these users partners with your brand and advertises your products, your reach will be higher.

7. Use hashtags

And to finish our list of tips for your online store on Instagram, the recommendation is to use hashtags

They are already well known and used to identify posts about a specific subject. Think of creative hashtags and encourage your followers to use them as well.

E-shop tools that can help your business succeed

For you to stay even more tuned into the trends, we've separated some tools to use in your online store on Instagram that can help your business to pump:

1) Instagram Store (works like a virtual storefront);

2) Instagram Shopping (feature that shows price tags on conventional posts in the feed);

3) Instagram Guides (allows you to bring together various content, enabling the public to access your content in an organized and categorized way).

About us

Based in Utah and assisting our clients wherever they are, LinkerDots Marketing Agency offers Google Ads Services.

These ads are optimized to sell your products or generating leads online for your business.

Contact us to learn more about how digital marketing can boost your business:

Contact us | LinkerDots Marketing Agency

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