Visual storytelling will always be why Instagram remains the number one platform for stories and social media marketing. If you have visual products or can easily tell your message through pictures, videos, and other visuals, Instagram must be the platform you use, especially if you sell products with the Instagram story shopping feature.
Nearly eight hundred thousand users use Instagram to shop every single month. In addition, almost seventy percent of their five hundred million daily active users follow a business account even beyond the shopping feature. Meaning you will have no problem getting your stories in front of your audience. To use the shopping feature, you need to have a business account and connect to your Facebook catalog that sells physical goods.
Here are five ways to boost sales with the Instagram stories shopping feature:
Use the Product Sticker
Add or take a picture of you the product you want to promote. Tap on the “Stickers” icon and select “Product” stickers. Select the product from your Facebook catalog, then further enhance the story as needed. Be sure the product name you want to use is the name listed in the Facebook catalog. You do not have the option to change the name from your story. Select “Send to” at the bottom right of your screen when you are ready to share.
Highlight Customer Testimonials
Add other slides that include your products in action by customers or quotes about how much they love your products. Social proof or reviews is an essential part of the selling process. In fact, according to research published by Fan & Fuel, nearly ninety-two percent of consumers have stated they hesitate to purchase if there are no reviews on the product, and ninety-seven say they use reviews to influence their decision further.
Add a Swipe Up Link
Once you reach ten thousand followers, your account will unlock the “Swipe Up” feature to your stories to further encourage your viewers to click and go to your website and make a purchase.
Showcase One to Two Product at A Time
Don’t show too many products at once as it will only overwhelm your audience. Be sure each product you share is relatable to each other. For example, a clothing store highlighting a model sunglasses and hat for sale. Each of these products is near each other and has similar purposes. Thus, making it easier to market each product and tell a cohesive story.
Include Hashtags and Locations
Always include hashtags and location tags. This way, your viewers who don’t follow you have the chance to see your content. In addition, while stories advertise to your current followers, this gives you an increased opportunity to be placed on Instagram’s Explore page and those who search public accounts.
Use these tips to get your first sale through Instagram right away. Instagram shoppable posts and stories have been shown to increase traffic by over one hundred thousand percent — showing you just how important developing an Instagram stories content plan is to your overall business success.
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