Do you want your ecommerce business to stay ahead of competitors and drive more sales?
If you answered “Yes,” leverage Instagram marketing.
Instagram can be a powerful platform to help you reach and engage your target audience.
With over two billion monthly active users, Instagram offers a sea of potential customers for your ecommerce business to tap into.
That is why Instagram marketing and social selling have become exclusive trends for ecommerce websites because of their potential to boost sales.
Harness the power of Instagram marketing to drive sales to your ecommerce business with the five tips below.
Let’s jump right in.
1. Develop an Instagram hashtag strategy
Hashtags are great for increasing your Instagram posts’ visibility and reaching a wider audience.
Relevant hashtags help your content become more discoverable to users searching for those keywords and related topics.
Develop a strong hashtag strategy for your Instagram and ecommerce marketing efforts with the following tips:
- Research popular hashtags in your industry. Look at the hashtags your competitors and other businesses in your industry use.
Researching hashtags can give you an idea of the hashtags that are already popular and relevant to your business and industry.
- Combine broad and specific hashtags. While it’s important to use business-relevant hashtags, it’s just as crucial to mix in more general, popular hashtags to reach a wider audience.
For example, if you run a clothing store, use specific hashtags such as #ootd (outfit of the day) and more general hashtags like #fashion.
- Create branded hashtags. Besides using popular IG hashtags, consider creating branded hashtags to promote your business and engage with your followers.
You can do something as simple as using your business name or a tagline as a hashtag.
Popular social media management platforms, such as SocialPilot, Hootsuite, and Vista Social, offer hashtag tools to help you run and implement your hashtag strategy.
For instance, Vista Social’s social media hashtag tool can help you find relevant hashtags based on how popular these are.
Enter a keyword or hashtag relevant to your post, and the platform provides hashtag suggestions.
2. Use the Instagram shopping feature
Instagram’s Shopping feature lets you tag products in your posts and stories. It makes browsing and purchasing products directly from the app easier for your customers.
You must set up a Facebook Shop and be approved for Instagram Shopping.
Once approved, you can start tagging products in your posts and stories.
You can optimize your existing product images and information for your Instagram product listings, including product details exported from marketplaces via tools such as ExportYourStore.
If you’re new to the platform, read this complete ExportYourStore review to learn more.
The IG Shopping feature is best for selling physical products since it allows potential customers to easily browse and purchase products without leaving the app.
Allowing customers to shop directly from your Instagram feed is one of the most effective and low-cost marketing strategy ideas for any business.
It makes buying more convenient and faster for customers, encouraging more purchases.
3. Create Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories can be a great way to showcase your products more interactively and engagingly.
Follow the tips below to use Instagram Stories to support your ecommerce marketing efforts.
- Use IG Stories to showcase new products. Post Stories highlighting your new products and give your followers a sneak peek of what’s coming up.
The IG Story from ARMÉE Cosmetics below is a classic example.
Use the Swipe up feature to link directly to your product pages, making it easy for followers to buy your items.
- Offer exclusive deals and promotions. Promote exclusive deals and offers to your followers by sharing them in your Stories.
Add countdown stickers or the Poll feature to create a sense of urgency and encourage your followers to act quickly on your offer.
Other businesses, such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies offering top-quality board governance software, can leverage this approach.
- Share User-Generated Content (UGC). Encourage your customers and followers to share pictures of them using your products and repost their content to your Instagram Stories (with permission and attribution).
Reposting UGCs helps your brand build trust and credibility with your potential customers, encouraging them to buy from your ecommerce store.
4. Collaborate with influencers
Influencer marketing on Instagram can help you reach a larger audience and drive sales for your ecommerce business.
Consider the tips below to run a successful influencer marketing campaign on Instagram.
- Find influencers who align with your brand. Choose influencers that align with your brand’s values and mission.
Opt for influencers with a genuine interest in your products and a following similar to your target audience.
- Create a clear partnership agreement. Establish a clear agreement with the influencer by outlining the terms of your partnership. It should include the duration of your collaboration, the content, and any compensation or perks the influencers will receive.
A partnership agreement helps ensure that both parties are on the same page, reducing misunderstandings.
- Monitor and measure your collaboration’s results. Use Instagram’s analytics or a social media management tool to track the influencer’s content performance.
Analytics data can tell you how the content resonates with audiences. It can help you understand your collaboration’s effectiveness.
It’s also good practice to assess the posts for your brand to determine whether the influencer followed your branding and content writing playbook.
5. Run Instagram ads
Instagram ads can help you reach your target audiences, generate leads, and boost your ecommerce business sales.
When setting up an Instagram ad, you can choose your target audience, budget, and the action you want users to take, such as visiting your website or buying your products.
Follow the quick tips below to make the most of your Instagram ads.
- Identify your target audience. Carefully consider who you want to target with your ads. Instagram allows you to target audiences based on age, gender, location, and interests.
The more specific you are with your target audience, the more effective your ads.
- Choose the right ad format. Select the IG ad format that is most effective for your business and your target audience. Instagram offers various ad formats, such as photos, videos, carousels, and Stories ads.
The sponsored ad by Honeylove is an example of an in-feed IG video ad.
- Use eye-catching visuals and compelling copy. Your IG ad’s visuals and copy help grab your target audience’s attention and entice them to take action.
Use high-quality images and videos, and craft an irresistible CTA to drive sales.
Invest in Instagram ads and leverage the best strategies to get excellent returns.
Grow your sales with Instagram marketing
Implementing the Instagram marketing tips above can help you promote your products, engage with your followers, and drive traffic to your ecommerce website effectively.
Be consistent, authentic, and strategic in your approach. Feel free to experiment and test various tactics to see what works best for your ecommerce business.
With the right approach, Your Instagram marketing efforts can be a game-changer, helping you meet your ecommerce marketing and sales targets.
