With social media on the rise and the improvements in the quality of each platform, it’s easy to get your shopping list done online, rather than heading to the busy and crowded malls of America. Instagram is not just storage for your selfies anymore — with recent app updates, businesses are using this tool to help shoppers find what they’re looking for. While you’re scrolling through your Insta feed try these tips to enhance your shopping experience and narrow your search to find what you need to look fabulous!
Follow Your Favorites
Now that tons of clothing brands are offering shopping opportunities through Instagram, you have to follow all your favorite stores right away! You’ll stay updated on what clothing and accessories are being released and you can buy directly on the app just by clicking on the items you love.
Shoppable posts will have an extra feature at the bottom of the image that allows you to “Tap to View Products.” Once you click on it, you’ll see the product name and price for the pieces in the image. When you tap on the product you want to buy, Instagram will send you directly to that product on the retailer’s website. Then you can “add to cart” and check out in no time before going back to browsing.
Use Hashtags
If you’re not seeing a particular item you want to buy on the Instagram feed of your top stores, searching by hashtag is the way to go! Companies take advantage of the power of a hashtag and when posting products and they’ll often hashtag a bunch of keywords that describe the item that they’re selling.
If you’re in the market for a new handbag, or just browsing for ideas, searching the hashtags will lead you to new discoveries! While not everything you find through the hashtags will be available for instant Instagram shopping, some of the smaller boutiques will allow you to purchase a product by commenting on the photo or direct messaging.
Ads
Just like Facebook and other social media feeds, ads geared towards your search history will appear on your Instagram feed showing you things that you might like. These “Suggested Posts” are more clever than you might think, and they pick up on your personal sense of style and fashion to provide you with products that will appeal to your senses.
While you may be ignoring these ads in favor of scrolling through to people and companies you actually follow, paying attention to the ads will help you discover new brands and fashion boutiques you hadn’t been following.
The New eCommerce Trend
Instagram is still one of the only social media platforms that has launched a way to shop through their app. Their innovative approach to reaching fashionistas like you, makes it easier to shop wherever you are! Learn more about Instagram shopping when you visit one of the 20 partners currently offering products for sale through the app.
