As more consumers spend time on social media, these platforms are making it easier to shop and buy in one place. For example, sellers on Pinterest can use Shop the Look Pins to promote products to users. Earlier this year, Instagram also introduced Product Tags that let users buy products they discover on the platform. Facebook Marketplace lets small, early-stage sellers post and sell their products.
Since people already spend large amounts of time engaged with social media apps whether it be on their phones or on desktop, it’s natural that Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. have become very relevant sales channels in the eCommerce space. Rather than promoting a product and sending visitors out of their social media experience to a third party website, through eCommerce integration, with just a few taps or mouse clicks, your audience can purchase your products right away.
Source: https://business.instagram.com/getting-started/
Studies show that an engaged follower on Instagram, is worth more for an online retailer than the same follower on Facebook, making Instagram a prime target channel for eCommerce businesses.
Source: https://selfstartr.com/instagram-marketing-tips-ecommerce/
One of the most popular online shopping platforms today – Shopify- has developed a very seamless integration between its software and Facebook/Instagram for this very reason: to create a seamless shopping experience for all visitors and shoppers.
In the case of Shopify, the integration process is very simple. You simply need to add Instagram and/or Facebook to the Sales Channels section of your Shopify store. There are just a few requirements to keep in mind.
- Have an active Facebook Shop enabled as a channel within your ecommerce platform.
- Have an Instagram Business Account
- Connect your Facebook and Instagram accounts together
- Enable Product tagging via your Instagram account
- Your products must be physical goods (not digital products or services) that fit into a handle of available categories, including apparel, health and beauty, electronics, sporting goods, office supplies, auto parts, books, etc.
Once you satisfy these requirements and your account is approved, you can simply send your product catalog to Instagram and tag products on new and existing posts.
Social media is a solid online sales channel for sellers with a large social media following. Making it easier for your audience to buy your products makes it easier for you to make more sales. Combining the reach of social media with the frictionless shopping experience of Shopify can really revamp your online sales revenue exponentially.
If you need any assistance optimizing your eCommerce channels for maximum returns, simply visit MGR Agency to request a free 30 Minute Consultation.
Thank you for reading. Until next time, this is Manuel Gil del Real (MGR).
