How to Sell on Instagram: A Complete Guide to Boost Your Sales

Instagram has transformed into a powerful e-commerce platform, allowing businesses to connect with audiences, showcase products, and drive sales with ease. Download Instagram Reels to share engaging content that captures your audience’s attention while promoting your products. If you’re looking to sell on Instagram, this guide will help you succeed by walking you through the key steps and strategies.

Did you know Instagram boasts over a billion active monthly users? That’s right—billion. With such a vast audience, Instagram has become a global marketplace, and in the U.S., 37% of adults are active on the platform.

As a visually-driven platform, Instagram is ideal for businesses eager to present their products and services in a captivating manner.

While staying top-of-mind and reinforcing your brand identity is important, simply doing that alone won’t unlock Instagram’s full sales potential.

The good news? There are multiple ways to set up your shop and start selling on Instagram. Even better, you can begin using Viralpep for free today to manage your Instagram presence like a pro and boost your sales.

This guide will walk you through the steps to set up your shop and sell on Instagram, while showing how Viralpep streamlines and elevates the process

Steps to Start Selling on Instagram

Get your clients started on the path to selling on Instagram with these essential steps.

1. Verify Your Business Eligibility

   Selling on Instagram is possible without an Instagram Shop, but using the built-in Instagram Shopping feature is the most effective way to showcase products and simplify the customer shopping experience. To sell on Instagram, ensure your clients meet these eligibility requirements:

   To set up an Instagram Shop, ensure your clients meet these eligibility requirements:

   • Compliance with Meta’s Commerce Policies: Your clients must follow Meta’s commerce eligibility standards.
   • Verified Website Domain: This allows purchases to be completed on their official websites.
   • Instagram Business or Creator Account: This is required to access Instagram Shopping features.

   How to Submit an Account for Review:

   1. Go to your client’s Instagram Business profile.
   2. Tap Menu (☰) > Sign Up for Shopping > Get Started.
   3. Submit the account for review.

   Once approved, you can activate shopping features on Instagram.

   Set Up Meta Business Manager:
   Clients also need a Meta Business Manager account, a central hub for managing Instagram and Facebook Shops, Ads, Pages, and user permissions. Here, you can customize their shops by editing product listings, catalogs, descriptions, and special offers for a seamless selling experience.

2. Set Up Your Instagram Shop

   Just like physical stores need products on their shelves, your clients’ Instagram shops need well-stocked product catalogs.

   Here’s how you can help clients fill their Instagram shop catalogs:

   1. Sync with Facebook Product Catalogs: Pull products directly from your clients’ existing Facebook catalogs.
   2. Connect E-commerce Websites: Link clients’ Instagram shops to their e-commerce websites.
   3. Create a New Catalog: Build a catalog from scratch if needed.

   If your clients already have Facebook shops, this process is simple. Visit Catalog Manager and navigate to Settings > Business Assets > Instagram > Add Instagram Account.

   For Shopify store owners, follow Facebook and Instagram integration guides for seamless setup.

   Ready to build a catalog from scratch? Start here and complete the prompts to set up your clients’ Instagram product catalogs.

3. Leverage Shoppable Features

   Instagram offers multiple shoppable features that make it easy for users to explore and purchase products:

   Enhance your clients’ Instagram presence by adding product tags to branded content. These tags display product names and prices, allowing shoppers to tap them or the shopping bag icon to visit your clients’ Instagram Shop or e-commerce site.

   How to Add Shopping Tags:

   1. Open the Instagram App: Tap the post icon.
   2. Upload Content: Choose a photo or video featuring your clients’ products. Add captions, filters, and effects, then tap Next. Consider including a creative Instagram caption idea to attract more engagement.
   3. Tag Products: Tap Tag Products, select the items, and position the tags.
   4. Share: Tap Done or Share.

   You can tag products in Reels, Stories, and in-feed posts to maximize reach and drive sales.This is an excellent way to sell on Instagram.

4. Promote Your Products Effectively

   Promote Your Clients’ Products on Instagram and Boost Sales

   To draw attention to your clients’ products and drive sales, use these proven Instagram promotion strategies:

   1. Create Instagram Stories: Share sneak peeks, product demos, and flash sales to build urgency and encourage instant purchases.
   2. Use High-Quality Visuals: Post eye-catching videos and images to build trust and showcase product value.
   3. Partner with Influencers: Collaborate with influencers who can promote your clients’ products and expand brand visibility.
   4. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Share customer-created content to provide social proof and inspire potential buyers.

11 Tips to Sell More on Instagram

Instagram has become a powerful platform for businesses to connect with customers, make money on Instagram and increase sales. With the right strategies, you can transform your Instagram profile into a thriving online shop.

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Here are 11 tips to help you sell more on Instagram:

1. Switch to a Business Account

   • Unlock Instagram’s advanced features like analytics, Instagram Shopping, and paid advertising.
   • Track performance metrics and target specific audiences to boost sales.

   Tip: Use Instagram’s Insights to track engagement metrics and create your social media strategy accordingly.

   Example: A clothing brand switches to a Business Account and starts running product-specific ads, leading to a 30% increase in sales.

2. Optimize Your Profile

   • Use a recognizable profile picture.
   • Write a compelling bio highlighting unique selling points.
   • Include a clear call-to-action link directing visitors to your online store or product page.

   Tip: Keep your bio concise but informative, with relevant keywords.

   Example: A jewelry brand’s bio reads: “Handcrafted elegance ✨ Free shipping on orders over $50! Shop now 👇.”

3. Create Engaging Content

   • Post high-quality photos and videos showcasing your products creatively.
   • Include behind-the-scenes footage, product demos, and customer testimonials.

   Tip: Use consistent filters and branding elements for a cohesive look.

   Example: A bakery shares time-lapse videos of cake decorating, attracting more followers and orders.

4. Use Instagram Shopping

   • Enable Instagram Shopping and tag products in posts, stories, and reels.
   • Simplify the purchase process by allowing users to shop directly from your content.

   Tip: Ensure product descriptions are clear and visually appealing.

   Example: A tech gadget company tags new products in their reels, driving instant traffic to their store.

5. Leverage Stories & Highlights

   • Share time-sensitive promotions, product launches, and flash sales via Stories.
   • Organize key stories into Highlights for easy access.

   Tip: Use interactive stickers like polls and countdowns to boost your social media engagement.

   Example: A skincare brand runs a “Weekend Sale” story with a countdown timer, boosting purchases.

6. Run Instagram Ads

   • Use targeted ads to promote products and drive traffic to your website.
   • Test different ad formats like carousel, video, and stories.

   Tip: Test different ad formats like carousel, video, and stories.

   Example: A fitness gear company runs video ads showing workouts with their equipment, increasing website visits.

7. Collaborate with Influencers

   • Partner with influencers whose followers align with your target audience.
   • Choose micro-influencers for niche markets with higher engagement rates.

   Tip: Choose the right micro-influencers for niche markets with higher engagement rates.

   Example: A handmade candle brand partners with home decor influencers, driving substantial sales.

8. Host Giveaways & Contests

   • Organize giveaways to increase visibility and build a loyal following.
   • Ask participants to follow, like, and tag friends.

   Tip: Offer products as prizes to create buzz.

   Example: A fashion boutique’s giveaway of a trendy outfit generates thousands of new followers.

9. Engage with Your Audience

   • Stay active by responding to comments, messages, and mentions.
   • Personalize your responses to create a stronger connection.

   Tip: Use personalized responses to create a stronger connection.

   Example: A pet supply store responds with helpful tips to customer questions, earning repeat buyers.

10. Offer Exclusive Deals

    • Create urgency with time-sensitive promotions and exclusive deals.
    • Use phrases like “Limited-Time Offer” or “While Supplies Last.

    Tip: Announce sales ahead of time to build anticipation.

    Example: A home decor store runs a “Weekend Only Sale,” generating record-breaking sales.

11. Track & Adjust Strategies

    • Review Instagram Insights regularly to monitor metrics like engagement, reach, and sales conversions.
    • Use data insights to refine marketing strategies.

    Tip: Identify top-performing content and replicate its format.

    Example: An online bookstore notices increased sales from carousel posts and schedules more of them.

How Viralpep Enhances Your Instagram Selling Journey

Viralpep is a robust social media management tool tailored to help businesses optimize their Instagram sales strategies. Here’s how Viralpep makes a difference:

1. Seamless Post Scheduling

   Plan and schedule social media posts, Stories, and Reels effortlessly. Viralpep ensures your content reaches your audience at the right time, consistently.

2. In-Depth Performance Analytics

   Track the performance of your Instagram Shop and campaigns using Viralpep’s advanced social media analytics tool. Gain insights into your audience’s preferences and refine your strategies accordingly.

3. Team Collaboration Simplified

   Viralpep’s social media collaboration tool make it easy for your team to work together. Assign tasks, share ideas, and maintain alignment for a smoother workflow.

4. Centralized Content Management

   Manage all your Instagram content, from product catalogs to promotional campaigns, within Viralpep’s intuitive interface, saving time and effort.

5. Time Efficiency

   Automate repetitive tasks such as post-scheduling and analytics tracking. With Viralpep, you can focus on developing creative strategies to grow your brand.

Promotional Strategies for Instagram Success

To stand out in the competitive Instagram marketplace, consider these strategies:

• Exclusive Offers: Create limited-time deals to generate excitement and urgency among followers.
• Interactive Content: Use polls, quizzes, and question stickers to engage your audience and gather valuable feedback.
• Hashtag Optimization: Incorporate trending and relevant hashtags to expand your reach.
• Live Sessions: Host live shopping events to interact with your audience and showcase products in real-time.

Conclusion

Selling on Instagram doesn’t have to be complex. By using Instagram’s built-in features and integrating Viralpep’s innovative tools, you can transform your social media presence into a powerful sales channel. Viralpep empowers businesses to manage, analyze, and optimize their Instagram strategies, helping them unlock their true potential.

Take the next step toward Instagram success—let Viralpep simplify and supercharge your selling journey today.

How to Sell on Instagram FAQs

Need more information on how to sell on Instagram? We’ve got all the answers for you.