Instagram Shopping Launches In The UK
In long-awaited news for many brands and influencers, Ecommerce businesses in the UK can now tag their products on Instagram posts. The roll-out follows the feature’s previous success when tested in the US last year, as part of the updated Instagram for Business tools.
Retailers can tag up to five products within a single image or up to 20 in image carousels. When a user taps on an image, the product tag(s) appear, displaying information such as the product name and price.
If a user taps a tag, more details about the product will be revealed, which will include:
An image of the product
A description of the product
The price of the product
A ‘Shop Now’ button
Tapping the ‘Shop Now’ link directs users to the product page within your online store.
What Does This Mean For Brands?
While brands shouldn’t forget what Instagram is built for – telling stories to people with shared interests through great photography and video content – the development will see brands shift their Instagram and Ecommerce strategies to streamline the purchase journey and turn organic engagement into selling opportunities.
Retail brands are already seeing significant uplifts in website traffic from Instagram with the implementation of the new feature. Up until now, the only way to send traffic to a website from Instagram was via a link in the bio, a ‘swipe up’ on stories and with paid ads.
Amy Cole, head of product development at Instagram, said: “Shopping will give a seamless experience for users who want more information on products. They can go through Instagram without having to switch between apps and with a couple of taps buy the product.”
Once an Instagram Business Profile has created a minimum of nine shopping posts, a ‘Shop’ tab will also be activated on the account’s profile page. Early UK adopters of the feature include Marks & Spencer, Mahabis and Heidi Klein.
