Instagram has become a game-changer for ecommerce brands. It’s home to more than 2.35 billion monthly active users, and in 2021, studies found that 44% of these users shop for new products via the channel.
When used correctly, your Instagram strategy can drive more sales for your business, improve brand loyalty, and even set you apart from the competition in your industry. However, with more than 200 million business accounts already using the platform, you’re going to need to fight for attention.
A good way to stay ahead is to follow trends. If you know what trends are capturing the most attention on this platform, you’re more likely to come up with compelling content that generates real results.
Here’s our simple guide to some of the best Instagram ideas ecommerce businesses can use right now.
1. Stories for Showcasing Brand Authenticity
88% of customers now say they’re looking for more authenticity from brands online.
You also need to start building relationships with your followers, convincing them to trust and advocate for your brand. Fortunately, Instagram Stories gives you an excellent way to showcase your human side on your social media wall. Around 62% of Instagrammers become more interested in a brand or product after they see it in their Stories.
Experiment with content that gives your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your business. You could post Stories created by your staff for an insight into the day of the life of an employee or show customers how you create and package your products. Here’s a behind-the-scenes example of a Marvel movie set.
2. Use Stickers to Engage Audiences
Speaking of Stories, they can also offer companies a variety of great ways to engage their followers, and utilize Instagram for e-commerce in a smart way.
If you’re using Instagram for Business, generating high levels of engagement is crucial to improving your revenue and profits. Instagram allows companies to enhance their Stories with interactive stickers that encourage customers to get involved. You can use the question or poll stickers to learn more about your target audience and their favorite products, which could help you to make better business decisions.
Alternatively, you can use the “Add Yours” sticker to ask customers to share their favorite products with you or provide insight into the items they’re using from your store. Ecommerce companies can even add limited-time gift card stickers to their products, which can encourage customers to make a purchase instantly. Try experimenting with a variety of different stickers to see how they influence your audience.
3. Reels Are Taking the Spotlight
Reels have become a major part of the Instagram for Business landscape.
They serve a number of purposes: an improved chance of appearing on the Explore page and another way to reach your audience when they’re searching for new content. They can also be used to share useful information about your products and services. For instance, check out this Reel from the @IamWellandGood store:
The key to success with Instagram Reels is making sure you’re providing valuable content in the shortest space of time possible. Think about the questions customers have when they’re shopping for your products and the assistance they might need to get the most out of your services.
You can try how-to videos and tips or just create trending videos with music and content that highlights your company’s human side. Instagram Reels is an opportunity to collaborate with influencers on some high-impact content, which you can then showcase on your website, too, using an Instagram aggregator.
4. Combining Social Media and Websites
Taking an omnichannel approach to marketing has become increasingly important in recent years. Although consumers are spending more time on Instagram, they’re also using a variety of other platforms and tools to research brands and their products. Bringing your website and social media presence together with a social media wall can be an excellent way to boost your chances of sales and increase your reach.
What’s more, with an Instagram feed plugin, you can encourage customers to stay on your site for longer and consume more content, which improves your SEO rankings.
Adding a social media wall to your website can also improve your chances of building trust with your target audience. It’s an excellent way to showcase user-generated content, like reviews and testimonials, shared straight from Instagram. This can encourage customers to actually make a purchase when they arrive on your website or product pages.
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5. Collaborations with Micro-Influencers
Influencer marketing isn’t a new concept for those in search of Instagram ideas.
By 2029, the influencer marketing landscape is expected to reach a value of $69.92 billion, which showcases the demand. Customers are becoming less receptive to traditional advertising strategies, but in the age of the creator economy, they trust what they see from influencers in their industry.
The good news for ecommerce companies is that working with influencers doesn’t have to be an expensive process. Even micro-influencers can have a significant impact on your credibility.
With “Collaborative Posts” on Instagram, it’s easier to reach out to influencers and potential brand partners than ever before. All you need to do is tag a collaborator on a post. You could even consider asking your customers to work with you on collaborative posts where they showcase themselves unboxing, wearing, or using your items. Now that the #UGCCreator hashtag is on the rise working with creators could be a great way to boost your visibility.
6. Paid Promotion and Boosted Posts
Reaching audiences with organic content alone is becoming increasingly difficult. That’s why Instagram has been investing so heavily in the development of paid advertising tools for ecommerce brands.
With an Instagram for Business account, you can instantly “boost” any post that’s already gaining traction among your audience to improve its visibility. You can also experiment with a range of different advertising styles, creating Instagram DM ads, videos, carousel ads, and more.
The best way to make the most of this rising trend is to make sure you use Instagram’s targeting capabilities to your advantage. Focus on specifically showcasing your content to the customers who are most likely to be interested in your products and solutions. Don’t forget to monitor your Instagram ad campaigns, too, so you can learn from every promotion.
7. Shopping within Instagram
Though countless customers will still visit your website to purchase your products, many of today’s consumers are looking for a more streamlined shopping experience. Updating your Instagram Business account with your shop catalog is a great way to create “shoppable posts.” Shop without leaving the app.
Shoppable posts became a major trend in 2022 and 2023 and continue to be crucial to ecommerce companies during 2024. Remember, you can tag your products in a range of social media marketing content options, from Reels to carousels, photo posts, and Stories. Other strategies like live streams can also be used to showcase your products and convince customers to buy items. According to one report, live commerce is set to account for more than 20% of all ecommerce sales by 2026.
8. New Forms of Content Creation
Finally, it’s worth remembering that Instagram gives you a multitude of different ways to connect with your audience as an ecommerce brand. Experimenting with different kinds of content improves your chances of reaching a wider range of customers. Plus, it means you can create a more diverse social wall.
Don’t just constantly post photos and Reels. Experiment with Stories and posts that utilize cutting-edge technology like augmented reality and avatars. You could think about creating Guides on Instagram with useful content that links back to your store, or you could check out the new “Broadcast Channels” option.
The Broadcast channel gives you an opportunity to share behind-the-scenes information and updates with your audience in an interactive space. As Instagram continues to roll out new and exciting features, make sure you’re on the cutting edge of the latest styles of posts.
Make the Most of Your Social Media Marketing
Instagram holds incredible potential for businesses in the ecommerce space.
Used correctly, the Instagram trends above can help you capture the attention of your target audience, increase your sales, and even develop stronger relationships with existing clients.
Just remember, your social media strategy works best when it’s aligned with the rest of your marketing campaigns. With Juicer, you can easily integrate Instagram feeds into website, from ads to user-generated content, and you can even embed Reels into your existing website. This gives you a phenomenal way to engage your audience, keep them on your site, and improve your presence in your industry.
Visit Juicer for an easy and convenient way to curate and implement your own social media wall. This affordable and easy-to-use tool even allows you to combine your Instagram posts with content from a host of other social channels. Discover the features and pricing today.
