Written by: Hannah Stedman
The popular photo-sharing app is making a transition into a shopping and video platform. Instagram’s recent updates have introduced more shopping specific features that let users buy directly from the app from corporations and small businesses.
With the introduction of Instagram shops, there is now a designated section that users can visit to buy products. Instagram allows the user to save their card information and shipping address, so shopping can be done in as few as two clicks. Products can be tagged in posts so users can see them on their home feed. When users select the product, Instagram directs them to shopping pages where they can buy the product with just a couple of clicks.
Many small businesses are taking advantage of Instagram live to do product demonstrations and give a more in depth look at the quality and specific features of the product. Some businesses have also utilized their stories and highlight reels to show their products for sale and let users purchase off of these features. One example is how users can purchase products off of Instagram stories. Users comment on the story of a specific item they want with their information, and the seller then can put aside the item to ship after the user pays for it.
These changes to Instagram’s platform have led to a significant increase in spending. Instagram’s business account says 50% of people that they've surveyed have gone to a website to buy the product or service that they saw on Instagram stories and 58% of people have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing them in stories. As more businesses utilize stories, the more easily accessible the products will become and the more users will be accustomed to purchasing items off of the platform.
Users are drifting away from Instagram as a social media platform and are openly embracing it as another form of shopping. It’s getting harder to tell the difference between a normal picture post with a product tag and a sponsored post, and one day there may not be a difference between them at all.
These types of features are what separates Instagram from other social media platforms like TikTok or Twitter. Instagram has been easily able to adapt to the new trends and they listen to what the consumers want. It has evolved so much since its start in 2010, and it will continue to evolve to stay relevant for years to come.