The 5 Best Ways Ecommerce Stores Are Using Instagram to Drive Sales and Increase Conversions

In this article, we'll look at how smart companies are using Instagram to their advantage and dig into different tactics that will help you maximize your benefit.

5 Ways Online Stores Can Increase Conversion on Instagram

Instagram's large audience makes it a valuable platform for driving sales. Here are five specific things brands are doing on Instagram to increase their conversions.

1. Optimize your business bio to attract your target customers.

Bios display critical business information and give people a reason to care about a brand. Their job is to cut through all the other noise on Instagram and stop people dead in their tracks — forcing them to pay attention.

By writing an Instagram bio that speaks directly to the needs of a specific audience, brands are able to attract more quality followers who understand their mission and support what they do. These followers are likely to convert into loyal customers and continue their support of the brand.

Companies are also including relevant hashtags in their bios to attract followers within a specific niche, increase engagement, and make content easier to find. Online furniture retailer Burrow encourages customers to use their branded hashtag, #myburrow.

But Instagram bios can do a lot more than just offer details about a business — they can showcase your brand in a whole new light.

To create your Instagram bio, start by choosing a username that's simple and easy for people to remember. Ideally, it should be your company's name; if that's not available, choose something close so customers can find you easily.

Then, write a standout bio that reflects your brand's personality and connects with your target customers. Solo Stove uses the limited space in their Instagram bio to clearly state who they are and what they do.

On Instagram, authenticity is valuable. Your audience wants to see who you are and what sets you apart. Try to incorporate your brand's unique voice, include a call to action, and consider creating your own branded hashtag.

2. Use creative Instagram ads to reach new and established customers.

Instagram's highly visual nature makes it a fantastic place to promote your products. If you're already familiar with Facebook ads, adding Instagram will be a seamless transition. The two platforms are integrated, so you can use any of your existing Facebook data to target your audience on Instagram.

You can schedule your ads and set your budget all through your Facebook ad management account. Let's look at the four different kinds of ads you can run on Instagram:

• Stories ads
• Photo ads
• Video ads
• Carousel ads

Instagram Stories ads are full-screen ads that appear between users’ Stories and enable you to incorporate different elements like face filters and video effects, giving them a fun, creative look. Another benefit of these ads is they appear in their users' Stories without disrupting the overall experience.

With Photo ads, you can showcase products and services through vivid, compelling imagery.

Video ads on Instagram offer a 60-second opportunity to provide customers with a closer look at your brand and products.

Carousel ads combine a variety of images or videos into a single ad. They can be used to showcase multiple products — increasing your appeal to more shoppers.

Instagram advertising best practices include delivering an ad that feels native within users' feeds and focusing on one clear call to action.

3. Partner with Instagram influencers.

Instagram is favored by brands and influencers alike as the preferred social networking platform.

The global influencer market is also set to grow to $22.3 billion by 2024, increasing the opportunity for brands and influencers to form partnerships and work together.

Partnering with the right influencers can help generate high-quality leads by increasing visibility and raising brand awareness among your target customers.

Instagram influencers develop unique relationships with their followers, who put a lot of trust in their opinions.

When your products are promoted by an influencer, they'll gain exposure among a niche-specific audience. Because followers trust influencer opinions, when they see your product being promoted they’re more likely to trust your brand, too.

You can also work with multiple influencers at the same time by allowing different influencers to promote different products.

If you want to work with influencers, start by identifying those most relevant to your niche. Then, check out their Instagram feed to find out if they have a history of promoting products similar to yours. You want to make sure their brand will perfectly align with yours.

When you're ready to reach out and introduce yourself, check their Instagram bio for their preferred method of contact.

They'll respond with the cost for them to promote your product. Many have set prices in place that they charge for their services. You should always expect to pay something — it's unlikely to find an influencer with a significant following willing to promote a brand for free.

Bonus tip: Ask influencers about their audience insights. They know their audiences better than anyone else, and they’ll be able to advise you on the best time and day to put out the post.

First, set goals for what you want to achieve; then, identify the influencers within your niche that can help facilitate those goals.

4. Shoppable posts.

Until recently, adding a link to your bio was the only way to connect your eCommerce store to your Instagram account. Shoppable posts have completely changed that — giving brands a direct link to your products.

These posts enable customers to purchase products without leaving Instagram's platform. Instagram then becomes a kind of mobile storefront, where people can shop by interacting with brands' posts. That also helps brands get to know their customers better by providing data around what followers like and are most interested in.

It's easy to get started. Instagram has created a simple, step-by-step guide to direct users through the process.

To get the most out of Shoppable posts on Instagram, tag multiple items to showcase a variety of options. Use high-quality videos and photos, and make sure that each tag is connected to the right product.

5. Use Instagram for customer service.

Customers do so much more on Instagram than merely connect with friends and family or keep up with the latest news. It's also a mechanism to discover new brands and research new products. So, the likelihood of them reaching out to a company with a customer service request is high.

It's important for brands to avoid even just one poor customer service experience. One may not seem like much, but with all of the competition today, it's enough to make a difference.

People are more likely to talk about bad customer service experiences than good ones. Research indicates that 62% of consumers share bad customer service experiences with others. But when customers are satisfied with your level of service, the odds of them becoming loyal shoppers greatly increase. 95% of consumers agree that customer service is important for brand loyalty.

Providing good customer service is the best way to retain your customers — especially when you sell products that are readily available elsewhere. The service you provide helps you set a standard that customers will appreciate. By delivering phenomenal customer service experiences you'll set yourself apart from competitors who aren't willing to go the extra mile.

Customer service also influences a buyer's decision to purchase. 84% of consumers consider it to be a key factor in determining whether they choose to shop with a company.

Another important aspect of customer service on Instagram is ensuring that shoppers have as many details as possible about your products. By making your Instagram page serve as a single source of information, you decrease your chances of customers reaching out with product questions.

Bridal dress retailer Revelry uses Instagram stories to give out essential product information. That way, customers are free to click through and learn what they want about different items right on their Instagram page.

When customers run into any issues online, they expect to get them taken care of right away. After reaching out to a company with a problem they look for someone to contact them back within a matter of hours.

Instagram's platform gives you the ability to respond to any customer inquiries quickly and in real-time. You can also use it to chat with customers and send direct messages.

Make customer satisfaction a priority. Add contact buttons on your profile so that customers can reach you, then be sure to treat all customers with the same level of care and address all negative feedback in a timely manner.

Wrapping Up

Optimizing your Instagram presence and creating a cohesive marketing plan can help drive up your brand awareness and sales. Start with your bio. Don’t just use the space to tell what you do — put a fun twist on it. Showcase your brand’s unique personality. After all, that’s what customers on Instagram want to see.

Then, choose a method of advertising your products. Whether you choose to work with an influencer or promote your items yourself is up to you. Both techniques are effective and can yield phenomenal results.

Lastly, don’t forget about customer service. It will serve as the determining factor on whether customers will continue shopping with your company.

The best thing about Instagram is that in spite of all the people who are currently using the platform, there’s still room for more. There’s room for more brands to create Instagram accounts, room for more shoppers to purchase their favorite products and room for you to get on the platform and use it to increase your eCommerce store conversions.