Instagram Checkout: Your New Best Friend
Instagram has several features such as product tags and in-app checkout that are helping businesses increase their sales on the platform.
Instagram checkout is an excellent example of ‘Instant Gratification’ that shoppers crave.
Today, more than 130 million Instagram users tap on product tags.
The Benefits of Instagram Checkout
Reduces Clicks: IG checkout reduces barriers to purchase by saving the customer about 5-10 clicks compared to a standard checkout.
It also has less risk of cart abandonment.
Better Experience: The customer gets an end-to-end shopping experience without ever leaving the app.
They can receive the purchase, shipping, and delivery updates within the app as well.
FAST checkout: The user has to fill out their personal information only once, and it is stored in the app.
This further reduces the steps to complete a purchase.
Integration: Online merchants can integrate their current sales tools like Shopify, BigCommerce, CommerceHub, etc., to streamline all logistics and operations with Instagram.
How to boost your Instagram checkout conversions:
1. Get Creative with Product Tags
Use product tags consistently and creatively in your feed posts.
Utilize attractive images and show your product in action when you add tags to it.
For example, check out Madewell’s Instagram product tags:
Since product tags are a part of a feed post, they’re not invasive, and all your followers have to do is tap the tags and complete the purchase.
Consistently using product tags can boost your sales significantly. 
2. Use Shoppable Instagram Stories Stickers
Over 500 million people use Instagram stories every day.
Although story posts are short-lived, it’s worthwhile for DTC businesses to use this medium to improve their sales.
This can be done by adding shoppable stickers to your stories.
Once tapped, these tags open the product page in-app for users to buy within a few clicks.
Example
3. Use IG Live Shopping
Instagram’s live shopping lets users buy the products during the brand’s live video content.
Users can purchase the products instantly with an accessible ‘Tap-to-buy’ button during the live broadcast.
You can team up with creators and influencers to get the best out of this strategy.
4. Launch Products on Instagram
Dropping a new product?
There are various ways to make it a big occasion on the platform.
You can launch it during a live stream or create a buzz around the launch by creating reminders.
Here’s how Adidas does it:
Users can select the size when setting reminders, as well.
Launch reminders send users notifications 15 minutes before the launch.
This ensures that they don’t forget about your new products and increases the chances of conversion.
5. Use ‘Swipe-up’ Links
Use swipeable links to drive traffic from Instagram to your website.
‘Swipe up’ links in Instagram stories are currently only available to profiles with 10K+ followers (booo! We wish IG would change this!).
These links are best used along with enticing offers and product tags.
Pro Tip: Use ‘Stories Highlights’ on your profile to dock all the stories with swipeable links and segregate them by collections or offers.
This gives your profile visitors complete access to your products all within Instagram!
Do you want some social proof to go with those sales on social? Check out our review of Loox – one of the best integrations out there.