Zaharova - How to Sell on Instagram: The Ultimate Guide

CONTENTS

Introduction

These days it is hard to believe that Instagram has recently turned 5 years old and it seems as if it has been out there forever. From being a simple photo-sharing app with a bunch of nice filters it evolved into a massive social phenomenon with millions of users from all over the world.

In September 2015 Instagrams global audience had reached an impressive number of 400 million users; adding over a 100 million during this year alone. The rapid growth of this app will continue (according to the modest forecast by Cowen Group) till 2020, where Instagrams user base will have reached 680 million people worldwide.

Huge and highly engaged audience makes Instagram extremely appealing to businesses because they need this perfect channel to connect with existing and potential customers. No surprise that apart from its main function of sharing pictures, Instagram becomes a marketing and sales tool with the help of countless third party services. However, you dont even need anything other than your phone and the app itself to start selling. It might be a surprise for some of you, but while you were reading this introduction, thousands of new products were uploaded for sale into Instagram.

The secret behind Instagrams amazing success with individual users and businesses is the extreme simplicity in using this app and her viral component. Anyone with a smartphone and access to Internet can cash in on the apps ever growing audience within a short period and with minimal financial investments. You just need to have a good plan in place and that is exactly what this book is all about helping you get a better understanding of Instagram and its audience in order to work out a perfect business strategy.

Choosing the Products to Sell

Instagram evolved from a photo sharing app where people post selfies and food pictures to a platform for business. Initially, brands started to use Instagram as a marketing tool just like any other media, and bloggers started to monetize their accounts with affiliate links that generate income from sales of products they recommend. Now, the latest trend is to directly sell products on Instagram.

Retailers started to get excited about Instagram when various studies indicated that Instagram has a real power to sell products. Unlike Facebook users who mainly uses this social network to connect with friends, Instagram users are more likely to follow brands and businesses to get updates on deals and new products and also to shop for items, they like. This already makes Instagram a great place for sellers. However, there are even more reasons to make Instagram a starting point for online retail business.

According to the latest statistics for 2015, 90% of this app are below the age of 35. A young and dynamic audience with huge potential and high interest in online shopping. There is also a slight skew over women living in urban areas, no wonder apparel brands are the leaders on Instagram.

One thing you should keep in mind is that young audiences are usually extremely image-centric. In an informative age where data can quickly become overwhelming, young people have to pick and choose among plenty of content options. Pictures are definitely an easier way to digest information; when compared to text. Besides, quality visual content dramatically increases engagement with followers. Here are just a few numbers to prove it:

• 94% more total views on average are attracted by content containing compelling images.
• 67% of consumers consider clear, detailed images to be even more important than the product description.

It means that you need to lead your sale with an eye-catching image because naturally a buyer will choose a visually appealing product; which brings us again to apparel with more options, including jewelry, home dcor and art. These are the top products that currently get the most demand on Instagram.

Yet, there are also other product segments that have been doing well with app users; beauty products and trendy gadgets. The only challenge is that there is surplus of all the above-mentioned products on Instagram and the competition is severe. You need to find a narrow niche or choose a product that has a potential to stand out amongst the similar ones. Be it a better design, a specific theme, or even unique materials. Otherwise, products will drown inside Instagrams oversaturated bazaar.

Lastly, comes the price factor. The data for 2014 proves that Instagram is the best social referrer with an average order value of about $65. That is definitely not the limit, but this number gives a clear indication on the price range that works for products sold via Instagram. This trend shows the effect of merchandising on buying decisions which are mostly impulse purchases. Purchases that were not planned, but triggered by attractive picture accidentally found on Instagram.

Studies say that 90% of Americans make impulse purchases amounting to as much as $200 in additional charges each month. Now these two numbers combined already makes the entire picture clear a single product in your store should fall in within few dollars and $200 with a sweet spot at ~$30-$90. In this case, you can easily count for impulse buyers who form the majority of Instagram shoppers. Even more chances to successfully capture a sale if this is a visually appealing and unique product targeted for young urban female.

So far, we have only been talking about physical products, but lets not forget that there are other types of products to choose from. Digital products such as software, design assets, photography, e-books and videos can easily be sold on Instagram. Besides, if there is no way to produce or source a digital or physical product, you can opt for affiliate sales. Promoting other people products and driving traffic to their e-commerce websites, thus earning a sales commission. This is a very popular source of income for owners of popular Instagram accounts. The problem here is mainly in the lack of clickable links on Instagram, accept the one in the bio and in the upcoming chapters we will suggest some tools to overcome this issue.

The previously discussed rules still apply to selling products of all types; choosing the right products for specific Instagram audience, setting the right price and posting quality imagery. However, this requires some research and analysis, but if done right, selling on Instagram can be easy and fun.

Creating an Instagram Account that Can Sell

Wise people say that Fine dress helps to impress, so start creating your Instagram account with the right profile picture. Choose a nice and appealing one that says something about either yourself or the products you sell. The two most popular options are:

1. Your own portrait picture : According to numerous tests, people are more likely to interact with Instagram accounts with real people behind them.

2. Business logo: It makes perfect sense to hire a designer and create a one of a kind custom logo that tells the story of your brand. However, there is also an alternative - free online logo design makers such as DesignMantic or Designimo . A free logo might have a more generic style, but it doesnt mean you cant find the one that resonates with you.

A profile picture is highly important, but so is the profile description. Your Instagram bio should include a few words about what you sell (e.g. handmade gemstone jewelry, gently pre-loved vintage cloths ) and a few words about shop policies; highlighting policies such as no goods returns, international shipping available and so on. As already mentioned earlier, people tend to engage more with Instagram accounts that are more personal, so should consider writing few words about yourself and @mention your private Instagram account.