How to Create Powerful Instagram Posts for Your New Shoppable Feed in OpenCart

First thing you learn when you create your new Instagram profile is you can’t place clickable links in posts.

Being an online business, you know how important links actually are for driving traffic from social media platforms. But in Instagram… things are different.

At first you might even say…

“How am I supposed to use that for marketing?”
 

While there are hundreds of creative ways to promote your brand on Instagram, today we’ll talk about actually selling products.

OpenCart Extensions: Instagram Shop Feed
 



You’ve surely come across posts around Instagram that feature tagged products enabling users to start shopping with a couple of taps. This has made Instagram one of the best tools and sales channels for marketers and online merchants all over the E-Commerce world.

Since Instagram shopping was rolled out not too long ago, it’s not yet available for all E-Commerce platforms.
 



Still, there is a way you can adapt the concept of shoppable Instagram posts to your OpenCart store.

If you haven’t heard yet, the first ever Instagram Shoppable Gallery extension for OpenCart was just launched!

Instagram Shoppable Feed for OpenCart


Now you can create Instagram posts in your OpenCart storefront and make them shoppable by pairing them with your products.
 

“It is a perfect marriage of entertainment and shopping.”

  • Todd Werden, vice president at Boston Retail Partners


In an interview regarding Victoria’s Secret and their Instagram selling campaign, Werden also stated that “Featuring images live from the fashion show captures customer engagement at the point-of-interest, which many inspire impulse purchases.
 

Step 1: Setup your first Shoppable Instagram feed in OpenCart

OpenCart Instagram Shopping Experience

Follow the steps in this step-by-step tutorial where we explain how to enable the Instagram Shoppable Gallery in your OpenCart store.

Ready?

Now that you have your extension setup and you have added Instagram posts to your site, it’s time to make them shoppable.

Step 2: Select Instagram posts for your feed

The ideal goal here is to use photos that are most relevant to your products and display them in the most attractive light.

One way to do that…

  1. Take the photos yourself and upload them to your Instagram profile

  2. Create posts using the hashtag used to get Instagram photos for your OpenCart store

  3. Approve the photos and assign the product you want to showcase

For example, this is a photo of a model showcasing a beautiful yellow top. To the right, you can see the product from the photo with a Call-to-Action button ready for shoppers to use.


Another way to create powerful shoppable Instagram posts is by using photos shared by Instagrammers.

  1. Enter the hashtag related to your niche or brand

  2. Find real photos of people using your product

  3. Approve the photos and assign the product you want to showcase

For example, a happy customer has shared an awesome photo to show off their new watch and made a post using #yourbrandname in the description.

A fine addition to your store, right?


 

Step 3: Benefit from User Generated Content (UGC)

Encourage your customers to share photos, feature your best customer photos, create contests, start events and give out rewards. Instagram creates an infinite potential of user generated content for your online business.

There are tons of different ways you can use Instagram to grow your brand and raise awareness.

… and let your customers promote your products for you.


Curating photos from Instagrammers or your followers can help you start building an engaged community in social media. A happy audience is your best salesman when it comes to demonstrating how great your product is, and how people get creative with it.


 

Step 4: Research other Instagram Shops for Inspiration

If you’re not too experienced with Instagram, that’s okay. You can always do some research, find out what your competitors are doing and try to improve on that.

The most important thing to keep in mind at all times…

Instagram is about beautiful high quality photos.


Remember that.

A lot of brands are creating their own Instagram photos and use them to build shoppable galleries in their stores.

WoodDetail is an excellent example of such a brand.

WoodDetail Instagram Shop


Exceptional photography and beautiful images that showcase their products in the best possible light.

WoodDetail use images from their Instagram profile and promote them as sponsored posts to get a wider reach.

Once you enter their website, you can browse the same images from their profile and shop products right then and there.

 

Another great example is Hijab House.


They are using the Instagram feed to add to the visual presentation of their products and clothing lines.

This is how you use the shoppable Instagram feed on your home page and Instagram gallery.

Your Turn

Now you can also open your Instagram shop in OpenCart by creating hashtag feeds and galleries with shoppable posts. Learn how to get started with this short video tutorial!


Create Your Instagram Feed Now

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