Social media has become an essential channel for achieving success in e-commerce. With over two billion active users, Instagram has evolved into a powerful shopping platform that brands can't ignore.
More than 50% of Instagram users browse the Explore tab every month. By connecting your Shopify store to Instagram, merchants can improve brand presence and streamline the shopping experience. By integrating your product catalog, users can browse and purchase your products from Instagram posts, reels, and stories, without ever leaving the app. This not only increases product visibility but also improves conversion rate.
Whether you're launching your first Shopify store or growing your reach, this guide provides clear steps to connect your store to Instagram, enable Instagram shopping, and optimize strategies to boost sales and engagement
What Is Shopify Instagram Integration?
The Shopify Instagram integration is the process of linking a Shopify store with an Instagram business account and Facebook Business Page to enable Instagram Shopping features. This allows merchants to sell products directly through Instagram by tagging products in posts and stories. Shoppers can view product details and make purchases directly through Instagram without leaving the app.
Benefits of Shopify Instagram integration
Multi-Sales Channels
Merchants can list and manage products on Instagram directly from their Shopify dashboard. Products are added or updated in Shopify and automatically sync with Instagram through Meta Commerce Manager. This eliminates the need for duplicate work and simplifies the cross-platform sales operation.
Easy Inventory Management
Shopify syncs your product catalog with Instagram. Any changes made in your store pricing, inventory, or product details are automatically updated on Instagram. This prevents overselling and ensures customers always see accurate product information across both platforms.
Improve Customer Experience
The Instagram shopping feature allows users to discover, explore, and purchase products directly from posts, stories, reels, and the dedicated Instagram Shop tab.
Increase Brand Awareness
Displaying products on your Instagram profile increases brand exposure to reach a wider audience, including non-followers through the Explore page and hashtags.
Marketing Opportunities
Merchants gain access to the Meta ad ecosystem to create high-performing shoppable ads that target users based on behavior, interests, and demographics to reach the right audience and drive sales.
Step-by-Step to Connect Shopify with Instagram?
Instagram as a sales channel requires a clear and structured process that links your Shopify store, Instagram business account, and Facebook business page. Before starting the integration process, there are a few things to check:
Location: The Business must be located in a country or region where Instagram Shopping is available. This Shop feature is not available in all locations. So it is important to verify that your location is eligible.
Active Online Store: Your Shopify store must be live with products available for sale.
Instagram Business Account: Convert your Instagram personal account to a Business Account.
Facebook Business Page: You have a Facebook Business Page linked to your Instagram Business Account.
All these accounts must be linked through Meta Business Suite.
Steps to Connect Shopify to Instagram
1. Create a Shopify Store and an Instagram Account
If you don’t already have an Instagram account and a Shopify store, then create a new one.
Create a Shopify Store
Open your browser and go to Shopify's official website login page. Click the Create an account button. Enter all the required information to sign up and choose the plan. Add products to your store with relevant details, description, price, and high-quality images.
Create Instagram Business Account
Download the official Instagram app or open a browser to create the business Instagram account. If you already have a personal account, then you can switch it into a business account. Click on three lines on the app and navigate to Settings>Account>Switch to Professional Account>Business.
Set up your business profile by entering the correct details like website, contact information, and business category.
2. Connect your Instagram Account with your Facebook Page
- Log in to your Facebook account.
- Click on Settings > Linked Accounts > Instagram.
- Click on ”Connect Account”. Log in to your Instagram Business account and link it to the Facebook Page.
To properly connect your Instagram account with your Facebook page, ensure that you have already set up a Facebook Shop through Commerce Manager.
3. Link Instagram Account With Shopify
- Log in to your Shopify store with the associated email and password.
- In the Shopify admin dashboard, search for the "Facebook & Instagram" app using the top search bar.
- Click and install the app. Then navigate to Settings>Apps and Sales Channels.
- Select the Facebook & Instagram app and click on Get Started. Follow the prompts to connect your Facebook and Instagram accounts.
After completing the integration steps, your account will undergo a review by Meta. This process typically takes 48 hours to complete. Once approved, the Facebook & Instagram sales channels will become active in your Shopify admin.
4. Set up Instagram Shopping
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the three lines in the top right corner.
- Tap Settings> Business> Shopping. If you don't see the Shopping option, your account may still be under review to use the Shopping feature.
- Follow the prompts to connect your Instagram account to your Facebook Shop.
Wait for Instagram to review your account and approve product tagging. This may take a few days to complete. During this time, you can still post and grow your audience on Instagram.
Best Practices for Selling Shopify Products on Instagram?
Selling your product on Instagram is a great way to boost sales. Below are some best practices to help you do so:
Optimize Your Profile: Set up your Instagram profile properly before promoting your store, with a clear bio, profile picture, and a link to your Shopify store.
Instagram Live: Livestream on Instagram to show your products, answer user questions, and interact with your audience in real-time. This helps build a personal connection with your customers.
High-Quality Visuals: Visual elements capture user attention, particularly target customers. Utilize professional photos, short videos, and reels that highlight product usage in real life.
Instagram Ads: Running Instagram ads is an effective way to promote your Shopify products and reach a wider audience. Your ads appear on user feeds and stories, and you can target specific demographics based on location, interests, behaviors, and more.
Share Customer Reviews: Ask happy customers to leave reviews and share their experiences. Repost their testimonials, unboxing videos, or photos using your products on your Instagram profile and stories.
Some Examples of Shopify Instagram Integration?
Instagram integration is a game-changer for many e-commerce businesses, helping them to increase their sales and customer base. Below is a list of some e-commerce brands that take advantage of this feature:
Meow Meow Tweet
Meow Meow Tweet (MMT) is a vegan skincare company. The company is known for its commitment to environmental awareness and sustainability. By tagging products in Instagram posts and Stories, they reported a 30% increase in online sales.
Natori
Natori is a fashion company that designs and manufactures high-end women's fashion. By syncing their Shopify catalog with Instagram, they experienced a 1,416% boost in referral traffic from Instagram and doubled their revenue.
Magnolia Boutique
Magnolia Boutique is an online fashion store, offers a variety of on-trend and affordable women's clothing, shoes, and more. They saw great success after enabling product tagging on Instagram. Their shoppable posts contribute to a 20% increase in overall revenue.
Native Union
Native Union is a lifestyle brand that designs and manufactures premium tech accessories. The company is known for its stylish and high-quality products. They experience a 2,666% increase in Instagram traffic through the product tagging and shopping feature.
