How To Sell On Instagram Without A Website? (Working Methods)
Do you have a new online store and a desire for revenue? Are you having trouble saving up to get a killer website built? You can learn with us how to sell on Instagram without a website.
People can easily purchase your products from the images and videos you post using Instagram Shopping. Find out more about motivating customers to buy your products.
You might be wondering how these companies draw clients if they don't have websites now. You might reach out to where your customers enjoy spending their leisure time instead of driving customers to their store.
Instagram is mostly regarded as a social media site where users may post selfies, photos of their pets, and mouthwatering food.
However, tiny enterprises have turned Instagram into an online shopfront for direct consumer sales (D2C). By choosing to sell on Instagram, you do away with the need to build and manage an eCommerce website.
Are Websites Necessary To Sell On Instagram?
To put it briefly, if you're getting your online store off the ground, you don't need to spend considerable money on website development. If you want to sell anything, Instagram can be used to pitch to customers with compelling content and images of products.
Even if your website is still in the works or hasn't gone live, you can start using Instagram immediately to increase your company's visibility and possibly even boost sales. Selling your product directly on Instagram is possible. Without a website, this blog will show you how to sell products on Instagram.
Once your site is live, you can direct interested parties there from your bio to make a purchase. Once you have many followers on Instagram, your website can be an excellent addition to your current sales system. But you would still have to work on expanding your Instagram following.
In What Ways Can Instagram Help Your Business?
If you don't have an eCommerce store or a website, Instagram is the place to sell products and expand your business. More than that, though, Instagram can be a springboard for expanding your company's e-commerce efforts.
1. To begin with, that's where most of your potential clients are.
With 1 billion active users each month, Instagram is the world's sixth most popular social network. To make a sale on Instagram, you need an engaged audience with a genuine interest in your offering.
Sixty per cent of Instagram users say they discover new brands on the platform. Additionally, Instagram has a very high rate of user participation. You can more easily expose your products to a broader audience through participation.
And if you run a company that sells goods, you know how important it is to do whatever you can to reach your target audience. You shouldn't stop giving your customers the best product possible; you should also give them the complete package by providing services like proactive customer care.
2. A second justification is to make a sale with as little risk as possible.
You can start making sales on Instagram without spending much money. You must cultivate a dedicated fan base that puts their faith in you. They should be aware that selling on Instagram differs from using it for advertising purposes.
You're trying to move units because customers will find value in buying them. If your target market trusts you, they will always consider your store first whenever they need to buy something online.
Benefits Of Using Instagram To Advertise
Instagram is a visual platform, making it a great way to show off your products in the e-commerce world. Your potential customers need to see your product before they buy it, whether you're a brand-new business owner making products by hand or selling print-on-demand shirts.
If you haven't joined Instagram yet, you're missing out on reaching half a billion monthly people who use Instagram Stories daily.
Among the most intriguing statistics about these users is the fact that 200 million of them visit at least one business profile every day and that one-third of the most-viewed stories are from businesses.
You could be one of those successful business people. To cut a long story short, Instagram has many users, and these people have shown that they are willing to spend money on brands they find on Instagram.
Even though many of these businesses may already have an online shop front, many still don't and are still making money.
You can use Instagram to gain a following before launching an entire website. And so, the question becomes, where do you begin?
Initiate an Instagram profile and get it set up.
Get yourself an Instagram account first. Individual and commercial accounts are available. To gain access to valuable extras like
- Improving your bio by including contact information (phone and email).
- Making Shoppable Content.
- Advertising your wares by shelling out cash.
- Getting to the bottom of your data (is vital!).
Don't panic if you've made a profile for yourself. You can easily switch from a personal to a professional profile. After signing in, select the "Switch to Business Profile" option from the settings menu.
In other words, you'll need a Facebook Business Page. If your profile starts from scratch, your insights will be limited. However, once you begin publishing content and gaining followers, you'll gain insight into:
- Find out which posts and stories are trending.
- The number of new customers you've brought in during the past 30 days.
- The total number of views on your profile and clicks on your website got.
- Can you identify some of the people who make up your target market? (locations, age range, genders, etc.).
You can use this information to better tailor future content to your audience's preferences.
How To Sell On Instagram Without A Website
Since its inception, Instagram has expanded rapidly, adding many useful features. These features provide everything you need to expand your business to new heights. Your marketing plan is to sell on Instagram without a website by establishing a visual brand and capitalizing on the user's shopping mentality to expand your company's reach.
1. Choose your market and products.
Before you start selling on Instagram, you should take some time to think about the specific niche you want to work in.
You can focus your efforts and grow your Instagram following by choosing a specific market for your goods. Focusing on a specific area can help you gain more followers on Instagram.
Your target market will be able to find your profile and services quickly and efficiently as the answer to a problem they've been having. Your account's visibility and readership will increase as a result.
Finding hashtags specific to a niche and looking at the number of followers and posts can give you an idea of how vital a niche is. It will be easier to attract an audience and sell if your niche is small.
Once you begin producing exciting content for your page, you will see the benefits of narrowing your focus to a specific product niche.
2. Make A Company Profile
Creating a business account is a must if you want to sell more via Instagram. Consider the advantages of using Instagram for your business.
1. Instagram Insights is a built-in analytics tool that provides helpful information like the reach and engagement of your content.
2. For a fee, you can boost the visibility of your best posts and show ads for them in your followers' feeds.
3. Customers can now shop directly within the Instagram app without ever having to leave the app!
4. When an Instagram business account has more than 10,000 followers, the account owner can enable swipe-up links in the profile's story.
5. Provide Useful Details: Make it easy for your followers to get in touch with you by providing details like your phone number and email address.
Below are the simple actions that must be taken to transform your Instagram account into a business profile.
1. Enter your login details here. Select the menu with the three horizontal lines at the top right of your screen.
2. To access your account, select "Settings" from the menu that appears.
3. Select "Business" from the drop-down menu of "Switch to a Professional Account."
4. A series of prompts will show you how to link your Facebook business page to your Instagram business account. You can skip this if you don't already have a Facebook page for your company.
5. After choosing a category for your company and filling out the required contact information, you're all set up with an Instagram business account.
Repeat these steps, but select "Switch Back to Personal Account" to return to your original account.
3. Create a Top-Notch Bio
The Instagram bio is the first point of contact for new followers. Follow the guidelines below to craft a captivating Instagram bio that doesn't exceed the character limit.
- Outline your company's benefits in a single sentence to describe your brand. Narrow in on a specific area and establish yourself as an expert.
- Include a prominent call to action to increase the likelihood of a sale being made to the reader.
- Provide a phone number or email address for your company, so potential customers can get in touch with any questions about the products you sell.
- Users of Instagram can only share external links in their bios. There is currently no way to add links to captions. The phrase "link in bio" appears in the captions of many Instagram posts for this very reason; include a link in your bio that promotes your brand and drives sales.
You can increase the visibility of your Instagram profile in relevant search results by including keywords related to your brand and the products you sell there.
4. Showcase Items on Your Page
The most basic way to advertise is to just post photos and videos of your product on Instagram. The first thing you do when you walk into a store asks the proprietor for a demonstration of the goods they have for sale.
Also, if you decide to sell things online, people will expect to be able to see pictures of the items before they buy them.
Given that Instagram is all about pictures, you can't ignore how important it is to make your feed look good by using interesting pictures and clever captions.
Rumi Spice is a company that sells spices that are gathered ethically. On Instagram, they post beautiful photos with catchy captions to get people to buy their products.
With Instagram Shopping, you can publish a shareable catalogue of products. Instagram allows consumers to learn about and buy products without leaving the app.
Therefore, the Instagram shop can act as your built-in online store. In Instagram posts and stories, you can tag products from your catalogue.
Following the installation of Instagram Shop, the following procedures can be used to tag products in posts.
- Select the post you want to edit, click the ellipses button on the top right, and then choose edit.
- When you go to "tag product," a window shows all the items you sell.
- Find the item you want to assign a tag and click on it. Finally, select the "Done" button.
Five products can be tagged on a single image post, while twenty can be added to a post with multiple images.
You can get very creative by using this feature to make a mini look book with tags attached to several items. Instagram lets you show different product versions and multiple images in a single post.
The highlight feature on Instagram, which is right below your bio, can be used to make a catalogue of products.
Because highlights are often seen before regular Instagram posts, this is a great way to showcase your entire product line.
You can make blog posts with Instagram's Guide feature. The best of your wares can be displayed in blog posts. This kind of poster can also introduce a new product or create a list of holiday gifts.
1. Facilitate Payment
It's time to get people to stop just brown-sitting on your products and buy them. You can include a link to an order form in your bio to accept orders. To increase sales, you can let customers know they can place orders via a direct WhatsApp chat.
Find your Instagram account, then go to "Edit Profile." Paste the WhatsApp link into the space provided there. Tell your followers to fill out the order form at the link in your bio or send you a message through WhatsApp to place an order.
Instagram only permits one active link in the bio, so making the most of that space requires a dedicated linking app like Linktree.
FightCamp, a fitness company, has a Link tree bio link that leads to a page with several other links and a buy button. They have a call-to-action button that will take you to their Link tree page.
2. Hashtags are a great way to expand your audience.
Hashtags are a great way to broaden your content's exposure and reach, so tracking and analysing their success is essential. Try using a variety of hashtags to find the best one for your brand.
When choosing hashtags, consider the phrases people might use to find your product online. With the help of a hashtag research tool, you can find out which hashtag is best for your product and audience. Simply enter a relevant tag, and a list of suggested tags will appear.
However, you shouldn't spam your post with #hashtags. Even though Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, using more than 15 will make your post look spammy and desperate and will not help your brand in any meaningful way.
Instead, aim for 4-5 relevant hashtags per post. This way, you can boost interaction without having your post look spammy from excessive hashtag use.
Just a word of warning:
1. Do not simply paste a brand hashtag into your post.
2. Find out which Instagram hashtags generate the most interest in your market and use those to drive sales.
3. Think before you use a hashtag.
4. Avoid hashtags that have already amassed a million or more posts. The result will be that your post gets lost among a sea of others that look exactly like it and have a vanishingly small audience.
3. Make the Most of Instagram Stories
More than 500 million Instagram users regularly check out other people's stories. Instagram stories benefit from user-generated content. Engage your Instagram followers by having happy customers post photos and reviews of your products and tag you in them.
If you share the same post on Instagram stories, more people will be persuaded to buy because it has already been a good experience for other people.
The number of people who see your product on Instagram will increase if you take the time to create engaging and exciting stories about it.
Use Instagram Stories to showcase your products in a catalogue or look book format. Make unboxing videos and post photos from behind the scenes to your Instagram stories to give your audience insight into your brand beyond the products you sell.
Are you launching a new product? Use the countdown timer!
A new product or limited-time promotion can be introduced with this function. This is a powerful tool for making customers feel like they need to act quickly.
Your audience can set reminders and receive an alert when the countdown is over, and the launch occurs when they tap on the countdown sticker.
1. Use "question stickers" to gauge the level of interest in your topic among your target demographic.
You can use this function to get answers to any question you can think of, whether it's about your brand, your products, user feedback, or anything else.
This allows you to have a two-way conversation with your target audience, and you can even post the audience's responses to the sticker as stories to raise brand awareness.
2. Use "polls" to get the listeners' feedback.
By implementing this feature, you'll get feedback from site visitors about what kinds of content they'd like to see displayed.
Trust among your audience members will increase as they see that their opinion is being sought after, and participation will increase if the poll results are considered.
3. Highlight those stories that will always be relevant.
After 24 hours, your Instagram stories will be deleted. Make a compilation of evergreen content, such as user testimonials and product features, that you want your future audience to see in the highlight section of your stories.
Here's how to have your own stories included in the round-up.
1. Check out your profile.
2. To add something new to your profile, click the plus sign in the circle next to "New" in the section that follows your bio.
3.You can choose which of your stories to highlight from those displayed.
4. When you're done picking out stories to feature, click the "Next" button.
The next step is to give the highlight of your story a name. The maximum length for an Instagram highlight name is 15 characters.
Communicate, interact, and replicate.
Only by maintaining a steady stream of posts will the Instagram algorithm begin to favour your brand. Maintaining a steady stream of Instagram updates will do wonders for your following.
Through interactions, you can learn more about your community and discover what content they want to see more of in your feed.
It's best not to post Instagram updates at random. Instagram marketing requires content development in line with business aims. Develop a consistent content strategy to turn your audience into paying customers.
You need to know what your followers want to see most in their feeds to be noticed. Your strategy ought to be achievable and adaptable.
Here Are A Few Suggestions For Making Instagram Posts That People Will Want To Look At.
1. Strong subheadings
Captions for images and videos should provide background information. Create something brief and to the point that gives your 'take' on the image or video. Add some interactivity by posing a question or suggesting that readers tag a friend.
2. Place human models in your product photos.
You can post pictures of happy customers using the product, pictures of influential people endorsing your product, or even a quick tutorial. Adding a human dimension to your brand's online presence will increase interaction.
3. Reaction to feedback
You can start a conversation in the comments section if people are interested in what you say. In the comments section, potential customers may ask questions about a product they saw on your website.
Status brew makes it easier to respond to comments by sending conversations to the right team members based on keywords and social profiles. All your followers' comments and direct messages are in one place to make it easier to talk to them.
4. Do your best when you post.
Identify the most productive posting window. The best time to post on Instagram is when your target audience is using the platform, as this will maximize your chances of getting likes and comments.
Test out different times of day to see when you get the most engagement, and stick with that.
Status brew lets you pick the best time to post and then publishes your updates automatically at that time. Keep your Instagram posts in line with how your brand looks. This will make your feed look more polished.
5. Manage your direct messages and comments strategically.
Direct Messages on Instagram are a great way to connect with your followers on a more personal level. Put them to use to establish a warm, trustworthy rapport with your clientele.
Those who have been commenting and sharing your posts may end up being paying customers. By introducing yourself and asking some basic questions, you can determine if your services fit the other person. Don't try to sell your wares right off the bat.
Customers who contact you about a problem with your product deserve to have it resolved privately, not in public. Think of direct messages as a quick way to answer customer questions.
You can also send them a direct message (DM) to thank them for a recent purchase and further build your relationship with them.
You should also respond to people who leave comments on your posts. In the comments, readers can ask questions or express gratitude about the discussed product or service. Simply ignoring comments sends the message that their time is not valued.
However, not all responses to your post will be genuine; some may be spam. You should probably take these out because they have nothing to do with your original post.
6. Increase your product's exposure by using sponsored ads and influencer marketing.
There are 928.5 million people who could be exposed to ads on Instagram. Instagram ads target the people you want to see and get lots of clicks. With Instagram ads, you can pinpoint who you're trying to reach.
The call-to-action buttons you include in your post can be tailored to suit your needs. A link in the post can take readers to your profile or website.
Influencers are well-known experts in your field, so you can count on what they say to help boost your Instagram sales.
Having an influential person as part of your team can boost brand loyalty among followers. Partnering with influential people can help you reach more people and start more conversations, improving your sales.
Tips For Creating Your Bio
You've set up an Instagram account for your company. It's time to make some money. Please, hold on a second. We'll start by making sure your profile reads well to potential customers.
Ensure you include contact information such as a phone number and an email address. You have a limited number of characters for your bio, so make every one count.
One emoji (and thus one character) can sometimes convey more than a thousand words. Please don't go crazy with the emojis; instead, use them only when you're sure they fit in with the tone of your intended readers. In your bio, it's essential to show your brand and tell people what to do next.
1. Content Strategy for Instagram
Because you are trying to make a sale, it stands to reason that you would highlight the products you are offering. Still, you don't have to post only dull photos of your product sitting still on a table.
You can have fun with it by including:
- People utilize your product in a wide range of settings.
- Fun-loving individuals using or modelling your product in action.
- The making of your product, from a behind-the-scenes perspective.
- imaginative photo shoots involving your product.
- Taking a picture of your product in a flat-lay format.
- Develop a "shoppable" Instagram feed.
- Who has the most interesting Instagram bio? Check.
- Are your products being showcased in stunning posts? Check.
- You can now begin your sales campaign.
- Include a straightforward method of payment.
Customers are more likely to purchase if there is the minimal hassle involved. You can sync your Shopify or BigCommerce products with your Instagram profile and sell directly to your Instagram followers without ever having them leave the app.
However, even without a website, a straightforward procedure can be developed. One way to do this is to link to an online order form in your Instagram bio.
Even though this store has a website, they often begin selling items in the Instagram comments section before they go live on the website. You may have also noticed that they're employing the scarcity principle to get you to buy before making the product available to more people.
To make custom orders, there needs to be a simple way to get the information needed from the customer. Direct messages (DMs) are a fantastic tool for this purpose, as they help to keep users engaged without forcing them to leave the platform.
We've found that WhatsApp is an excellent method for taking orders. Thanks to the global nature of the internet, you can connect with customers worldwide by selling online. WhatsApp is a great way to talk to customers all over the world.
2. Make clever captions for your photos.
You probably already know that there are a lot of other e-commerce brands on Instagram, which can be a challenge. To succeed, then, you must differentiate yourself from the competition.
Posting remarkable images is a fantastic beginning, but you should also use your captions. Captions can tell customers where to go to check out, but they can also give them other helpful information.
Customers need to be serenaded before they decide to buy from you. Captions are a great way to tell potential customers more about your product or show them what they can expect if they buy it.
Interacted
Remember that not every customer responds well to the same tone. Before you post about new products, you should research your audience, their voice response, and how this relates to your brand.
3. Grow your business and brand by investing in your community.
Let me explain the social media situation: it's called "social media" for a reason. This is not the usual way to use a website; you can start a conversation with your customers.
You can earn their trust, find out what they need, and turn them into loyal customers. You can't discount the influence of the Instagram community when trying to make a sale. Make your audience feel appreciated by replying to every comment (trolls excluded, of course).
Please make the most of your small audience right now and work to expand it later on.
4. Launch your eCommerce brand on Instagram without a website.
Many powerful resources are available to help you streamline your e-commerce marketing, but sometimes it's enough just to get started with something as straightforward and accessible as Instagram.
Using Instagram is difficult because you must keep making content and communicating with your followers. A website isn't strictly necessary to run a successful online store.
You'll also find it easier to communicate with your target market, which is essential if you want to bring in and keep customers in the early days of your business.