With the release of the latest official Instagram community statistics last fall, it became evident that the platform boasts over 800 million monthly active users, surpassing the popularity of Twitter by more than double. Notably, engagement levels on Instagram are incredibly high, particularly within specific niches, as highlighted by data from Rival IQ.
Instagram's recent announcement, under its parent company Facebook, introduced a game-changing feature that allows multiple accounts to broadcast live together. This development is a significant advantage for co-marketers and brands aiming to maximize their collaborative efforts with influencers, unlocking new avenues for mutual success.
Moreover, the introduction of poll questions in story posts adds another valuable tool to the Instagram arsenal. This addition not only gathers important data but also enables the segmentation of audiences, paving the way for more precise and targeted messaging strategies.
As Instagram continues to evolve and captivate a massive user base, it has become an indispensable platform for marketers seeking innovative ways to engage audiences and achieve their marketing objectives.
Maximize Your Instagram Sales With Help From These Third-Party Platforms
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1.2 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily stories. It is also a powerful tool for e-commerce, as 81% of people use Instagram to research products and services, and 130 million users tap on shopping posts every month.
However, selling on Instagram can be challenging, as the platform does not allow direct links in posts, has limited payment options, and requires a lot of time and effort to create engaging content and build trust with followers. That’s why many businesses turn to third-party platforms that can help them optimize their Instagram sales and marketing strategies.
In this essay, we will explore some of the best third-party platforms that can help you maximize your Instagram sales, and how to use them effectively. We will cover platforms that can help you with:
- Creating shoppable posts and stories
- Managing your inventory and orders
- Automating your marketing campaigns
- Analyzing your performance and insights
- Engaging with your customers and prospects
Creating shoppable posts and stories
One of the main challenges of selling on Instagram is that you cannot add direct links to your products or services in your posts or stories, unless you have a verified account or more than 10,000 followers. This means that you have to rely on the link in your bio, which can be inconvenient for both you and your customers.
Fortunately, there are third-party platforms that can help you create shoppable posts and stories, which allow your customers to shop directly from your Instagram feed or story without leaving the app. Some of the best platforms for this are:
- Shopify: Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the world, and it integrates seamlessly with Instagram. You can sync your Shopify products with your Instagram account, and tag them in your posts and stories. When your customers tap on a product tag, they will see a product page with more details, and a “View on Website” button that will take them to your Shopify store to complete the purchase. You can also use Shopify’s app store to find more tools and features that can enhance your Instagram sales, such as loyalty programs, reviews, countdown timers, etc.
- Snapppt: Snapppt is a platform that helps you turn your Instagram feed into a shoppable gallery. You can link your Snapppt account with your Instagram account, and add product links to your posts. Then, you can embed your Snapppt gallery on your website, or use a custom URL to direct your customers to it. Your customers will be able to browse through your Instagram posts, and click on the ones they like to buy the products featured in them.
- Foursixty: Foursixty is another platform that helps you create shoppable Instagram galleries. You can connect your Foursixty account with your Instagram account, and tag your products in your posts. You can also use Foursixty to collect user-generated content (UGC) from your customers who post photos or videos of your products on Instagram, and feature them on your website or social media channels. This can help you increase social proof, engagement, and conversions.
Managing your inventory and orders
Another challenge of selling on Instagram is that you have to manage your inventory and orders across multiple channels, such as your website, email, messenger, etc. This can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially if you have a large catalog or a high volume of sales.
To make things easier, you can use third-party platforms that can help you manage your inventory and orders from one place, and sync them with your Instagram account. Some of the best platforms for this are:
- Zoho Inventory: Zoho Inventory is an online inventory management software that helps you track and manage your stock levels, orders, shipments, invoices, etc. You can integrate Zoho Inventory with your Instagram account, and automatically import your orders from Instagram to Zoho Inventory. You can also use Zoho Inventory to update your stock levels on Instagram, send order confirmations and tracking details to your customers via email or SMS, generate reports and analytics, etc.
- Order Desk: Order Desk is an order management platform that helps you streamline and automate your order fulfillment process. You can connect Order Desk with your Instagram account, and import your orders from Instagram to Order Desk. You can also use Order Desk to integrate with various fulfillment services, such as print-on-demand, dropshipping, warehousing, etc., and automatically send your orders to them for processing. You can also use Order Desk to update your order status on Instagram, send notifications to your customers via email or SMS, etc.
- Sellbrite: Sellbrite is a multichannel e-commerce platform that helps you list and sell your products across various online marketplaces, such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, etc. You can link Sellbrite with your Instagram account, and sync your products and inventory with your Instagram shop. You can also use Sellbrite to manage your orders from Instagram and other channels, and fulfill them using your preferred method. You can also use Sellbrite to generate reports and analytics, optimize your listings, etc.
Automating your marketing campaigns
Another challenge of selling on Instagram is that you have to create and execute effective marketing campaigns to attract, engage, and convert your target audience. This can be difficult, as Instagram has a lot of competition, algorithm changes, and limited organic reach.
To overcome this challenge, you can use third-party platforms that can help you automate your marketing campaigns, and reach more potential customers on Instagram. Some of the best platforms for this are:
- Later: Later is a social media marketing platform that helps you plan, schedule, and publish your Instagram posts and stories. You can use Later to create a content calendar, upload and edit your photos and videos, add captions and hashtags, preview and rearrange your posts, etc. You can also use Later to analyze your best times to post, track your engagement and growth, discover user-generated content, etc.
- Mailchimp: Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that helps you create and send personalized and targeted email campaigns to your subscribers. You can integrate Mailchimp with your Instagram account, and grow your email list by adding a sign-up form to your Instagram bio or stories. You can also use Mailchimp to segment your audience based on their interests, behavior, location, etc., and send them relevant and timely emails that drive them to your Instagram shop or website. You can also use Mailchimp to track your email performance, optimize your campaigns, etc.
- ManyChat: ManyChat is a chatbot platform that helps you create and automate conversations with your customers and prospects on Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct. You can use ManyChat to build a chatbot that can answer common questions, provide product recommendations, collect feedback, offer discounts or incentives, etc. You can also use ManyChat to send broadcast messages or sequences to your subscribers based on their actions or events, such as viewing a product, adding to cart, abandoning cart, etc.
Analyzing your performance and insights
Another challenge of selling on Instagram is that you have to measure and evaluate your performance and insights, such as how many people are visiting your shop or website, how many are buying your products or services, how much revenue are you generating, etc. This can be hard, as Instagram’s native analytics are limited and not very detailed.
To solve this problem, you can use third-party platforms that can help you analyze your performance and insights more accurately and comprehensively. Some of the best platforms for this are:
- Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a web analytics tool that helps you track and understand your website traffic and behavior. You can connect Google Analytics with your Instagram account, and track how many people are coming from Instagram to your website, what pages are they visiting, how long are they staying, what actions are they taking, etc. You can also use Google Analytics to set up goals and conversions, and measure how much revenue are you generating from Instagram.
- Iconosquare: Iconosquare is an Instagram analytics tool that helps you monitor and optimize your Instagram performance and strategy. You can use Iconosquare to track your follower growth, engagement rate, reach, impressions, stories views, etc. You can also use Iconosquare to compare your performance with your competitors or industry benchmarks, discover the best hashtags and keywords for your niche, identify the best times to post, etc.
- DashThis: DashThis is a dashboard tool that helps you create and share beautiful reports of your online marketing data. You can integrate DashThis with various sources of data, such as Google Analytics, Iconosquare, Shopify, Mailchimp, etc., and display them in one place. You can also use DashThis to customize your reports with different widgets, charts, graphs, etc., and share them with your team or clients via email or URL.
Engaging with your customers and prospects
Another challenge of selling on Instagram is that you have to engage with your customers and prospects regularly, and build trust and loyalty with them. This can be tedious and time-consuming, especially if you have a large or active audience.
To make things easier, you can use third-party platforms that can help you engage with your customers and prospects more efficiently and effectively. Some of the best platforms for this are:
- Sprout Social: Sprout Social is a social media management platform that helps you manage and optimize your social media presence and interactions. You can use Sprout Social to monitor and respond to all the comments and messages you receive on Instagram from one inbox. You can also use Sprout Social to assign tasks and collaborate with your team members, create and save custom replies, tag
- Unleashing the Power of Your Investments
In the ever-evolving realm of social media, where platforms rise and fall like shooting stars, Instagram's blazing ascent seems to have hit a snag. Analysts now raise concerns about declining engagement rates and the saturation of follower growth. But fear not, for intrepid souls willing to embrace a bold and innovative approach—a "pay to play" model—awe-inspiring marketing opportunities await, surpassing the boundaries of imagination.
Picture this: a world where every Instagram-based marketing task is within your grasp, where the tools at your disposal can transform your business and leave your competitors in the dust. Are you seeking to seamlessly schedule activities well in advance, execute ingenious growth hacks to cultivate a thriving community of followers, or even collaborate with popular and passionate Instagrammers? Fear not, for the possibilities are boundless, limited only by your own imagination.
Gone are the days of uncertainty and frustration. Today, the Instagram Exchange beckons with an irresistible promise—a realm where your investments can reap unprecedented rewards. Venture forth, and let your entrepreneurial spirit soar amidst the vast ecosystem that thrives within the realm of Instagram.
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