Instagram launches @shop: why it matters to brands big & small

Published in

Latitude

4 min readMay 25, 2019

With a reputation for innovation, it’s reasonable to expect Instagram’s next big move to be something spectacular and unique. And yet, Instagram’s latest move doesn’t really look different than what the social media app has done before. That’s because this new innovation is actually just another Instagram profile called @shop.

Why pay attention to @shop?

Although it doesn’t seem too noteworthy, @shop deserves attention for a few reasons: First of all, while it’s not a complete integration, @shop represents another move on the part of Facebook-owned Instagram to bring e-commerce and social media together.

Here’s how it works:

Run and managed by Instagram, the @shop profile features products from emerging brands that primarily focus on fashion, home decor, and beauty. While their product categories differ from one to another, nearly all of these brands share one significant commonality — most of them built their followings, found their voices, and gained their initial exposure through Instagram.

Instagram decided, as you can imagine, to very intentionally showcase these #instafamous brands specifically. To display the potential Instagram has for launching small brands into success, Instagram pairs images from featured brand with editorial captions that highlight the brand’s origin and story.

Additionally, each featured brand image includes tags allowing Instagram users to view prices and shop for each featured item. By clicking on a tag within an image, IG users view a whole collection of a brand’s products and can choose to visit either the brand’s Instagram page or website.

And, while images equipped with shopping tags aren’t unique to @shop, what is unique is that every single featured image on the profile comes equipped with a shopping tag. Shopping, after all, is the main focus of @shop. Sure, It’s a place on social media where you go to discover, as many do on Instagram already. But, ultimately, the end goal remains to shop.

Here’s why @shop matters to retailers

Above all, @shop demonstrates Instagram’s capability to influence potential customers and launch brands into success through the exposure it provides. And, while @shop doesn’t give brands the infrastructure to complete close sales entirely through the app yet, it displays the potential Instagram has to one day fully merge social media and e-commerce into one place.

Instagram is familiar in the same way Amazon is familiar — and easy to shop with

As with Amazon, people largely know what to expect with Instagram. It’s familiar to them. As shopping becomes more familiar on Instagram, people who are there already for the social and discovery component of the experience could begin to see Instagram as a comfortable and familiar option for shopping as well.

If Instagram simplifies the process of shopping from discovery to checkout, lowers the barriers people encounter along the way, and slowly familiarizes users with the idea of shopping on Instagram, then there’s a likely chance people will begin to shop on Instagram on a regular basis. For retailers and brands of all sizes, that’s an opportunity to meet customers where they’re at already — a place to discover and buy with relative ease.

What next steps should brands take with Instagram?

Stay up to speed with Instagram and its developments. Get on the platform, click around, and buy something.
Realize that small nimble companies are making moves in digital spaces that lead to success. Acknowledge that social media platforms, like Instagram, are helping, and accept that, regardless of your company’s size, social media can potentially leverage your brand too.
Start experimenting with Instagram shopping features (shoppable tags, checkout features, paid ads, etc). Create a presence on Instagram because that’s where people are. Meet them where they’re at.

Want to learn more? Feel free to reach out at any time. We would love to chat!

The above piece was written by Connor Beck in collaboration with Carter Jensen and the Latitude research team.

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Supporting Resources —

Resources and original reporting of the above points covered by the following publications —

Chain Store Age, Marketing Land, Adweek, Mobile Marketer, & Planoly

More about Latitude

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