How Instagram Live Shopping Can Boost Your eCommerce Sales

Updated on November 2, 2022 in Ecommerce by Alifiya Mustafa

Instagram Live Shopping is about to change the way we do online shopping and experience products online.

Launched in August 2020 in the US, this Live feature is taking the eCommerce industry to the moon. Instagram Live Shopping feature enables brands to sell their products by adding the shopping experience to the Live sessions.

If you thought that eCommerce was going to be limited to its respective websites, then think again!

In this article, I am going to talk about all you need to know about this new exciting feature – Instagram Live Shopping for eCommerce. So keep reading to make sure that it boosts your eCommerce sales in the best way possible.

What is Instagram Live?

Understanding the parent feature of Instagram Live Shopping is important to understand the basics.

Using the Instagram Live feature for eCommerce, you can go live and broadcast your video. This allows you to connect with your followers in real-time, ‘in’ the moment. People can comment on your videos and interact with you.

As soon as you’re done broadcasting, the video will disappear as you stop streaming. This creates an urgency among your followers to connect with you and doesn’t miss out on anything.

How do your followers know you’re streaming live? Well, the ones who are following you get an instant notification when you’re streaming live. When they open the app, they can see ‘Live’ written under your profile in the status bar.

What is Instagram Live Shopping?

Now that you’re familiar with how Instagram Live for eCommerce works, let’s jump into the real game – what is Instagram Live Shopping?

Instagram Live Shopping is a new way for online sellers and brands to sell their products during the Live stream.

This new feature for eCommerce development allows accounts with access to Instagram Checkout to tag products from their Facebook Shop or catalog before going live. This gives online shoppers a new, exciting, and easy way to shop on the app.

Featured products are displayed at the bottom of the Instagram broadcast screen. Hence, viewers can easily tap to purchase.

If you want to drive more sales to your eCommerce business, this fully integrated experience can make it easier for you by allowing the shoppers to shop featured products while getting entertained.

Interestingly, Instagram Live Shopping for eCommerce is just one of many new Instagram shopping features that are to be rolled out in recent months, indicating a major shift in the eCommerce industry.

It isn’t a surprise for the Live feature to be used for selling purposes. With a 70% hike in the Live views from February to March in 2020, it is a win-win to use Instagram Live for eCommerce.

With social distancing nor,s being followed everywhere, eCommerce has gained a lot of popularity. Now Instagram Live Shopping has given rise to a whole new trend of interactive selling content.

In fact, one can see Live streams on the desktop, making the experience even closer to the TV as a big screen plays an important role. This ultimately can help you generate more traffic to your eCommerce website.

Why Use Instagram Live Shopping?

Going live is one of the best ways to connect with your followers in a transparent, direct, and genuine way – and Instagram Live for eCommerce allows you to do just that.

Let’s take a look at why Instagram Live for eCommerce growth can be proven effective:

1. It’s exclusive

Instagram Live videos aren’t like Stories or other Instagram features. In this you are available only till the time your broadcaster is streaming and only current viewers can get the chance to interact with you. This exclusive nature of Live videos drives engagement and interest towards your brand.

2. Prompts curiosity

Human brains love new stimulation, and we are always curious about something that’s different. People engage with the feature as they are curious to find out about the new content on the app they might otherwise miss.

3. Improves brand visibility

Who doesn’t like online exposure? Whether it’s about giving or gaining, Instagram Live Shopping allows you to create a buzz that helps in brand recognition.

Everybody loves an online shout-out. You can see the subscriber on live streams and you can call out the names or reply to their comments while streaming. The desire to be recognized by a broadcaster drives viewers to engage with your Instagram Live Shopping stories.

4. Better customer engagement

The thrill of being part of a Live broadcast can be very exciting to people. This desire to contribute results in better engagement and interaction. You can interact with your shoppers in real-time, tell them about your motive, and show off your products.

Your viewers may want to stay engaged with you even after the Live streaming and contribute to improving your conversions thereafter.

5. Builds a Community

These live videos aren’t saved permanently, they are limited in availability and duration. Their audience is smaller and giving your viewers a sense of belongingness can help you build a community that shares the same interests and are together in something that’s unique.

Who Can Use Instagram Live Shopping for eCommerce?

Currently, Instagram Live Shopping is available for accounts that are using Instagram Checkout. At the moment, this is limited to eligible US brands and online sellers.

With Instagram Checkout, buyers can tap to view a product and then continue to the payment, all directly within Instagram.

All a shopper has to do is enter their name, email, shipping, and billing information the first time they checkout.

Instagram hasn’t revealed when they will be rolling out the Instagram Live Shopping feature globally. But, with the way this feature is gaining support from eCommerce business owners – It’s likely to be available to all soon.

With this in mind, it won’t be wrong to gear up to use Instagram Live for eCommerce and increase online sales.

Features of Instagram Live Shopping

There are many features that you can explore with Instagram Live Shopping for eCommerce development.

1. Video customization

In your live videos, you can use filters, stickers, and custom content directly. You can either choose to use presets or create your own versions and upload them to your live settings.

2. Still images and videos

In Instagram Live Shopping, You can share images and videos on the screen while you’re streaming live. This enables you to display product images or use the products in action, making the purchase more pleasing to your potential buyers.

In fact, use Instagram Live for eCommerce, and you can add multiple videos and make a slide show while you present your products.

3. Multiple broadcast hosts

If you want to leverage influencer marketing for your eCommerce business, then you can invite influencers as co-hosts to join and bring more engagement with them.

4. Interaction with the audience

In Instagram Live Shopping, you can add questions and comments directly to your video broadcast. You can also pin them to your screen for all your audience to see. This way, you can let your viewers know that you’re listening and make them feel seen and heard.

All these Live’s features make your broadcasts more welcoming and enticing. This increases your chances to improve online conversions as you use Instagram Live for eCommerce.

How to Leverage Instagram Live Shopping for eCommerce Growth?

To make sure that you are utilizing Instagram Live for eCommerce in the best way possible, there are a few efforts you’d have to put.

1. Create a buzz about your arrival

The best way to get most of your followers to watch your Live broadcast is to let them know about it beforehand.

Create a buzz for what’s waiting for them post Instagram Stories and Posts giving them a peek into what kind of Live streaming it is going to be and what you’re gonna talk about.

This keeps them prepared for what kind of content they’ll be exposed to. Make sure that you’re dealing with creating a buzz in a fun and engaging way that makes your audience book that time for your ‘show’.

2. Throw away the script

In Instagram Live Shopping, You’ll be able to connect with your audience in a much better way if you act naturally. Be who you are and let your authenticity make them stick with you.

Ditch the script and speak freely rather than trying to remember all those made-up lines. Not everything may go according to the plan, but be kind to yourself. You are human and not programmed like a machine.

Mistakes are what make us human. You may not be able to pull off every Live session, but your audience is just gonna love you more by appreciating that side of you.

3. Share With them a mutual story

What most broadcasters do is talk about themselves. Don’t make this mistake. Stop talking about who you are, what you’re interested in, and how you are different. Also, don’t impose your selling strategies. Your viewers are instantly going to realize if you’re there to share your experience or just trying a selling pitch.

Share a story, your experience, and let them know what change can your product bring to their lives. Show them why they should care about your product and invest time in watching your Live sessions?

Talk about how your experience with your products or better, bring someone in the video who can share their experience too.

4. Be crisp, short, precise

Ideally, your Instagram Live Shopping video shouldn’t be more than 5 minutes. This gives you a constrained time frame. Therefore, make sure that what you say and act is taking care of what should’ve reached your audience.

Too long broadcasts can bore your viewers. Unlike YouTube, Instagram users don’t expect the content to be too long. They like it as short and entertaining.

Deliver your important message in the beginning 2 minutes if possible. Remember, less is more. Keep them crisp, short, and precise.

I’d advise you to train your audience for short videos and post in regular intervals. This will bring consistency to your work and keep your viewers engaged at the same time.

5. Let your emotions touch theirs

We all are emotional creatures. We connect more deeply and in a better way when something moves us in a way that touches our hearts.

Use your genuine emotions while talking or telling stories. This authentic connection will help you build stronger relationships with your customers. Make your emotions be felt, tell your stories or your shopper’s stories that can make them feel more connected.

6. Speak simply and clearly

If you’re diving into Instagram Live for eCommerce growth, make sure that you’re taking a step further in engaging the viewers from across the globe.

To make sure that everyone understands you, speak in a clear language and steady voice that is audible and understandable easily.

Keep your sentences short and memorable. This will stay with your audience for a longer period of time and will build engagement too.

7. Engage with your audience

People join your Live videos because they want to get engaged with you as the broadcaster. What makes Instagram Live for eCommerce so unique and different from the app’s other features is that it allows you to listen and respond to your viewers.

Instagram Live is in itself an engagement tool, but you need to understand how well can you utilize it. Communicate in an engaging way, bring the content that’s engaging, and do cations that bring engagement.

This will attract more likes, comments, and eventually sales. Just speaking for minutes into the camera won’t bring any engagement. It’s better if you can converse with your audience.

Be open to all kinds of suggestions, discussions, and opinions. Be friendly and broad-minded in all your live videos.

8. Make use of old content

Not necessarily all your videos need to be unique and new. Reuse your previously-published content to jazz up your live streams.

The benefit of utilizing the old content is that you multiply your opportunity to reach a new audience. Not only do your viewers see your new Live sessions, but you may even make them familiar with what you posted earlier that they had missed.

9. Look & sound professional

Instagram may seem informal, but it isn’t, especially when you’re using Instagram Live for eCommerce. Basically, you’re in a business dealing when you go live. How you look and what you say ultimately affect your online store.

People tend to associate how you sound with how professional and determined you are. Make sure that you look presentable and professional in Instagram Live for eCommerce.

The mood-setting of your surroundings should be eye-pleasing. Keep your background neat, be mindful of your appearance, and be sweet and gentle with your speech.

Test your sound quality and recheck if your mic is picking up your voice loud and clear.

10. Never leave without giving a Call To Action

You’re using Instagram Live Shopping for eCommerce to grow and gain engagement. Simply communicating and finishing your broadcast will only let your viewers exit with no clue as to what to do next.

Your customers can easily be distracted away by another piece of engaging content. Therefore, make sure that you’re giving them a direction that they can follow once you leave the space.

Tell them how theft can engage with you once they’re off the Live. Tell them what to do. Ask your subscribers to follow your page, like your content, visit your website, share your video, or subscribe to your newsletter – but never leave without giving a CTA.

Conclusion

Instagram Live Shopping is an amazing new feature to improve your eCommerce conversions by gaining more engagement from the viewers. The feature has exceptional capabilities to attract new audiences and convert them into prospective buyers.

The idea of enabling the buyer to get entertained while shopping and fishing the purchase without leaving the app makes it the best platform to improve your eCommerce sales.

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