How to Sell Jewelry Using Instagram's Shoppable Posts

Do you want to learn how to sell jewelry using Instagram’s shoppable posts? By now, you should have already noticed those clickable product posts that let you instantly purchase the products you have your eye on with just a tap of a finger. If you’re curious and you want to know more about Instagram’s venture into social commerce, read on!

Social commerce, a strong convergence of social media and e-commerce, has proven to be more than just a term to be tucked away in the graveyard of retail buzzwords. Despite being a nascent market, its growth has been steadily driven by the younger generation, the increasing popularity of social media platforms like Instagram, and online shoppers who prefer shopping online without leaving their favorite social media platforms. Just take a look at the statistics below!

It’s evident why Instagram decided to venture into the world of social commerce by launching Shopping on Instagram or the Shoppable Posts feature. It’s currently available in 46 countries and gradually expanding to partners in other countries that are mostly in Asia, South America, and Africa. Further, other businesses from different industries have already reported significant improvements since the launch of the shoppable posts feature. For instance, Tyme reported a 44% increase in traffic while Lulus and SpearmintLOVE both reported an increase in the volume of orders and revenue.

If you’re an artisan who wants to show your handcrafted jewelry pieces in either a white background or lifestyle setting without negatively impacting the user experience, then Shopping on Instagram has arrived and is ready to take you in. Read below for a step-by-step guide on how to start your social commerce journey with Instagram’s shoppable posts.

How to Sell Jewelry Using Instagram’s Shoppable Posts in 5 Easy-to-Follow Steps

Step 1: Set up an Instagram business account and ensure that it meets the Shopping on Instagram requirements

If you don’t have an account yet, an Instagram business account is required, so make sure that you set it up using the right profile. If you have a personal profile, you have to convert it into a business account to qualify. Once you get it out of the way, proceed to the Shopping on Instagram requirements below and tick all of them to move to the next step.

• You must be located in any of the 46 countries where Shopping on Instagram is currently available
• You must sell physical products only
• Ensure that your account complies with Instagram’s commerce policies
• You must have a Facebook business page and it should not have any age or country restrictions
• Your Instagram business account must be tied to a Facebook catalog

Step 2: Set up a Facebook catalog and connect it to your Instagram business profile

If you already have an existing Facebook catalog, you can just connect them by going to the Catalog Manager from your Facebook Business Manager account. Then, select the catalog you want to use. This will bring you to the Diagnostics page where you will see More Ways to Use Your Catalog. From here, choose Instagram Shopping, then select Connect Your Instagram Business Profile then, Connect Profiles.

However, if you don’t have an existing Facebook catalog, you must create one by going to the Business Manager account that owns the Facebook business page linked to your Instagram business account. From your Business Manager account, Go to Catalog Manager, click Create Catalog, and follow the steps by simply supplying all the necessary information like the category that best describes your business or whether or not you would like to manually upload products to your catalog or automatically import products to your catalog from your e-commerce platform if you have one.

Do not forget to name your product catalog. It will make it easier for you to identify it later.

Step 3: Wait until your account is reviewed and approved

When you’ve finished connecting your Instagram business profile to your Facebook catalog, your Instagram account will be reviewed before you can have access to the platform’s shoppable posts feature. Further, for those of you who just created a new catalog, this catalog will have to be approved first before it can be reviewed for the shopping feature.

The review process usually takes a few days but it may take longer if deemed necessary by the reviewer.

Step 4: Once approved, you may now start adding jewelry product tags or stickers on your Instagram account

Once your account is approved, begin adding your jewelry product tags or stickers on Instagram. To turn this feature on, go to your Instagram business profile. In the top right-hand corner, you’ll see a gear icon or an ellipsis (….), tap it then, tap Shopping under Business Settings, hit Continue, and select the jewelry product catalog you want to use with Shopping on Instagram. Once done, tap Done.

Congratulations, you’re now ready to create a shoppable post or story on Instagram!

Step 5: Create and post your first shoppable jewelry product photo, video, or story

Remember that you can tag up to 5 jewelry products per photo or video or up to 20 products per multiple-image post. Shoppable posts are recognizable for their small white shopping bag icon in the lower-left corner, just like what is shown in the sample jewelry images above from jewelry shops like the Princess Bride Diamonds, and the other two – Elverd Designs and VenetiaMajor – whose photos were captured using the GemLightbox.

Offer a more scintillating experience by posting a shoppable 360-jewelry product video, which can be easily implemented using the GemLightbox and its add-on jewelry turntable. As Mark Zuckerberg mentioned in one of his interviews, “over the next couple of years, the much bigger driver of the business and the determinant of how we do is going to be video.”

Using the GemLightbox, your jewelry video will look as below.

Shoppable jewelry product videos should be one of your powerhouse Instagram strategies, especially given that the demand for social commerce videos continues to grow, as reported by the technology company, GlobalWebIndex. This isn’t surprising as it’s easier for most to learn about the products through this type of product content.

Ready to try Shopping on Instagram?

It’s undeniable that Instagram has crossed the boundaries between inspiring users and selling to them. It has proven to be successful in venturing out into the world of e-commerce. As it slowly transforms its channel to a full-blown social commerce platform, it’s definitely a powerhouse that most brands could not afford to sleep on.

Are you one of the early adopters? Let’s know how it benefits your jewelry business and feel free to share tips for others to try.