Well, it seems like Facebook does not want to miss out on adding shopping content on Instagram. Because, as per a new report by Engadget, Instagram is bringing its shopping features to Reels, the platform’s short videos section.
Reels was launched by Instagram only around 4 months ago, and now it is getting a dedicated shopping feature. Moreover, with this, Instagram’s transformation into a digital shopping mall is near to completion.
This shopping feature for Reels was under test for some time. But it is until now when Instagram has made this feature widely available for users.
Businesses and creators will be able to tag products that feature in the Reels they create. Viewers can tap through the tagged products and went ahead to buy or save them.
Instagram has become a place for the Millennials to look for fashion inspiration and what is currently trending. For influencers using this shopping feature on Reels, a branded content tag is available for sponsored posts.
FYI, with the arrival of this feature, Instagram now has shopping available across every format on its app, the Feed, Stories, IGTV, and Live.
Instagram is diversifying its source of revenue by letting users shop via the app
We already know that ads are the major source of revenue for Facebook and Instagram. However, stressing more on shopping means that Instagram is diversifying its source of revenue.
Besides, providing a more streamlined way of letting users purchase products directly from the app is a step towards grabbing the opportunity to add shopping as a revenue source.
You can simply watch a Reel video, tap on it to view all the tagged products. Then simply go ahead and purchase from merchants selling those particular products.
TikTok is also not too far behind and is partnering with Shopify to launch new shopping features. This includes a test that would allow Shopify users to tag stores in their TikTok videos with a “Shop Now” button.
Instagram has made shopping features on its platform more prominent. In fact, Facebook has recently introduced a shopping cart feature for WhatsApp.
With the WhatsApp cart feature, Facebook aims to bring the merchants and a huge portion of its 2 billion user base to shop. It would also make it convenient for the sellers to showcase their products digitally, at times of COVID-19.
Facebook is also encouraging business owners to turn their pages into online stores. Sellers can create a catalog of their products for users to browse and buy.