20 Instagram Marketing Strategies That Will Take Your E-commerce Game to the Next Level"

Did you know that Instagram has over 1 billion active users, making it one of the most powerful e-commerce marketing tools available today? Many brands have leveraged this platform to achieve exponential growth, with Fashion Nova and Birchbox being two prime examples. 

Fashion Nova has over 20 million followers, and Birchbox has over 1 million, with both brands driving millions of dollars in sales. However, creating a winning Instagram marketing strategy is easier said than done. As marketers and entrepreneurs, you're constantly struggling to come up with fresh ideas, relevant content, and effective e-commerce marketing strategies to take your Instagram game to the next level. 

In this blog, I'll be sharing 20 powerful Instagram strategies for e-commerce that will help you overcome common struggles and grow your business. So, grab a cup of coffee and let's dive in!

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Instagram Giveaways

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Hosting an Instagram giveaway can help increase engagement and reach on your posts, as well as grow your following. To create an Instagram giveaway, decide on a prize that aligns with your brand and create a post announcing the giveaway. Ask your followers to follow your account, like the post, and tag a friend in the comments to enter.

If you sell pet products, create an Instagram post announcing a giveaway for a year's supply of your best-selling dog food. Ask your followers to follow your account, like the post, and tag a friend in the comments to enter. Make sure to select a winner and announce it on your Instagram feed and stories.

Example of Chipotle

Chipotle, a fast-food restaurant chain that specializes in Mexican cuisine, has hosted Instagram giveaways to promote their new menu items and increase engagement on their posts. By offering a prize that resonates with its target audience, such as free burritos at a new opening, Chipotle is able to increase brand  awareness and grow its following on Instagram.

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If you're looking to take your Instagram marketing game to the next level, then Digital First AI is the perfect tool to help you get there. With our advanced AI-powered tools, creating engaging content and successful giveaway campaigns has never been easier. So why not give it a try and see how Digital First AI can help you grow your following and boost your e-commerce sales?

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User-Generated Content

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Encouraging your followers to share their experiences with your products on Instagram can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. 

To create user-generated content, create a branded hashtag and ask your followers to share photos and videos of themselves using your products. Repost their content on your Instagram feed and stories to showcase your products in action.

Example of Glossier

Glossier, a beauty brand that focuses on natural and minimalistic makeup, encourages its followers to share their experiences with their products on Instagram using the hashtag #glossier. By reposting user-generated content on their Instagram feed, Glossier is able to showcase their products in action and build trust with potential customers.

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Instagram Ads

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Investing in Instagram ads can help you reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. To create an Instagram ad, start by selecting your target audience based on demographic, interests, and behaviors. 

Choose a compelling image or video that showcases your product and write a clear and concise caption that highlights your unique value proposition.

Example of Warby Parker

If you sell jewelry, create an Instagram ad featuring a model wearing your product and include a caption like "Upgrade your accessory game with our handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces. Shop now and get 10% off your first purchase!"

Warby Parker, an eyewear brand that offers affordable and stylish glasses and sunglasses, uses Instagram ads to showcase their products and highlight their unique value proposition of "eyewear designed in-house, from scratch". 
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By targeting its ads to a specific audience based on interests and behaviors, Warby Parker has been able to increase ToFu and drive traffic to their website.

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Instagram Stories

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Instagram Stories are a great way to showcase your products and create buzz around your brand. To create an Instagram Story, start by selecting a creative template and add engaging elements like polls, questions, and stickers. 

Showcase your products in action and include a call-to-action to visit your website or follow your brand on Instagram.

Example of H&M

If you sell home decor, create an Instagram Story featuring a before-and-after transformation of a room using your products. Include a poll asking your audience which room they want to see transformed next and a call-to-action to visit your website to shop the products featured in the Story.

H&M, a fashion brand that offers affordable and trendy clothing, uses Instagram Stories to showcase its products in a creative and engaging way. By using interactive elements such as product announcements, H&M is able to increase engagement and create buzz around its brand.

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Running a photo contest on Instagram

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Running a photo contest on Instagram is an effective way to generate user-generated content and increase brand visibility. To run a photo contest, a brand can ask its followers to post photos using their products with a specific hashtag. The brand can then select the best photos and award prizes to the winners.

Example of Dunkin Donuts

Dunkin' Donuts ran a photo contest on Instagram called "Dunkin' Refreshers Photo Sweepstakes" where users were asked to share photos of themselves enjoying Dunkin' Refreshers, a new line of iced beverages. 

Participants were required to use the hashtag #DunkinRefreshSweepstakes and tag Dunkin' Donuts in their posts. The winners received a $5,000 cash prize.
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Another example is the photo contest run by National Geographic on Instagram. The contest invited users to submit their best nature photos using the hashtag #NatGeoTravelContest. The winning photo was featured on National Geographic's Instagram account, and the photographer received a prize of $10,000[2].

Other brands that have successfully run photo contests on Instagram include Coca-Cola, Airbnb, and BMW[3]. By running photo contests on Instagram, these brands have been able to generate a large amount of user-generated content, increase brand awareness, and engage with their followers.

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Sharing behind-the-scenes content

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Sharing behind-the-scenes content on social media is a great way to give followers a glimpse into a brand's culture, values, and day-to-day operations. This type of content can help to build trust and a sense of authenticity with followers, as well as provide insights into a brand's personality and work processes.

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Example of Everlane

The clothing brand Everlane often shares behind-the-scenes content on their Instagram account, showcasing their factories, materials, and production processes. This content helps to reinforce the brand's commitment to transparency and sustainable fashion practices.

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Similarly, the cosmetics company Glossier frequently shares behind-the-scenes content on their Instagram Stories, offering glimpses into their product development, office culture, and team members. This type of content helps to humanize the brand and connect with followers on a more personal level.

Other brands that have successfully shared behind-the-scenes content on social media include Nike, which has shared behind-the-scenes footage of their athlete partnerships and product development, and Starbucks, which has shared behind-the-scenes glimpses of their coffee roasting processes and employee training programs.

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Offering exclusive discounts

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Offering exclusive discounts or promotions to Instagram followers is a great way for brands to drive sales and increase customer loyalty. This strategy can be used to reward existing customers and attract new customers. 

Brands can offer discounts or promotions in the form of coupon codes, loyalty rewards, or welcome offers.

Example of Sumo Drinks

Sumo, a flavored water brand, was able to generate over $300,000 in revenue from one popup with a 15% discount coupon offer. 

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Another example is Orglamix, a beauty and skincare company, which offers free products and promotes their brand to Instagram followers who meet certain criteria, such as having a public Instagram account with over 500 followers and being a USA resident.

Brands can also use Instagram's Branded Content Tools feature to partner with brands and earn money. Additionally, brands can use their special offers to drive Instagram visitors to their website and provide them with a coupon code as soon as they arrive. 

Hosting Q&A sessions or product demos 

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Hosting Q&A sessions or product demos on Instagram Live is a great way for businesses to connect with their customers and prospective customers. It allows them to talk directly to their audience and provide valuable content. 

Example of Benefit Cosmetics

Benefit, a San Francisco-based makeup brand, utilized Live Shopping to introduce their new Brow Microfilling Pen and They're Real! Magnet Mascara. In order to generate interest and boost online sales, they promoted the launch through Instagram feed and Stories, implemented a dedicated hashtag, and offered a launch reminder feature.

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Instagram Live is also a great tool for brands to showcase their products. For example, Hootsuite use Instagram Live Shopping to showcase their products and collaborate with other brands and creators. 

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Creating visually stunning graphics

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Creating visually stunning graphics that showcase your brand’s unique selling proposition (USP) is an effective way to communicate your brand’s values and differentiate it from the competition. 

Visuals can be used to demonstrate the key factors that set your product or service apart from the competition, such as features, benefits, and market fit.

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Example of Canva

Canva is an online design and publishing platform aimed at making it easy for anyone to create and share vector graphics. Its USP reflects this: “Create stunning visuals in minutes with Canva’s easy-to-use design tools.

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Instagram's carousel

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Instagram's carousel feature allows users to showcase multiple products in one post. This feature allows users to upload up to 10 photos or videos in a single post, creating a slideshow-like experience. Brands can use this feature to showcase multiple products in one post, allowing them to create a more engaging and visually appealing post.

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Example of Asos

The fashion brand ASOS use Instagram's carousel feature to showcase multiple items from their collection in one post. The post featured nine images of different items from their collection, such as dresses, skirts, and tops. 

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This allowed them to showcase a variety of items from their collection in one post, creating a more engaging experience for their followers.

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Other brands, such as Nike, have also used Instagram's carousel feature to showcase multiple products in one post. In this example, Nike used the carousel feature to showcase a variety of their shoes, allowing them to create a visually appealing post that showcased multiple products in one post.

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Influencer Partnerships

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Collaborating with influencers who have a large following on Instagram can help you reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. To create an influencer partnership, start by researching influencers in your industry who align with your brand values and have a significant following. 

Reach out to them with an offer to collaborate, such as featuring your product in their Instagram post or story. Make sure to provide clear guidelines and expectations for the collaboration, including specific hashtags and mentions to include in their posts.

If you sell skincare products, you could partner with a beauty influencer to showcase your products in their daily skincare routine on Instagram. Provide them with a discount code to share with their followers and ask them to tag your brand in their post.

Example of Fashion Nova

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Fashion Nova, a clothing brand that targets young women, has collaborated with influencers such as Cardi B and Kylie Jenner to promote their products on Instagram. By partnering with popular influencers, Fashion Nova has been able to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.

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Publishing educational content

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Publishing educational content that highlights the benefits of using your product is a great way to engage customers and build brand loyalty. Educational content can be used to demonstrate the value of your product, and can be used to explain why customers should choose your product over a competitor's.

Example of GE Power

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General Electric uses content marketing to engage the average person in science in a fun, entertaining, and educational way. This helps to demonstrate the value of their products and why customers should choose them over competitors. 

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Other brands, such as Lowe's and Home Depot, use educational content to demonstrate the value of their products and how customers can use them. They provide tutorials and guides to help customers understand how to use their products and why they should choose them. 

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Hosting a virtual event 

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Hosting a virtual event that aligns with your brand’s values is a great way to engage with your audience and build brand awareness. Webinars and live workshops can be used to educate customers on topics related to your industry or product, and can be used to promote your brand’s values.

Example of Sephora

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One example of a brand that uses virtual events to align with its values is Patagonia. They host webinars and virtual workshops that focus on topics such as sustainable agriculture, climate change, and environmental activism. 

These events align with Patagonia’s values of environmental stewardship, and help to reinforce their brand’s commitment to sustainability.

Another brand that uses virtual events to align with its values is Sephora. They host virtual makeup classes that are focused on inclusivity and diversity. These workshops align with Sephora’s values of celebrating individuality and empowering all customers to feel confident in their own skin.

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In addition, many companies have started hosting virtual events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Zoom has hosted virtual events to help businesses and individuals adapt to remote work and virtual communication. These events align with Zoom’s values of accessibility and innovation.

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User testimonials and reviews

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User testimonials and reviews are an effective way to build trust with potential customers. By sharing positive customer experiences, businesses can showcase the quality of their products and services. 

This helps to build credibility and trust with potential customers, as they can see that other people have had positive experiences with the business.

Example of Alan David Custom

One example of a company that uses user testimonials and reviews to build trust is Alan David Custom, a custom clothing company. They use customer recommendations in their Facebook testimonial ads to persuade potential buyers.

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Glossier is another company that uses user testimonials and reviews to build trust. They encourage customers to share photos of themselves wearing their products with the hashtag. 

Finally, Fool.com is an example of a company that uses customer testimonials to build trust. They use social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to share customer testimonials.

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Instagram's Reels 

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Instagram's Reels feature is a great way to showcase your brand's personality and values. Reels are short, engaging videos that can be used to highlight your brand's unique selling points and connect with your audience. By using Reels, brands can create fun and engaging content that resonates with their target audience.

Example of Ben & Jerry's

One brand that uses Reels to showcase their personality and values is Ben & Jerry's. They use Reels to promote their social and environmental activism and to showcase their fun and quirky brand personality. 

For example, they created a Reel to promote their "Justice ReMix'd" flavor, which supports criminal justice reform. The Reel features a catchy song and fun animations that align with Ben & Jerry's brand values of social justice and environmental activism.

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Another brand that uses Reels to showcase their personality and values is Glossier. They use Reels to show off their products and to highlight their commitment to inclusivity and diversity. 

For example, they created a Reel to showcase their range of skin tones available for their products, which aligns with their brand value of inclusivity.

In addition, Airbnb uses Reels to showcase the unique experiences available through their platform. They use Reels to highlight different destinations and experiences available through Airbnb, which aligns with their brand value of promoting travel and exploration.

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Collaborating with other brands 

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to reach new audiences is a great way to expand the reach of a business. It involves two or more brands working together to create a product, service, or promotion that will benefit both parties. This type of collaboration can be beneficial for both parties as it allows them to reach a wider audience and increase their brand visibility.

Example of Uber & Spotify

For example, Uber and Spotify teamed up to provide customers with an even better experience during a car ride. Customers were able to connect their Spotify account to their Uber app and enjoy their favorite music during their ride.

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Other examples of successful brand collaborations include Marvel and Pandora, Lego and Stranger Things, IKEA and Asus, Lee and H&M, GoPro and Red Bull, BMW and Louis Vuitton, Nike and Hello Kitty, Semrush and Surfer, Starbucks and Samsung, and Oreo and Supreme.

These collaborations are beneficial for both parties as they allow them to reach a wider audience and increase their brand visibility. Additionally, these collaborations can help build trust and loyalty between the two brands and their customers.

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Instagram's polling feature

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Instagram's polling feature is a great way to gather feedback and insights from your followers. By creating a poll, brands can ask their followers questions and get a better understanding of their preferences and opinions. This type of engagement can also help increase brand visibility and strengthen the relationship between the brand and its followers.

Example of Airbnb

One of example of brand that uses Instagram's polling feature is Airbnb. They use polls to ask their followers about their travel preferences and destinations, which helps them create content that is tailored to their audience's interests.

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One brand that uses Instagram's polling feature to gather feedback is Sephora. They use polls to ask their followers about their favorite makeup products and techniques, which helps them create content that is relevant and interesting to their audience.

In addition, Nike uses Instagram's polling feature to gather feedback on new product releases and to ask their followers about their fitness goals and challenges. This engagement helps them create products and content that align with their audience's needs and interests.

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Overall, using Instagram's polling feature is a great way to gather feedback and insights from your followers. By engaging with your audience and asking for their opinions, you can create content and products that are more relevant and interesting to them, which can help increase brand loyalty and visibility.

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Leveraging Instagram's geo-tagging

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Leveraging Instagram's geo-tagging feature is a great way to showcase your brand's presence in different locations. Geo-tagging allows you to tag a specific location in your posts and stories, which can be used to highlight your brand's presence in different cities, countries, and even continents. 

Geo-tagging is also a great way to engage with local followers and build relationships with them.

Example of Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits

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Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits in Chicago uses geo-tagging to showcase their presence in the city. They use the geo-tagging feature to highlight content from people dining in and hanging out on the restaurant's patio. 

This helps to build relationships with local followers and encourages them to visit the restaurant.

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Calvin Klein is another example of a brand that uses geo-tagging to showcase their presence in different locations. They have created the hashtag #mycalvins, which has created a collection of over half a million posts of Instagram users wearing their Calvins. This helps to build relationships with local followers and encourages them to purchase their products.

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It's a wrap

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In conclusion, Instagram is a powerful tool that can help you take your e-commerce business to new heights. With the right strategies in place, you can leverage the platform to grow your following, increase engagement, and drive sales. I hope that 20 Instagram tactics for e-commerce have provided you with valuable insights and actionable steps to take your Instagram game to the next level.

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We're so confident that you'll love our platform that we're offering a free 3-day trial to get you started. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today and see the results for yourself!

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