As Instagram continues expand its eCommerce function, they have now begun rolling out the ability for all users to tag products in their Instagram posts, currently starting with users in the US. The update means you no longer need a Business or Creator account to tag products, allowing virtually all posts to become shop-able.
The platform first introduced product tagging in 2016 as a part of its initial push into e-commerce, later enabling product tags in video posts, Stories and Reels.
In 2020, Instagram launched its redesigned Shop tab. Instagram Shop is described as a place to browse products from favourite brands and creators. In the Shop tab, you’re able to filter by categories like beauty and home, for example, and then check out directly in the app. the platform also added its own checkout feature that lets you buy products directly from tags and also gave creators the ability to tag products in their posts.
As explained by Instagram:
“People come to Instagram to share and discover trends and inspiration. Product tagging will make it possible for anyone to support their favourite small businesses, share how they styled their looks along with the products they used, and more.”
This move to push product tagging could provide a free boost for brands in the app, while also expanding Instagram’s eCommerce focus to evolve with consumer behaviours.
To tag a product in your post:
1. Select a photo or video and create a new post
2. Add your caption and edits, then click 'Next'
3. You'll need to tag a brand first using the “Tag people” option.
4. Next tap, “Tag products” to search for a business and then find the products you want to tag and add them to your post.
5. Users have the option to tag more than one product in a post.
Other users will be able to see the product tags in your post and can tap on them to make a purchase. Note that thus far only users with business or creator accounts can tag products in Stories and Reels!
Business owners will receive a notification when one of their products is tagged — posts with tagged products appear in a business’ tagged tab on their profile. Brands will also get the option to turn tags from everyone on the platform on or off from their account settings.
Instagram says that over 1.6 million users tag at least one brand, on average, each week already, which indicates that the increased ability to more specifically tag products will be a highly utilised feature, and may continue to keep Instagram's main feed content relevant.
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