Instagram is enhancing its shopping features and brands are ready to embrace the change.

There are more than 25 million businesses on Instagram and a growing, engaged audience that seems eager to test new features in the app. Instagram Shopping will no doubt be a powerful tool for brands.

Shopping gets more personalized

It’s easier now to discover new products by visiting the Explore section. Instagram will deliver a personalized selection of products for each user to tailor the shopping experience based on users’ interests.

The section was previously used to discover relevant posts and accounts to follow so it now adds the shopping element to its existing features.

Shopping tags arrive in Stories

An even more exciting announcement came from Instagram informing us that Shopping in Stories is now rolling out globally.

The testing started in June but now businesses in 46 countries will be able to add shopping features to their Stories.

What makes this news exciting? Instagram Stories are currently really engaging, with more than 400 million active users on a daily basis.

Where Can You Learn More About Instagram Shopping?

This is huge news for just about any online business. You’ve always been able to post your products in creative ways, but most of the time you would have to share a link in the comments or tell people to click the profile link.

Lots of news is coming out about the Instagram Shopping tool, but the best place to learn more is at the actual Instagram business page.

They have several videos and screenshots for you to see the tool in action, and you can follow along for additional updates if you want.

What do these changes mean for marketers?

Instagram is currently one of the most engaging social platforms for users. Brands cannot ignore its popularity and the launch of interesting shopping features can make it even more appealing.

There are currently more than 25 million businesses on Instagram while more people use social media as part of their decision-making process.

Short conclusion

Fortunately for Instagram, they hold a significant share of the younger market – particularly those 16 and over, the platform’s key target audience – and the brand name to boot.

It will be interesting to see how the app will be deployed separately or if it will be integrated into Instagram’s main app, like IGTV earlier this year.