Marketing OC: Instagram Tells Users, “You’re Not Going Anywhere!”

Image

Not so long ago, consumers entered a new age, seizing an exciting new way to shop. At last, they could remain home (or wherever circumstances had placed them) and shop via digital device. The rest, as they say, is history. E-commerce is huge and getting huger by the nanosecond. Nevertheless, some players are setting their sights on even greater convenience.

One of these players is Instagram. A subsidiary of Facebook, Instagram wants to make mighty sure that e-commerce shoppers aren’t going anywhere. Is the social media powerhouse locking you into their app, erecting digital fences to prevent exit? Hardly. They’ve got a better way to keep you glued. Instagram is coaxing you into long-term visits with a recently-introduced shopping feature. It’s known as in-app checkout.

Using the in-app checkout feature is blissfully simple. Here’s how it works in two easy steps: First, a product ad pops into view. Second, a delighted Instagram user decides to purchase said merchandise.

But here’s the difference. Instead of leaving Instagram to reach the lucky brand’s site, the eager shopper remains planted and buys desired goods directly through the app. Afterwards, the contented user can save purchase information for use during future buying sprees.

What does this mean for brands and digital marketers? The world. In our high-speed, get-it-done yesterday environment, saving time tops the list of high priorities. Instagram’s in-app shopping feature is a major time saver – a few seconds in the digital realm is the equivalent of hours in the physical. That’s how fast things move in micro-land. Jumping from product discovery to product purchase is huge.

Anyone who doubts the effectiveness of digital time compression should consider the following -  Instagram reports that from last September to March of this year, the number of users selecting in-app product tags has swelled from 90 million to 130 million. A more than respectable improvement. And a pretty good indication that the instant purchase should be on every digital marketer’s drawing board.

If you have questions or comments about Instagram marketing, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.