Instagram: Not Quite the Apple of a Brand’s Eye…
Posted by Marcus LaRobardiere on Mar 13, 2018
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There’s little doubt of the business impact Instagram has had on retail. With a focus on visuals and the possibilities of user generated content, it’s the perfect platform for showcasing products and the lifestyle of a brand. Why then did only 24% of brands evaluated as part of the Mobile Retail Report use Instagram to sell their products?
Though you shouldn’t be self-promotional all the time, research from L2 would indicate that users actually enjoy seeing photos of products, with 65% of top-performing brand posts actually featuring products. In fact, product posts beat out lifestyle content and celebrity influencer posts.
Even if brands are sticking to the 80/20 rule for product posts (the rule stating that 80% of content should be educational and the other 20% self-promotional) it doesn’t explain why 76% of brands don’t leverage Instagram at all to sell.
One reason could be the resources required to maintain an active social media presence, not just with regular updates but also daily interaction with followers. Some brands like Outdoor Voices specialize in building a community through Instagram and have a team of people to reply to product inquiries, suggestions, and more.
From a technology perspective, social integration has become standard in the majority of mainstream ecommerce solutions. What is surprising is the limitations on the side of Instagram, particularly around Apple Pay. The webview of Instagram does not allow for a support secure connection (HTTPS); therefore, Apple Pay, one of the most common frictionless methods of payment, is unavailable, forcing users to find their credit card to complete the purchase.
Instagram will continue to gain traction as a method of increasing mindshare with prospects, obtaining new customers and showcasing influencers. However, despite its popularity, many brands are not using it as a revenue channel, possibly down to some technology limitations.
For more information on how many brands are leveraging new revenue channels such as buy online, pick-up in-store and endless aisle, please download your copy of the Mobile Retail Report.
