Originally Published on Forbes.com

by Kelly Ehlers

Leveling up e-commerce strategies has been the main priority for marketers in 2020. Despite some businesses reopening their brick-and-mortar locations, customers have undeniably made the switch to digital in the face of the pandemic. As a result, delivery capabilities and digital customer service have become mainstays for industry leaders.

Now, in addition to the e-commerce tools and strategies brands have spent all year developing, Instagram has provided one last opportunity for marketers in time for the holidays: shoppable features on IGTV and, soon, Reels.

For those who haven’t hopped on the IGTV and Reels trains, it’s time. We’ve watched engagement explode on TikTok throughout 2020. Now, as the year comes to an end, Instagram’s lookalike platform is offering a business-friendly alternative to let brands get in on the action.

Furthermore, the holiday shopping season is already upon us. As a result, marketers must translate the omnichannel approaches that once existed between stores and online to a multifaceted and overwhelmingly digital approach.

With the shoppable tools provided on Instagram Stories and Reels, marketers can create new purchasing opportunities on one of the highest-rated apps in the world –– a key factor in recovering from this year’s financially volatile market.

Similar to the YouTube standard of linking products in video descriptions, shoppable IGTV content now lets brands and creators tag products within their posts. Followers can then swipe up and find a straightforward menu featuring the collections and additional product details. From there, users can make their purchases in the app (for ultimate convenience) or head to the brand’s website for further research.

Beyond the ease of this all-in-one experience, new shopping capabilities also take advantage of video content’s growing popularity. For both long-form educational content and short, trendy Reels, video has proven effective at attracting and engaging a brand’s following. As a result, creating purchasing opportunities alongside these features is likely to increase sales potential. 

Additionally, public accounts can push their IGTV episodes and Reels to the Discover page –– a function that makes it possible for new, relevant audiences to discover a brand and its products without following.

There are countless applications for this update, and the tags should be tacked onto any posts showcasing products.

To choose between IGTV and Reels, marketers should consider how much detail each post is meant to provide. A creative product demo can be showcased as a short, snappy how-to or an in-depth tutorial. Additionally, brands can showcase before-and-after results in a similar fashion to garner audience attention. Finally, activating an influencer or ambassador network to increase coverage –– and possibly even creating a viral challenge –– increases the value of the platform.

Each of these avenues serves as an opportunity for brands to get in on the digital conversation while giving users a gentle nudge toward purchasing. While we thought TikTok would be the champion platform of 2020, I believe the app has done little to create valuable business opportunities. As talks continue over whether or not the app will be banned in the United States, I recommend strategists invest in the growing staying power of IGTV and Reels before the holidays.