Starting today, Instagram users no longer need a business or creator account to tag products in their posts on the photo-sharing platform as it now opens up its product tagging feature to all users. For now, the feature is only available in the US, the company says the feature will be rolling out globally in the next few months. With the rollout of this product tagging feature to all users starting in the US, Instagram will be transformed into an app where anything can be shoppable, meaning you can now make the same purchases as spotted on friends via their posts.
Product tagging first rolled out in 2016, this move kick-started Instagram’s push into e-commerce. Later the social media platform expanded supporting product tagging features in video posts, stories and Reels. Instagram expanded its shopping experience through the introduction of a native checkout feature in 2019, the feature allowed users to buy products directly from tags and also gave creators the ability to tag products as they make posts on the social platform.
Tagging a product on Instagram was pretty much like creating a post like you normally would. Once a filter is chosen and necessary adjustments are made, proceed to the next page, using the “Tag people” option tag the brand of the products in your post. From here, you can see “Tag products” where you can tap the product in your photo or video and then search for that brand’s product to add a tag. Other users will be able to see the product tags in your post and can tap them to make a purchase.
According to a representative of Meta, Anne Yeh disclosed that the video-sharing platform is currently testing an affiliate program with select creators that will allow creators to earn a commission through tagged products in the near future.
Product tagging will encourage and make it possible for users to support their favourite small businesses, as well as share how they styled their looks along with the products they used and more as people are known to come to Instagram to share and discover trends and inspiration.
Instagram has recorded a very impressive number of about 1.6 million users tagging at least one product per week using the product tagging feature in their posts,. Expanding the feature to its entire user base is rumoured to deliver more impressive numbers to the tune of about 2 billion users, products visibility through organic, non-sponsored posts are expected to skyrocket and possibly open up an entirely new market of users wanting to share the products they use with friends and family on the app.
Once a product is tagged, the respective business owners will receive a notification, posts with tagged products will appear in a business’ tagged tab on their profile. These business owners will also have the option to turn on or off tags from everyone right from their account settings.
Last year, a new feature was added by the company to help connect online shoppers to product drops within the app at the top of the Shop tab. The new feature allowed consumers to discover, browse and shop all the latest product launches as well as view upcoming launches. 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.
Olagoke Ajibola is a creative writer and content producer with an eye for details and excellence. He has a demonstrated history of telling stories for TV, Film and Online. Aside from being fascinated by the power of imagination, his other interest are travel, sport, reading and meeting people.
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