How to sell on Instagram without a website? This question frequently arises for companies that have consolidated their business ideas, produced the first batches of products, want to reveal their brand to the public and aim to go online but have not yet launched their main communication channel. If you fall into this category, you are in the right place.
In this article, you’ll learn whether you can sell on Instagram without a website, what steps you should take, and why replacing a website with a social media account forever isn’t wise.
Can You Sell on Instagram Without a Website?
Instagram does not require retailers to have a website. So if your website is still in the conceptualization or development stage, you can build your e-commerce brand , study interest in your products, and develop a customer base on this extremely popular app.
But before we dive into how to set up an Instagram store oman whatsapp number data 5 million without a website, it’s essential to remember that your social media account is no substitute for a website.
1. Limited Options for Owners Without a Website
Instagram limits business opportunities for retailers without websites. If you read how to set up an Instagram store without a website, you’ll find that it’s only possible with a business domain. Yes, you can still create a business account to sell your products (read below), but having an Instagram store takes your business to the next level with:
Product Collections. Combining and displaying your products by theme allows shoppers to find the items they want more quickly and conveniently.
Shoppable Posts. Adding product tags to photos and videos in your account lets shoppers click on them and quickly navigate to browsing and purchasing.
Checkout. Setting up this page directly in the app simplifies the ordering process for both you and your customers.
The Instagram Shop feature can bring retailers around a 42% increase in sales . So if you sell on Instagram without a website on an ongoing basis, you can’t create one and, as a result, you’re missing out on a large portion of your profits.
2. Credibility
Businesses with ONLY a social media page are less trusted by 84% of buyers . And there is a logic behind this. Creating a website requires more time, effort, and investment than creating an Instagram account. Therefore, a brand with a website is less likely to be a temporary business or a scam. So, if you want to position yourself as a reliable store and have a long-term development strategy, think about a website.
3. Visibility for Search Engines
Search engines are still the preferred way to find information for 86% of consumers , far ahead of social media and GPT Chat. If they have a problem or need a product or service, they will search for a solution on Google rather than Instagram.
Having a website allows you to have a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy and help more people find you through keywords and search engine queries. On the other hand, selling on Instagram without a website limits your audience reach to Instagram users only, which can hinder your long-term growth.
4. In-Store Customer Journey
With an Instagram account, you cannot influence customer behavior in the store and offer them a personalized experience worth mentioning. On the contrary, with a website, this is possible simply by using widgets.
Claspo allows you to create widgets for any marketing purpose, seamlessly integrating them into your website customer journey and successfully moving visitors along your sales funnel:
Collect contact information to generate leads. Our subscription widgets are more visible and attractive than the form link in Instagram bio. With Claspo, you can show it only to new visitors and stop showing it to those who have already subscribed.
Prevent customers from leaving your online store. Your last-minute offer widget can appear once a customer moves their cursor to leave your site. It allows you to at least keep them on the page and, at most, motivate them to buy. Instagram, meanwhile, does not have this type of trigger.
Increase sales globally. You can show custom widgets to visitors from selected countries, regions, and cities. You can also configure the widget language to dynamically change based on the language of your customers' browsers or the language selected on your site. This way, you reach a global audience, improve the customer experience, and increase the likelihood of a purchase. In contrast, Instagram allows you to geotag your posts, but they are still visible to all customers and available in their original language, which lacks the customization that customers expect.
This is just a small part of Claspo’s superpowers aimed at improving your sales, customer relationships and other KPIs. The best thing is that creating widgets in Claspo can be done without any technical skills or even basic design knowledge. So once your website is ready, you can reinforce it with our widgets the same day! And creating websites can be easy and affordable if you choose a suitable CMS .
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How to Sell on Instagram Without a Website: Step-by-Step Guide
How_to_Sell_on_Instagram_Without_а_Website_Step-by-Step_Guide
As you can see above, the question of how to start an Instagram store without a website disappears as this sales tool requires a website from retailers. However, you can still start your business or take it online while your main online sales outlet is being developed.
1. Create a Business Account
If you want to sell on Instagram without a website, start by creating a business account, which will give you access to a number of useful features, including:
Add clickable links to your account with your email address or phone number to quickly connect subscribers with you.
Promote posts and run paid ads in the feeds of your followers and other Instagram users.
Gain valuable insights into your audience, their interactions with your account, and the effectiveness of your published content.
Setting up a business account to sell on Instagram without a website takes just a few clicks:
Go to "Settings and Privacy"
Select "Account Type and Tools"
Click "Add New Business Account"
Please indicate the desired business category
Enter the required details
Confirm and save changes
2. Choose a Way to Accept Orders
When choosing how to sell on Instagram without a website, you are limited to two options: accepting orders in person or using the order form.
Take Orders In Person
In this scenario, you invite buyers to send you direct messages to place an order, clarify details, and pay. But as your business grows, it will become increasingly difficult for you to manage requests from all buyers, leading to long response times and possible loss of customers. This is another reason to create a website. With a separate checkout page, the customer can quickly complete the purchase without unnecessary delays and without your help, improving their experience and saving time.
Provide an Order Form
You can create such a form using online order management software and allow Instagram users to place an order, choose a delivery method and pay independently, saving time. However, you can only put a link to the completed order form in your Instagram bio (read below). As a result, buyers have to stop browsing your profile, remember all the products they want to buy, go to your Instagram bio and follow the link to the order form. This is still a long and not very convenient process.
A website makes things easier. The buyer can view your products, add the ones he likes to the cart and proceed to the checkout page only when he has filled the cart with everything he needs.
Claspo widgets on a website can get shoppers to checkout even faster. For example, a widget on the homepage could display your discounts and redirect them to relevant product pages. Once the shopper has spent enough time on the page to study the details and features, your next widget with a timer can remind them that the offer is for a limited time and invite them to the checkout page via a clickable button.
