Instagram Reels adds merch shopping to videos

By Jacca-RouteNoteJanuary 12, 20215 mins read

Image Credit: Instagram

Reels makers now have a brand new way to share their merch and products with fans with links placed directly into their videos.

Instagram announced the news this week that they are integrating Instagram Shopping into Reels. For artists and influencers who have Instagram Shopping set up, they can now tag their products which are available for sale in their Reels.

With a product link included in a Reel, creators can engage with their audiences and promote their products creatively alongside a fun video. The integration will allow creators to think outside the box to get people to see and interact with the products they have for sale on Instagram.

Instagram have found three key ways in which this new integration will drive engagement for creators and their digital shops:

Drive Merch Discovery: Reels with product tags have the opportunity to be shown in the Reels tab, where they have the potential to be discovered by millions of people using the Instagram app. Your artist’s reels will also be visible in Feed (if you choose to share them there) and on your artist’s Profile.
Collaborate with creators: creators can tag products in reels to drive sales for merchandise or product collaborations. Your creator partners must be approved to use Shopping from Creators.
Entertain, educate, and inspire: Reels are short, entertaining videos that can help your artists connect with new and existing audiences. Your artists can feature specific merch items, or flex their creativity to inspire fans to engage with their products.

If you’re an Instagram user with a Shop set up and enabled, you can add products to your reels easily:

Tag products: Once you’ve recorded your Reel, tap on Tag Products
Select products: Add product(s) you featured in your Reel. You can also tag product Collections.
Publish your Reel: Post to your feed and share to Stories to promote your new Reel.