Social media is having an ever-increasing impact on digital commerce. According to the Shopping Index, traffic to retail sites from social media surged 35% in Q3, while orders grew by 52%. So it’s important for retailers and brands to make it as easy as possible for shoppers to discover, engage and transact with products on social media. That’s why Commerce Cloud is integrating with Shopping on Instagram.

Brands are already leveraging Instagram to connect with shoppers, but now they can tag products in their posts with product information, creating shoppable content. With the Commerce Cloud integration, merchants are able make this process happen faster and easier by uploading their product catalog directly from Commerce Cloud into Instagram. Shopping on Instagram is a simple implementation, letting retailers get to market fast in a crucial channel for consumers. There is no need for third party integrations or management of the solution.

Shoppers discover products by clicking on an icon in a post, where they can learn more about the product or purchase it on the retailer’s’ website. With Commerce Cloud and Shopping on Instagram, shoppers are able to discover your products early in the shopping journey, and merchants can now use this social channel to acquire, engage with and transact with customers.

Instagram is a predominantly mobile app, and mobile is quickly becoming an extraordinarily powerful force in retail; traffic to retail sites is dwarfing desktop, where the percentage of orders is on the cusp of falling below 50% for the first time. Simply put, retailers need to be everywhere their shoppers are discovering their products, and drive the transaction in as few steps as possible.

Instagram, which has seen its monthly user rate explode to 800 million since launching its Stories feature in 2016, is an enormously important channel for brands. Now, with the Commerce Cloud integration, it’s easier than ever for our customers to inspire their Instagram followers to purchase.

Many fashion and apparel brands leverage Instagram to engage with shoppers. For a deep dive into the online apparel market, download our new Fashion Shopping Focus report.