How to Sell on Instagram: Special Features Your Brand Should Use

Spin Creative • October 4, 2022

Now more than ever, brands are turning to Instagram to market and sell their products and services.

Instagram interface for selling online

It’s easy to see why—with all of Instagram’s shoppable features, like tagging products in feed posts to shopping through Instagram Reels, it’s easier than ever for brands to make the sale.


No matter what brand or business you run, there’s an Instagram feature waiting for you to boost your sales and reach your goals. Here are four special features that drive sales on Instagram.


Create an Instagram shop


The most obvious way to sell on Instagram is by opening a store. The Instagram Shop features gives businesses an easy, attractive way to show off their product catalog and reach new customers. Brands who set up Instagram shops can curate a full list of shoppable products that are directly accessible when users click the “View Shop” button on the brand’s profile page. 


What makes an Instagram Shop even better? Brands can be featured on the Instagram Shop tab, an area that’s accessible from the app’s main navigation menu. Getting featured can boost your brand awareness to new heights, showing users products they’re more likely to buy based on their previous engagement and the brands and posts they follow.


Add a “Link in bio”


Brands should have a simple link in their Instagram bio—it’s a great way to drive traffic directly to your storefront. Links in an Instagram bio are so easy to find and click, making them uncomplicated and user-friendly.


Start Instagram feed post shopping


Instagram Shopping allows businesses to tag products that are included in their Instagram Shop, right in feed posts, Reels, Stories and even Lives. When you highlight products in your feed, you get the chance to showcase products in their natural context like sizing, fit or styling. Adding a direct route with Product Tags allows users to shop the product and close the retail loop. Your tags can send users to your website, highlight product details, or even make a purchase right in Instagram using Instagram Checkout.


Create an Instagram Guide


Instagram Guides are perfectly optimized for e-commerce, giving brands the chance to re-package content with fresh insights. Guides are currently available in three formats—Places, Products and Posts. Product Guides are what you’ll use to promote the items and services your brand has to offer. Brands can create curated lists of products, or they can team up with influencers to broaden their audience even further. How do you create a great Instagram Guide? Think about how you can curate your content to resonate with your audience—Guides like “Gifts under $50” or “Self-Care Favorites” are some examples of categories that can attract attention and inspire clicks.


Instagram helps your brand close the sale


Ready to harness all the shoppable features on Instagram to push your sales—and your brand—further? Say hello to Spin Creative! We’re a creative branding partner who understands Instagram’s special features inside and out, so you can make the most of your Instagram presence and boost your sales.




About Us

Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.

Three people smiling and looking upwards. Blue sky backdrop. Man has arm around woman.
By Spin Creative August 13, 2025
Discover how Spin Creative uses cinematic filmmaking to create authentic brand storytelling that inspires action, builds trust, and connects with audiences across platforms.
Woman in yellow room holding balloons; she wears blue, a sweater, and sunglasses.
By Spin Creative August 9, 2025
In today’s marketing environment, audiences do not experience your brand in a single channel or moment. They encounter it across platforms, devices, and contexts, often in the same day. The most successful campaigns meet audiences in all those places with a cohesive story, seamless brand experience, and clear strategic
Purple colored abstract 3D objects with texture from the Microsoft 3D Copilot in Viva Sizzle Video
By Spin Creative June 11, 2025
At Spin Creative, we believe the most effective product stories go beyond features—they tap into a clear, emotionally resonant narrative that connects with real people. That’s the lens we brought to our collaboration with Microsoft Viva, where our challenge was clear: create a high-impact video that visually captures how Copilot AI empowers people at work. The end result? A fully 3D-animated brand film designed to wow audiences at executive keynotes, tradeshows, and enterprise events. But how we got there is just as important as what we delivered.
A close up of a person 's face with sun shining behind with a blurry background.
By Spin Creative May 30, 2025
At Spin Creative, we’ve always believed that the power of brand storytelling lies in connecting emotionally with real people. But as artificial intelligence transforms industries at lightning speed, many marketing and creative leaders are asking the same question: What’s next for agencies like ours—and how do we continue to drive value in this new era? Here’s our point of view: AI is a powerful new tool—but not a replacement for insight, strategy, and human connection.
Show More