everything you need to know about instagram markets

So, you’re a small handmade biz owner on Instagram, and you really wanna get involved in all these Instagram Markets you’ve seen around? Or maybe you’ve tried but struggled to get results? Or… it’s possible you’re just thinking – what on earth is an Instagram Market?!

An Instagram Market is when a group of stores hold an online sale together on Instagram for a set period of time (usually a few hours or a 24 hour period). They do this by either posting from their individual accounts with the same hashtag, so a search brings up the full list of offerings from all stores, or through ONE account (created for that purpose) which posts all of the offers from all involved stores.

Customers can scroll through the posts, like browsing a real life market, and purchase items – usually by commenting on a post. Whether you are new to Instagram Markets or not, I’ve pulled together a few tips which I really hope will help!

1 – Storewide Discounts are often NOT the answer!

This may be going against the flow, but I truly believe that offering storewide discounts is not effective when it comes to getting consistent, ongoing sales. They can be hit and miss in encouraging buyers (more often miss, depending on your product) – especially on Instagram. AND if you offer them regularly they will devalue your product in the eyes of your followers – who will just start ‘waiting for the next sale’.

2 – Your Followers don’t wanna stop SCROLLING!

Online Instagram Markets do work best when they STAY ON INSTAGRAM. If we understand our tribe’s behaviour, we need to work with that and not against it – and Instagram users do NOT like leaving their natural habitat! An example would be offering a discount code or a free postage code if the user clicks to your account bio then to your website to shop. Using posts where buyers simply comment SOLD to buy and keep scrolling are GOLD. You get a sale, and they don’t lose their momentum.

3 – You still need great pictures!

It should go without saying, but your pictures for an Instagram Market feed still need to be Instagram worthy. If ‘gram users are all about the pretty pictures, don’t go all spammy on them when you actually want them to buy! Use your best product shots – light, uncluttered, and clearly displaying product colours and features. Keep text on the image minimal, with no busy fonts and graphics. Don’t forget for some markets, there may be specific requirements for your images to keep them consistent. I personally love the quality and vibe of the Market Night Official account on Instagram – you can take a peek here www.instagram.com/marketnightofficial

4 – Promote your sale beforehand, but stay ON BRAND.

Having a sale doesn’t mean you need to spam your feed with the same post full of lame graphics a million times a day. YES you need to communicate clearly, but as with all things on Insta – you’re telling a story and you’re weaving it through your posts. Always use your authentic voice, and engage your tribe the way you know best so they get excited about what is coming up. You could mix it up with different styled product shots, customer feedback photos and flatlays, all reminding your followers of your upcoming market and the products on offer. Keep posts true to your brand and vibe, and interesting for your followers. Ask other shops or your brand reps to give the market a shout-out post, and don’t forget to post reminders when the market is on!

5 – Engage your EMAIL Tribe

Do you have a mailing list full of customers who’ve signed up for VIP discounts, sales and other news? Well this is your chance. Hopefully these are people who love your brand, and will jump at the chance of a sale on items they love. Let them know and make it easy for them to shop your sale too with a short, high impact email before the Instagram Market commences. If you don’t have a VIP list – WHY NOT? I loved Tracy’s free e-course on building you tribe with email– you can sign up for it at www.mumswithhustle.com/about.

6 – You still need to do the groundwork!

No matter how well you prepare for an Instagram Market, you may not get the results you’re hoping for if you’re still in the early stages of building your brand on Instagram. There is no substitute for the work needed over time to build a strong, on brand account which has already attracted an engaged following who love what you do. If you’re still in those early stages, Instagram Markets can be a great way to gain exposure and introduce potential followers to your brand, but won’t necessarily result in many sales.

So there you go, 6 key things to consider before you jump into the exciting world of Instagram markets – Happy Instagramming peeps!

Meet Keneena 

Keneena Fanning is a biz mum who loves using social media to connect with her tribe and grow her business. Keneena is the creator behind niche clothing label Kablooie Store, creating bold, fun-filled designs for kids – and occasionally their grownups! Based in Brisbane Queensland, Keneena's vision is to bring big, bold, quirky designs to life in clothing that kids love to wear and adults love to dress them in. You can find her current collections here – www.kablooiestore.com.au.

WEB: www.kablooiestore.com.au
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/kablooiestore
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/kablooiestore
PINTEREST: www.pinterest.com/kablooiestore