{"id":139805,"date":"2026-10-23T16:07:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/uk\/tutorials\/how-to-sell-products-on-instagram\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T16:07:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:07:02","slug":"how-to-sell-products-on-instagram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/uk\/tutorials\/how-to-sell-products-on-instagram\/","title":{"rendered":"How to sell products on Instagram in 9 steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

To sell products on Instagram, switch to a professional account, send shoppers from your bio, Stories, and direct messages (DMs) to product pages on your online store, and promote those products with posts, Reels, and ads. Once Meta, the company behind Instagram, approves your account for shopping, you can also add clickable product tags to posts and Reels.<\/p>

Links work from the first day. Product tags need an Instagram shop that Meta has approved it, so the shop, catalog, and tagging steps apply only if you want tags.<\/p>

Either way, buyers pay through your checkout, not Instagram’s, so you need an online store or a payment link to take payments. Your checkout opens in Instagram’s in-app browser, so buyers never leave the app.<\/p>

Instagram is already a major route into online stores. In the third quarter (Q3) of 2026, at least 17.3% of Hostinger Ecommerce carts containing products were opened in Instagram’s in-app browser.<\/p>

The nine steps to start selling products on Instagram are below.<\/p>

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  1. Switch to an Instagram professional account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Set up your shop in Meta Commerce Manager.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Create or connect your product catalog.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Turn on Instagram shopping features.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Optimize your Instagram profile for selling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Create content that showcases your products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Promote products with Reels, Stories, and ads.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Engage with potential customers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Track performance and refine your strategy.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

    Instagram itself charges nothing to sell. Your costs are your store plan, any ads you run, and payment processing fees, which payment companies charge to handle each sale.<\/p>

    To sell more, use clear product photos, customer posts, and quick replies that answer buyers’ questions and guide them toward checkout.<\/p>

    1. Switch to an Instagram professional account<\/h2>

    To switch to an Instagram professional account, open your profile, tap the menu (☰), and go to Settings and activity<\/strong> → Account type and tools<\/strong> → Switch to professional account<\/strong>. A professional account is Instagram’s free account type for businesses and creators, and it gives you ad tools, messaging tools, and access to shopping features.<\/p>

    Like other platforms for selling through social media<\/a>, Instagram keeps its selling tools behind a business-type account. On a personal account, Ad tools<\/strong> stay locked, and Meta won’t review the account for shopping.<\/p>

    We tested every path and label in this guide in the Instagram app for Android in October 2026. The iPhone app may place some options differently.<\/p>

    \n \n \n \n <\/svg>\n Warning <\/span>\n

    \n Switching makes your profile public, and Instagram notes that your content can then appear in search engines. Archive or delete anything you don't want public before you switch. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/p>

    Instagram walks you through seven screens in this order.<\/p>

      \n
    1. Tap Next<\/strong> on the intro screen.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Pick a category under What best describes you?<\/strong>. Shopping & retail<\/strong> appears in the suggested list, and Display on profile<\/strong> is on by default.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Tap Switch to professional account<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Select Business<\/strong> under What type of professional are you?<\/strong> and tap Next<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Choose whether to receive promotional emails from Instagram, then tap Next<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Review your contact info and turn on Display contact info<\/strong> to add contact buttons to your profile, or tap Don’t use my contact info<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Tap Login to Facebook<\/strong> to connect a Facebook Page, or tap Skip<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

      Tap Skip<\/strong> on the Facebook Page screen if you only sell on Instagram. According to Meta’s guide to setting up a shop<\/a>, Instagram-only sellers don’t need a Facebook business Page to create a shop. Some ecommerce platform integrations still require one, though, so check your platform’s requirements before you skip this step.<\/p>

      Choose Business<\/strong> if you sell your own products, because Meta’s shop setup asks for an Instagram business account. Creator<\/strong> is meant for public figures, content producers, artists, and influencers.<\/p>

      2. Set up your shop in Meta Commerce Manager<\/h2>

      To set up your Instagram shop, create a Meta Commerce Manager account, add your Instagram business account to your business portfolio, and complete the tasks under Set up your shop<\/strong>. Commerce Manager is Meta’s tool for managing the products you sell on Facebook and Instagram.<\/p>

      A business portfolio is the Meta account that holds your business assets, such as your Instagram account, product catalog, and Facebook Page, if you have one. Commerce Manager lets you create a Page and a catalog during setup if you don’t have them yet. <\/p>

      Check that your business meets Meta’s commerce eligibility requirements<\/a>, the rules for selling on Instagram, before you create your shop. As of October 2026, the requirements cover five areas, and Meta only approves shops that meet all five.<\/p>