As social and video commerce continue their rapid ascendency in a locked down world, Instagram has added a Shop tab to its home screen , making it easier for users to buy the things they find in the videos and images posted on the site. The social network is also enhancing its Reels feature to aid discovery.
Instagram first launched Reels a few months ago and it has already seen amazing reels from creators, like roller skating with @esty, comedy from @cameronjhenderson, motivation from @paperboytheprince, and wheelchair choreography from dance team @rolletes_la. Now, it is rolling out the Reels tab to be a kind of a stage, a place where people can share their creativity with the world and have a chance to break out and find an audience.
With the Shop tab, the company is making it easy to get inspired by creators, shop on Instagram and support small businesses. Users can find personalised recommendations, editors’ picks curated by our @shop channel, shoppable videos, new product collections, and more.
The social site said in a statement: “At Instagram, our focus has always been on young people and creators because they’re trendsetters. Change is happening quickly right now, including how both of these groups use Instagram and engage with the world. This year, with the pandemic and much of the world sheltering in place, we’ve seen an explosion in short, entertaining videos on Instagram. We’ve also seen an incredible amount of shopping move online, with more and more people buying online and young people looking to their favorite creators for recommendations on what to buy.”
Brian Green, Head of Commercial Sales, EMEA, Adobe, comments: “By bringing the Reels and Shop tabs front and centre on the home screen, Instagram is making clear that its future lies in video and commerce. What started as a social network for sharing images with friends is now one of the most valuable storefronts for brands to promote their products via content creators with loyal fans and followers and through their own brand pages. People are spending more time online and on social platforms and this move makes the user journey that starts with seeing something they love in a social post and buying it even more seamless.”
