In 2015, the social platform started allowing advertisers to add a “buy now” button to ads that would link to a retailer’s store, fortune.com reports.
Instagram said that 20 US-based retail brands – including Kate Spade, JackThreads, Warby Parker, Coach, and J.Crew – will start sharing organic posts (not advertisements) of items, which will include a small “tap to view” icon at the bottom left of a photo.
When tapped, a tag will appear on items within the post, and Instagram users can zero in on a tag to see a more detailed view of the product, which could include pricing information and more. Retailers can then choose to include a “Shop Now” link, and the potential buyer will be led directly to the listing on the retailer’s web page.
For now, Instagram, which has 500 million monthly active users, is not taking any financial cut from purchases made through these types of posts, and makes money only from advertising. Acquired by Facebook for USD 1 billion in 2012, Instagram only opened up its advertising programme in September 2016.
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