Facebook IQ: Digital Research and InsightsFacebook IQ: Digital Research and Insights

How Instagram Boosts Brands and Drives Sales

Explore ways marketers can use Instagram to move the needle and connect with people at each phase of the consumer journey.

Instagram is well-known as a discovery engine for brands, but it can also drive sales and advocacy. Phones in hand, Instagrammers might seek inspiration from people and brands in their feeds, direct message friends for opinions while shopping, make purchases through Shopping on Instagram and post stories to show off what they buy. So how can marketers harness those touch points?

With a focus on how Instagram drives action, Facebook IQ commissioned two studies to learn from people who turn to the platform regularly. The research revealed that Instagram is a platform that goes beyond awareness generation—it drives sales. In fact, 54% of people surveyed say they made a purchase either in the moment or after seeing a product or service on Instagram.

Brands on Instagram gain a halo effect

Brands on Instagram gain a halo effect

Simply by being on Instagram, brands can make a positive impression on potential shoppers. People surveyed say they perceive brands on Instagram as popular (78%), creative (77%), entertaining (76%) and relevant (74%). Those top associations stayed relatively consistent across the globe, with a few differences, like in Japan, where people put informative as their second most-perceived quality.

I really think that if a brand is not on Instagram, it is bypassed. I think it’s the best platform right now to have a branding footprint, [to build] a real brand.

—Rinaldo, 35, Brazil

People surveyed say they perceive brands on Instagram as the following:

Popular78%

Creative77%

Entertaining76%

Relevant74%

Committed to building community72%

Brand content on Instagram helps potential shoppers

Brand content on Instagram helps potential shoppers

Instagram plays a key role at every step of the purchase process. People use the platform to discover what's trending, research products before buying and decide whether or not to make a purchase—and each of these moments offer touch points on Instagram where marketers can drive action.

People surveyed say Instagram helps them with the following:

discover new products or services

research products or services

decide whether to buy a product or service

Brand-led communications can have a particularly strong impact on people's shopping journeys. In fact, when we asked people how brand content can help them on Instagram, 42% said it helps with discovering products or services, and 44% said it can help them find new information about a product or service. Additionally, 41% of people surveyed said a brand's content helps them research the product or service. People interviewed also expressed a desire to hear from brands in their own voices.

Product information on Instagram drives action

Product information on Instagram drives action

Of people surveyed, 87% said that they took action after seeing product information on Instagram, such as following a brand, visiting their website or making a purchase online. Instagram has made these actions easier for consumers with the addition of Shopping on Instagram, so people can click on specific products.

People surveyed said they took the following actions after seeing a product or service on Instagram:

79%searched for more information

65%visited the brand's website or app

46%made a purchase online or offline

37%visited a retail store

31%followed the brand’s account online

29%talked to someone about it

The people we surveyed said they find product information in a number of ways on Instagram. For example, Joy, a 44-year-old woman in the US, clicks on the “Learn More” button to be taken to the brand's website, while Lauren, a 29-year-old woman in Canada, reads comments on brand posts when looking for product reviews. Sometimes people use Instagram like a shop window, like Julia, a 20-year-old woman in Brazil, who looks at the different ways people wear their clothes, then checks the hashtags for more brand information. Instagram allows marketers to connect with customers in an immersive way, making shopping actionable and facilitating brand communications throughout the consumer journey.

“I really like the Instagram Shopping price tag feature because I always want to know more information—especially the price—before I purchase.”

–Sunyoung, 37, South Korea

What it means for marketers

What it means for marketers

  • Set your brand up for success.

    Instagrammers say they find brands on the platform to be more popular, creative and entertaining. Ensure your brand has a strong presence on Instagram so you can find that potential goodwill. Learn how to enhance your Instagram account with free online courses on Facebook Blueprint.

  • Engage at every step.

    Instagrammers want to hear from brands, so deliver content to them at every stage of the consumer journey. Post content that promotes discovery (like targeted ads or hashtags), aids in research (like testimonials, reviews or product details) or helps at decision time (like offering sales or limited-time offers).

  • Think beyond awareness.

    Expand your marketing strategy on Instagram to drive metrics beyond awareness. Consider experimenting with different messages and creative on your next Instagram campaign, and see how other brands succeed on Instagram in these case studies.

Sources unless otherwise specified:

“Project Instagram” by Ipsos (Facebook-commissioned survey of 21,000 people ages 13–64 in AR, AU, BR, CA, DE, FR, IN, IT, KR, TR, UK, US and ages 18–64 in Japan), Nov 2018. All participants said they used Instagram at least once per week. Survey response styles might vary across countries due to cultural differences, but scale anchors remained fixed within each country.

“Instagrammers on Brands” by LRWTonic (Facebook-commissioned interviews with 70 Instagram users ages 18+ in AU, BR, CA, DE, FR, JP, KR, US, UK), Nov 2018. All participants said they used Instagram multiple times a day and have interacted with brands and advertisements on the platform. Survey response styles might vary across countries due to cultural differences, but scale anchors remained fixed within each country.

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