Instagram is prepared to turn its social network into a shopping destination with “Buy Now” Links.
The service is going to let brands put clickable links in their imagery. Users will know to look for links thanks to the addition of a new icon at the bottom of the photo. When pressed, white text bubbles will spring up with information and links to as many as five products per photo. Tapping one of these links will open a more detailed product page, from which users can choose to jump to the brand’s retail web site to buy that particular product.
Instagram is calling this new tool a test for brands and has partnered with 20 U.S. retailers, including Kate Spade, JackThreads, and Warby Parker. Social media stars have learned to make money through Instagram by partnering with brands to showcase those brands’ products in imagery shared to their many Instagram followers.
The new shopping functionality will reach the iOS version of Instagram in the next week. Instagram didn’t say how long the test might last before shopping is rolled out to other versions of its mobile app.
