How to Add Instagram to My Shopify Website

Your Instagram grid isn't just a collection of photos, it’s a powerful visual storefront that can drive sales and build massive brand credibility. By connecting it directly to your Shopify website, you bridge the gap between social engagement and e-commerce conversion. This guide will walk you through exactly how to set up the official Instagram shopping channel and how to embed a beautiful, live Instagram feed directly onto your store's pages.

Why You Should Connect Instagram to Your Shopify Store

Before we get into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." Integrating Instagram with Shopify isn’t a vanity project, it’s a strategic move with tangible benefits. When customers see your products in a real-world, lifestyle context on your feed, it transforms them from simple items into desirable experiences.

• Build Instant Social Proof: A live feed showcasing your products and happy customers is one of the most powerful forms of social proof you can have. It tells new visitors, "People love our products, and so will you." This visual evidence builds trust far more effectively than a standard text-based testimonial.
• Turn Browsers into Shoppers: The native Instagram sales channel allows you to tag your products directly in your posts and stories. When a follower sees a product they like, they can tap to see the price and then tap again to go directly to your Shopify product page to make a purchase. This frictionless path from discovery to checkout is a game-changer for conversion rates.
• Increase Engagement and Time on Site: An interactive, browseable Instagram feed on your homepage encourages visitors to stick around longer. They get a feel for your brand’s personality and community, which can significantly reduce bounce rates and increase their connection to your brand.
• Centralize Your Product Catalog: By connecting the two platforms, your Shopify product catalog syncs with your Instagram and Facebook accounts. This makes managing product tags, pricing, and availability seamless across all your sales channels.

Method 1: Activate Instagram Shopping with Shopify’s Native Sales Channel

The most powerful way to integrate Instagram is by activating shoppable posts. This feature, officially managed through the "Facebook & Instagram" sales channel in Shopify, allows you to turn your entire feed into a clickable catalog. Here’s the step-by-step process to get it set up.

What You Need Before You Start

To ensure a smooth setup, make sure you have the following ready. Meta (Facebook's parent company) has a few requirements you must meet before you can be approved for shopping features.

• An Instagram Business Account: If your account is still a personal or creator account, you'll need to switch it to a Business Account. You can do this in your Instagram settings under Account >, Switch account type.
• A Connected Facebook Business Page: Your Instagram Business Account must be linked to a Facebook Business Page. Instagram is owned by Meta, and this connection is how they manage commercial features.
• A Shopify Store with an Online Store Sales Channel: You obviously need a Shopify store, but you must also have an active online store.
• Primary Location in a Supported Country: Your business must be located in a country where Instagram Shopping is available. You can find the most current list on Meta’s business help center.
• Products that Comply with Meta's Commerce Policies: Your products must adhere to Meta’s guidelines. Certain items, like services, digital goods, and subscriptions, aren't eligible for tagging.

Step-by-Step Guide to Connecting the Channel

Once you’ve got the prerequisites sorted, you can move on to the actual setup within your Shopify admin.

1. Add the Facebook & Instagram Sales Channel: From your Shopify admin dashboard, navigate to the sidebar menu. Find "Sales channels" and click the "+" button. In the pop-up window, locate "Facebook & Instagram" and click "Add."
2. Connect Your Facebook Account: On the channel’s setup page, you'll be prompted to start the setup for Facebook. Click "Start Setup." You'll then be asked to connect the Facebook account that has admin access to your Business Page and ad account. Log in and grant the necessary permissions.
3. Connect Your Business Assets: Shopify will then guide you through connecting your correct Facebook Business Page. Select the page you linked to your Instagram Business Account earlier. You may also need to connect your pixel and ad account if you plan on running ads.
4. Set Up Meta Commerce Manager: This is where your products will officially sync. You’ll be asked to connect a Commerce Account. If you don't have one, you can create a new one during this step. This account is what holds your synced product catalog from Shopify.
5. Agree to Terms and Wait for Approval: After connecting all your assets and reviewing the settings, you’ll need to accept Meta's terms and conditions. Once you submit, your account will be sent for review. This review process can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. Meta reviews your account to make sure it complies with their policies.

What to Do After You’re Approved

You’ll receive a notification once Meta has approved your account for Instagram Shopping. Now, you can start tagging products! When you create a new post or Reel in the Instagram app, you’ll see an option to “Tag Products.” Simply tap on the image where your product appears, search for the product from your synced Shopify catalog, and place the tag. Your followers can then tap the post to shop directly.

Method 2: Display a Live Instagram Feed on Your Shopify Store

While Instagram Shopping targets existing followers on the app, embedding your live feed on your actual website engages store visitors and builds brand credibility. It shows off your curated aesthetic and user-generated content right where people are making purchasing decisions. Here are the two most common ways to do this.

Using a Shopify App (The Easiest Route)

The simplest and most popular method is to use one of the many dedicated apps available in the Shopify App Store. These apps handle the technical side for you and offer extensive customization options without requiring any coding knowledge.

Apps like Instafeed, Foursixty, or Covet.pics are popular because they are feature-rich and reliable. While features vary by app, the general setup process is very similar:

1. Install the App: Go to the Shopify App Store, search for an Instagram feed app, and add it to your store.
2. Connect Your Instagram Account: Once installed, you’ll be prompted to log into your Instagram account to authorize the app.
3. Customize Your Feed's Layout: This is where apps shine. You can typically customize the number of rows and columns, the spacing between images, what happens when a user clicks a photo (e.g., opens a pop-up, links to the original post, or goes to a product page), and whether to show likes and comments.
4. Add the Feed to Your Website: The final step is embedding the feed on a page. Modern Shopify themes make this incredibly easy. In your theme editor (Online Store >, Themes >, Customize), select the page you want to edit (like your homepage). Click "Add section," and you should see a new section available from the app you just installed (e.g., "Instafeed" or a generic "Instagram Feed" section). Add it, position it where you want, and save. That's it!

Manually Adding a Feed with an Embed Code (For Advanced Users)

If you prefer a more hands-on approach or want to avoid installing another app, you can use a third-party embedding tool to generate a snippet of HTML code that you can paste into your Shopify theme.

Important: Before editing any theme code, always duplicate your theme to create a backup copy. This gives you a safe version to revert to if anything goes wrong.

1. Generate Your Embed Code: Use a service like LightWidget or Snapwidget. These tools let you connect your Instagram account, customize the look of your feed, and then generate a line of HTML or JavaScript code.
2. Copy the Code: Once you've styled your feed, the tool will provide a code snippet. Copy this entire block of code to your clipboard.
3. Add a "Custom Liquid" Section in Shopify: The safest way to add this code is through Shopify’s theme editor. Navigate to your theme customizer, go to the page where you want the feed, and click "Add section." Search for and select the "Custom Liquid" section.
4. Paste and Tweak: Paste the code you copied from the generator into the "Custom Liquid" block. You may need to adjust settings like "section width" within the Shopify editor to make it look right. Save your changes, and the feed should now be live on your store.

Best Practices for a High-Converting Instagram Strategy

Simply connecting your accounts isn't enough. You need a strategy to make it effective. As a brand on social media, your goal is to build an organic community and create engaging content that drives results.

• Curate a Cohesive Aesthetic: Your Instagram feed is a brand asset. Use consistent filters, colors, and photography styles that align with your brand identity. A visually appealing and consistent grid is more likely to earn a follow and keep visitors browsing.
• Champion User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your customers to share photos with your products using a specific hashtag. Featuring UGC on your feed and homepage feed is organic social proof that converts incredibly well. It shows real people enjoying your products, which builds trust.
• Mix Shoppable Posts with Lifestyle Content: Don't make every single post a shoppable one. Your audience follows you for more than just products, they follow you for inspiration and community. Mix in behind-the-scenes content, customer stories, and valuable tips to keep your feed engaging and authentic.
• Keep Your "Link in Bio" Updated: Use a tool like Linktree or Campsite to create a mini-landing page for the single link allowed in your Instagram bio. This allows you to direct followers to your store, a specific product collection, your blog, or your latest promotion.

Final Thoughts

Integrating Instagram into your Shopify store is a marketing and sales powerhouse. Whether you're enabling shoppable posts to drive direct conversions or embedding a live feed to build social proof and brand identity, the connection between these two platforms is an essential part of a modern e-commerce strategy.

As your social media presence grows across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, managing all that content can feel overwhelming. At Postbase, we built our tool specifically for the demands of modern, video-first social media. The problem with many older tools is they weren't designed for Reels, Stories, or TikToks, they were an afterthought. We provide a clean, visual calendar to plan all your content, reliable multi-platform scheduling that just works, and a unified inbox so you never miss a comment or DM. It's the simple, modern way to manage social without the headache.