How to Link Shopify to Instagram

Connecting your Shopify store to Instagram transforms your feed from a simple gallery into a dynamic, clickable storefront. This guide will walk you through the entire process step-by-step, covering everything from initial setup and product syncing to creating your very first shoppable post.

Why Link Shopify to Instagram? The Social Commerce Advantage

In today’s market, social commerce isn’t just a trend, it’s a fundamental part of how modern brands sell products. By directly integrating your Shopify catalog with your Instagram and Facebook presence, you close the gap between discovery and purchase. Customers no longer have to leave the app, search for your website, and try to find the product they just saw. Instead, they can tap, browse, and buy right from their feed, Stories, or Reels.

This seamless experience offers several huge benefits:

• Reduced Friction: The fewer steps a customer has to take, the higher the chance of conversion. Instagram Shopping eliminates cumbersome steps, letting users go from "I love this" to "It's mine" in seconds.
• Meeting Customers Where They Are: Millions of people use Instagram daily to discover new brands and products. By making your feed shoppable, you’re tapping into an active, engaged audience that’s already in a buying mindset.
• Enhanced Content Strategy: Product tags add a layer of interactivity to your content. Your posts, Reels, and Stories become more than just marketing - they become gateways to your products, enriching the viewer’s experience.
• Centralized Product Management: Every change you make in your Shopify backend - like updating prices, inventory, or product descriptions - automatically syncs with your product catalog on Instagram and Facebook. No more double data entry.

Before You Start: Eligibility Requirements

Before you dive into the technical setup, it's important to make sure your business is eligible. Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) has a few requirements you need to meet to activate Instagram Shopping. Running through this checklist first can save you a lot of time and frustration later.

1. Have a Shopify Online Store: This integration requires an active Shopify store with any paid plan.
2. Sell Physical Products: Your store must primarily sell physical goods. While some services are permitted, the process is optimized for ecommerce brands with tangible products.
3. Operate in a Supported Country: Meta Commerce features are only available in specific regions. You can find the most up-to-date list of supported countries here.
4. Own a Facebook Page and Instagram Professional Account: You need an Instagram account that has been converted to a Creator or Business account. This Instagram account must also be connected to a Facebook page for your business.
5. Adhere to Meta's Commerce Policies: Your products and business must comply with Meta’s Commerce Policies or their Commerce Eligibility Requirements. This primarily means you can't sell prohibited items like weapons, animals, or subscription services.

The Main Event: Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Once you've confirmed you meet all the requirements, it's time to get everything connected. The process is handled through a Shopify app that acts as a bridge between your store and Meta’s commerce ecosystem.

Step 1: Add the "Facebook & Instagram" App to Shopify

First things first, you need to install the official sales channel app from the Shopify App Store.

• From your Shopify Admin dashboard, go to Sales Channels in the left-hand menu.
• Click the "App and sales channel settings" button to go to the Shopify App Store.
• Search for "Facebook & Instagram" and select the official app developed by Meta.
• Click "Add App" and then "Add Sales Channel" to install it.

Step 2: Connect Your Facebook Account

Once the app is installed, it will prompt you to begin the setup process. The first part is connecting your personal Facebook account, which acts as the administrator for your business assets (like your business page and ad account).

• In the app's setup screen, click "Start Setup."
• A pop-up will appear asking you to connect your Facebook account. Click "Connect Account" and log in with your personal Facebook credentials.
• Give Shopify the necessary permissions to manage your business assets. This is completely safe and standard practice. It doesn’t give Shopify access to your personal information, only the business pages and advertising tools you manage.

Step 3: Connect Your Business Assets

This is where you tell Shopify which specific Facebook and Instagram assets to use. The app will automatically pull a list of assets associated with your connected Facebook account.

• Connect Business Manager: Select the Facebook Business Manager that holds your business page and other assets. If you don't have one, the setup process can help you create one.
• Connect Facebook Page: Choose the Facebook Page for your business. This page must be connected to your Instagram account. If you haven't done this already, you can do it directly within your Instagram app settings under Settings >, Account Center >, Connected Experiences >, Sharing Across Profiles.
• Connect Instagram Profile: Select the professional Instagram account you want to enable for shopping.

Step 4: Set Up Data Sharing and Commerce Account

Next, you’ll configure how Shopify shares data with Meta and create the commerce account that will manage your product catalog.

• Data sharing preferences: You'll be asked to choose a data-sharing level for the Meta Pixel. The "Maximum" setting is highly recommended, as it shares the most comprehensive data about customer behavior, which is invaluable for advertising and retargeting campaigns. Select your preference and connect your Meta Pixel (or create a new one).
• Connect a Commerce Account: This is the backend system that houses your products on Meta's side. You can either select an existing Commerce Account or follow the prompts to create a new one. All of your products will sync to this account.

Step 5: Sync Your Shopify Products and Submit for Review

This is the final step where the magic happens. After configuring your assets, you’ll need to accept the terms and conditions and finish the setup process.

• Once you submit, Shopify will begin syncing all of your eligible products to your newly created Meta product catalog. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending on how many products you have.
• After the initial sync, Meta needs to review your account to make sure it complies with their policies. This review process usually takes 24-48 hours. You’ll receive a notification in your Shopify admin once your shop has been approved.

You’re Connected! Now What? Leveraging Instagram Shopping Features

Getting your store connected is just the start. Now you can use Instagram's powerful social commerce features to drive sales directly from your content. Here are the best ways to get started:

How to Create Shoppable Posts

Tagging products in your feed posts is the most foundational way to use Instagram Shopping.

1. Start creating a new post just like you normally would.
2. After adding filters and a caption, you'll see a new option: "Tag Products."
3. Tap the photo where you want the tag to appear, then search for and select the product from your catalog (the one that synced from Shopify).
4. You can tag up to five products per single-image post or up to 20 for a carousel post. Finish sharing, and you’re done! Your post will now have a small shopping bag icon, and users can tap it to see the tagged products.

How to Create Shoppable Stories and Reels

The process is similar for Stories and Reels and is just as effective.

• For Stories: After uploading or taking a photo or video for your Story, tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen. Look for the "Product" sticker. Select it, and then choose the product you want to feature from your catalog. You can customize the sticker’s color and place it anywhere you like.
• For Reels: Record or upload your Reel. On the final share screen (where you write your caption), look for the "Tag Products" option. Tap it and select the product or collection you want to feature.

Best Practices for Maximizing Sales

• Be Authentic: Don't make every post a hard sell. Weave shoppable tags into authentic, high-quality content that provides value. Show your products in real-world scenarios.
• Use High-Quality Visuals: Instagram is a visual platform. Crisp, clear, and compelling photos and videos are non-negotiable for getting people to stop scrolling.
• Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Share photos of your customers using your products (with their permission, of course) and make them shoppable. It’s fantastic social proof.
• Create "Product Saved Collections": In Instagram, you can add products to saved collections on your profile page, essentially curating a mini-storefront for new visitors. It’s a great way to highlight new arrivals, best-sellers, or seasonal items.
• Promote Your Shoppable Content: Use Ads Manager to boost your best-performing shoppable posts to reach a wider, targeted audience. This turns your organic content into a powerful advertising asset.

Final Thoughts

Connecting Shopify to Instagram is an essential move for any ecommerce brand serious about growth. This integration transforms your content strategy into a revenue-generating machine by turning passive viewers into active shoppers, creating a seamless and engaging buying experience directly within the app.

Once your shop is connected and your catalog is synced, the real fun begins: creating and scheduling all that great shoppable content. Consistency is everything on social media, but managing a content calendar across multiple platforms can be a huge challenge. That’s why we built Postbase. Our visual calendar lets you plan and schedule your shoppable feed posts, Reels, and Stories weeks in advance. It's designed for how brands use social media today, focusing on simplicity, reliability, and creating a workflow that saves you hours every week.