How to Sell on Instagram Without a Website

Nowadays, more and more businesses are developing on social media. Instagram has long been one of the most popular platforms for selling goods, services, etc. There are many ways to sell on Instagram. Instagram shopping without website — via direct messages — used to be popular. But now there are many new features that allow you to engage in such activities both with and without a website.

Many people are interested in how to sell on Instagram without a website. In this article, we will look at the new opportunities offered by social media. We will also discuss selling on Instagram for beginners. How to sell products on Instagram, Instagram shop setup guide, how the Instagram checkout feature works, and much more — read on.

So how to sell on Instagram without a website

Now let’s figure out how to sell on Instagram without a website and setting up a store. This method may not be as effective, but it is quite realistic and easier to set up. It is best suited for beginners who have not yet figured out all the ins and outs of doing business on Instagram and do not have a large budget.

First, you need to create a business account.

How do you do that?

• Go to “Settings and Privacy.”
• Select “Account Type and Tools.”
• Click “Add a New Business Account” or “Switch to a Professional Account.”
• Select the desired business category.
• Enter your contact information.
• Confirm and save your changes.

Next, select how you want to receive orders

You can accept orders in person or by creating an order form. 

If you accept orders in person, this is usually done via Instagram Direct. Here, you should encourage users to send you a message. 

You can mention this in your posts, stories, or, for example, in your profile header.

But we would call this like selling on Instagram for beginners. Because they may not have a bunch of orders. As your business grows, it will be difficult to respond to customer messages in a timely manner. Don’t forget that some messages need to be filtered, and not all of them are about your product or service. There has always been a lot of spam on social media, which has repeatedly confused people. 

Therefore, if you still want to continue accepting orders personally, you can use the services of a direct manager.

There is also the option of creating a form. Software for managing online orders will help you with this. 

Then Instagram shopping without website will look like this:

Users will be able to place orders themselves, choose a convenient delivery method, payment, etc. 

How to sell products on Instagram and attract users’ attention?

You have set up a business account, now you need to understand how to encourage people to buy your product and get interested in this profile.

Profile description/header

Let’s start with the basics. The profile header is one of the first things a user sees when they visit your profile. 

It should include:

• Information about the company (the presentation should be simple, interesting, and concise)
• Your promotions and special offers
• Unique selling point
• Links to other social networks, website (if any), or order form.

Content 

Your content is your face.

Therefore, pay special attention to posts, stories, and reels. Remember to post regularly. The store should be lively and active. Obviously, if you post once a month, no one will remember you and your content will not be promoted in recommendations.

Make sure your profile looks good. We have already written about how to do this in another article.

Of course, it is possible to post the entire range of the store, but is it practical and attractive?

Therefore, posts and reels should show, for example, UGC videos/photos, professionally shot materials, memes, trending content, conversational videos where you talk about your product, etc.

This way, you will leave only the “essentials” in your feed and be able to create a beautiful, “tasty” visual. Entertainment content will attract more people and build greater trust in your brand.

Instead, post your entire product range in your stories and create relevant content, dividing it into categories.

A person will visit your profile, see something relevant, for example, with the caption “dresses,” and immediately understand where to click to find what they need.

Special offers

It’s no secret that people love special offers.

Therefore, regularly launch new promotions to increase sales.

Promotion — advertising on Instagram

There are many ways to promote your brand, both paid and free. If you want to read more about this, we have already written an article about it. 

You need to understand that a brand will not grow rapidly without quality promotion. Therefore, it is better to start right away than to wait for a miracle, thinking, “Maybe someday I’ll get into the recommendations.”

Instagram shop setup guide

If you have decided to set up a store on Instagram and improve your sales process, here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it:

1. Make sure your business meets Meta’s requirements

• This feature is available in your country
• You sell physical goods (clothing, cosmetics, accessories, etc.).
• You comply with Meta’s Commerce Policy.
• You have a business account on Instagram and a Facebook page.

2. Create or switch your Instagram account to a business account

• Go to Settings → Account → Switch to Professional Account.
• Select Business type.
• Fill in your company profile: name, address, website, contact details.

3. Create a product catalog (Commerce Manager)

• Go to Meta Commerce Manager.
• Select “Create a catalog.”
• Add products manually or through integration (Shopify, BigCommerce).
• Select the “Checkout with Instagram” option to sell directly in the app.

4. Connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts

• On Instagram: Settings → Business → Connect a Facebook Page.
• In Facebook Business Suite: check that your accounts are synced correctly.

5. Apply for access to Instagram Shopping

• In Commerce Manager: Settings → Instagram Shopping → Submit for Review.
• Meta will review your profile (up to 48 hours).

6. Enable the shopping feature

• Once approved: Edit Profile → Public Business Information → Action Buttons → Shop.
• Select the catalog you want to use.

7. Add product tags

• In posts, Reels, or Stories, click “Tag products.”
• Select products from your catalog.
• Products will be displayed as tags that link to the purchase page.

How to create an ad with the shopping feature?

• Create an ad through Ads Manager with the “Shopping” format.
• Select the Conversions → Catalog Sales goal.
• Test audiences, A/B splits, and dynamic ads.

Instagram checkout feature

In our shop setup guide, we mentioned the payment feature. What is it, and how does it work?

The payment feature on Instagram (Checkout on Instagram) is available in the US and allows users to purchase products directly in the app without going to an external website. It is designed for the convenience of both customers and brands.

How to connect Checkout on Instagram (US only)

• Have an active Instagram Shop (in Commerce Manager).
• In Commerce Manager → Settings → Checkout, select: Checkout on Instagram and Facebook (not Website).
• Complete Business Verification.
• Add your bank details to receive payments.
• Fill in information about taxes, shipping, and returns.

Advantages of the Checkout feature

• Buyers don’t leave Instagram = higher conversion rate.
• Simplified purchasing process = fewer abandoned carts.
• Access to exclusive Meta e-commerce tools

In summary

Promotion on Instagram without a website is possible, but let’s be honest, it’s not always practical. Of course, large businesses need to create more sales channels. However, if you are a beginner and don’t know how to deal with all the technical issues, you can safely sell your products without a website.