How to Sell Merch on Instagram
By The Merch Counter team · Updated · 3 min read
To sell merch on Instagram, put your shop link in your bio, announce it with a launch post showing real people in the merch, keep it visible in Stories and highlights, and repost customers wearing it. Your followers already like your business; the job is reminding them that they can wear it.
Step 1: Add your shop link to your bio
Your bio is where your links live all the time, unlike a Story link sticker, which disappears after a day. Add it under Edit profile (Instagram's steps).
- Instagram allows up to five links in a bio, but only the first shows without a tap. Put your merch shop first for launch week.
- If you use a link-in-bio page, put "Shop our merch" near the top.
- Mention it in your bio text: "☕ Merch → link below".
Your shop on The Merch Counter has its own address (yourname.themerchcounter.com), so it's easy to add.
Tip: add ?utm_source=instagram to the end of the link so you can tell which visits came from Instagram.
It's a standard UTM tag, the same kind Google Analytics reads.
Step 2: Make a launch post
Your launch post is the one most people will see, so it's worth an hour.
Use real people, in your place. A regular in the hoodie at their usual table beats any flat product shot. Staff work too. Shoot it with your samples, so people see the real product.
Use a carousel. First image: the best photo of a person wearing the merch. Then one image per product. Last image: "Link in bio."
Write a short caption. Three parts: what it is, why you made it, where to get it.
Example captions:
You asked. We made shirts. ☕ Mugs, tees and totes with our logo, printed to order and shipped to your door. Link in bio.
Ten years on Elm Street, and finally: merch. 🎉 The anniversary tee is here for a month only. Shop at the link in our bio.
Our baristas have been wearing these for a week and you keep asking. Now you can get one too. Link in bio.
Step 3: Use Stories
Stories are where you can talk about merch more often without overloading your feed.
- Behind the scenes: unboxing your samples, picking colors.
- Launch day: a countdown sticker, then a link sticker to your shop.
- Polls: "Which color next?" It gets people thinking about which one they'd buy.
- Customer reposts: share every post someone tags you in.
- A highlight called "Merch" so the Stories stay on your profile.
Step 4: Repost your customers
When customers post photos in your merch, ask permission and share them. It thanks them, shows other followers that real people buy it, and gives you something to post.
Encourage it: a sign by the register saying "Tag us in your merch for a free [drink/cookie]" works well. Ask people to mention the reward in their post: the FTC expects free or discounted products given for a post to be disclosed. More: How to Get Customers to Post Your Merch.
Step 5: Keep mentioning it
One post isn't a launch. Plan a reminder:
- When you add a new product or color
- When seasons change (hoodie season, summer tees)
- Before the holidays, with an order-by date
- On your anniversary
Reels and TikTok
Short videos work well for merch:
- "We put our logo on five products" — a quick reveal
- A regular trying on the hoodie
- Packing up your sample order, or opening it
- Your team in matching aprons
Keep them short, show real people and your space, and point to the link in your bio.
Common mistakes
- Only posting flat product photos. Show people.
- Posting once and never again.
- Hiding the link. Say "link in bio" every time.
- Forgetting Stories highlights.
Related: How to Market Your Merch · How to Launch Your Merch