Before you panic about what to post or how to stand out, we’ve got your back. Here are a few Instagram BFCM hacks to help you turn followers into buyers.
Instagram Hacks to Increase BFCM Sales
Update Your Instagram Bio for BFCM
Your Instagram bio acts as a mini-billboard during BFCM. Updating it with relevant calls-to-action and direct shopping links can turn passive visitors into active shoppers.
Here’s what you can do:
Direct Link: Update the bio link to point to your dedicated BFCM landing page, best-selling product, or curated sales collection for easy conversion.
Urgent CTA: Use language that prompts immediate action, such as “Flash Sale Live—Shop Now!” or “Early Access—Tap Below!”
Hashtags or Contest Entry: Feature a branded hashtag for user-generated content or contests, like “Tag #BrandBFCMHaul for a chance to win!”
Emoji Highlights: Use relevant emojis to make your bio more eye-catching
Use Instagram Shopping Features
Instagram’s native shopping tools are your biggest asset during BFCM.
Globally, 130 million users tap on shopping tags every month.
That’s why you need to use shoppable posts and stories to tag products in high-conversion lifestyle shots. This makes it effortless for users to tap and shop directly from their feed.
Did You Know? You can tag up to 20 products and shops in a photo feed post. A carousel post, or a single post with up to 10 photos and videos, can have a total of 20 tags across all media items in the carousel. You can tag products in both new and existing posts on your Instagram account. - Source:https://help.instagram.com/2022466637835789?helpref=faq_content
Make sure your product catalog is fully updated with high-quality images, clear descriptions, and accurate pricing to build shopper trust.
Organize your products into themed collections like “Best Sellers” or “BFCM Deals” for easy browsing.
Update your Shop Tab regularly throughout BFCM to reflect live inventory and fresh deals. Finally, leverage Instagram Live Shopping and exclusive product drops to create urgency and boost conversions directly within the app.
Harness Instagram Stories and Highlights for BFCM Sales
Instagram Stories are one of the most powerful tools to drive conversions during BFCM. When combined with Story Highlights, you can create an evergreen, easy-to-navigate sales funnel that keeps shoppers coming back for more.
Instagram Story & Highlight Ideas for BFCM
Daily Deal Drops: Use Stories to announce new deals every day of BFCM. Include countdown stickers to build urgency and “Swipe Up” or product tags to enable quick actions.
Exclusive Flash Sales: Launch limited-time flash offers announced only via Stories to reward your most engaged followers and boost impulse buys.
Use Stickers to Drive Action: Leverage “Link,” “Countdown,” “DM Me,” and “Quiz” stickers to create an interactive journey that feels immediate and personal.
Dedicated BFCM Story Highlight: Create a Story Highlight exclusively for your BFCM campaign deals, FAQs, shipping info, and testimonials so visitors can access vital info anytime during the shopping frenzy.
Organize by Category: Segment your Highlight reels by category (e.g., “Deals,” “New Arrivals,” “Bundles,” “Customer Reviews”) to help users find what interests them without scrolling endlessly.
Gamify Instagram for BFCM
Gamification is a top-performing engagement strategy on Instagram and can translate directly into sales. Here are some fun ideas:
The Perfect Pause Reel
Create a Reel where an animation or visual effect is timed to display a product or deal at a specific moment. The challenge for followers is to pause the video at exactly that moment to “win” a discount, early access, or even a free gift. This encourages multiple views, comments, and shares as users try to master the timing.
To reward participation, you can ask viewers to DM a screenshot or use a custom hashtag to claim their prize. You could also ask the followers to tag three friends in the comments to maximize reach.
Guess-the-Deal Quiz
Run themed quizzes or polls in Instagram Stories, challenging users to guess current or future BFCM discounts, bundled deal details, or secret product features.
Reward correct guesses with time-limited codes, free shipping, or early access perks.
Use question stickers and multiple-choice polls to drive participation.
This or That Polls
“This or That” polls are a quick and engaging way to gauge your audience’s preferences between two products, styles, or offers during BFCM.
When you present your followers with two options to choose from, you get real-time insights into which item is more popular or resonates better with your customers. This data helps prioritize what to promote more aggressively, tailor your inventory focus, and even inform future product development.
Custom AR Filters
Source: Housebeautiful.com
Create branded AR face or product filters, encouraging users to overlay products, logos, or BFCM themes onto their own images or videos.
Those sharing their creations with brand tags or hashtags unlock special deals or get featured in your feed.
Ideas: Virtual try-on filters, “deal reveal” effects, or funny animations for product categories.
This increases virality and organic UGC across Instagram.
Find-the-Difference to Unlock Deals
Post two nearly identical images , task followers with spotting differences, and DM their answers. Each correct entry unlocks special BFCM offers.
You can add a couple of photos as a carousel and ask followers to comment how many they got right. Try leaderboards for repeat participation and influencer collabs to amplify reach.
Use Instagram’s new speed-scroll GIF carousels and 2X zoom Reels as bonus engagement mechanics.
The “Best Use” or “Style It Your Way” Challenge
Launch a community-driven challenge where followers showcase their creativity by demonstrating the best way to use or style your product.
For example, a skincare brand can invite users to share their “Night Ritual” featuring the brand’s serum, while a fashion or accessory label could run a “Style It Your Way” reel challenge.
Encourage participants to post Reels or Stories with a unique branded hashtag such as **#MyBrandstUse or **#StyledBy[BrandName]tagging your account so their content can be reshared. To boost participation, offer incentives like gift cards, discounts, or a chance to be featured on your official page.
Instagram Content Ideas for BFCM
Beyond the core strategies and gamification tactics, diversifying your Instagram content during BFCM is essential to guide your audience toward purchase decisions. Here are some high-impact content formats to add to your feed and Reels repertoire:
Gift Guides
Create curated gift guides featuring your products categorized by recipient, price range, or style themes. For example, “Top Gifts for Him,” “Gifts Under $50,” or “Holiday Must-Haves.” These posts and Reels help buyers quickly find what they need and encourage bundled purchases, making the shopping process easier and boosting average order value.
Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) Content
Share glimpses of your team packing orders, prepping exclusive BFCM bundles, or setting up your warehouse. BTS content adds authenticity and humanizes your brand, building trust and excitement around the sales period. Use Stories and Reels here to create a real-time connection with your followers.
User-Generated Content (UGC) Showcases
Feature customer photos, videos, and testimonials in your feed and Stories. Encourage shoppers to share their own content with branded hashtags and offer incentives for participation. UGC is social proof that helps hesitant shoppers feel confident buying from you during BFCM.
Quick Tips & How-To’s
Post short tutorials, styling tips, or product hacks that highlight the benefits and versatility of your items. This content not only educates your audience but also inspires ways to use your products. It nudges viewers closer to purchase.
Influencer Collaborations & Takeovers
Partner with influencers or brand ambassadors for Instagram Takeovers or co-created Reels. Their authentic voices and wider reach can drive awareness and credibility, especially if they showcase your products in lifestyle contexts aligned with BFCM promotions.
This is fantastic, Anu — you’ve built a full Instagram playbook for BFCM here. 🎯
Since you’ve covered everything exceptInstagram Ads, let’s plug that gap neatly with a final section titled:
Run Instagram Ads That Bring in Revenue this BFCM
Organic reach is great, but during BFCM, strategic ad campaigns help you stay visible when your audience’s feed is packed with “Biggest Sale Ever” posts. Here’s how to make your BFCM ads effective on Instagram.
1. Focus on Retargeting, Not Just Reach
Retarget users who:
Added products to their cart but didn’t check out
Visited your website in the last 30 days]
Engaged with your Instagram profile or Reels recently
💡 Pro tip: Pair dynamic product ads with urgency-based copy like “Almost Gone!” or “Your Wishlist Is On Sale!”
2. Use Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs)
DPAs automatically show users the exact items they viewed or added to their cart. During BFCM, this saves time and maximizes personalization.
Use carousel formats to showcase product variations or bundles
Add festive overlays like “BFCM Deal” or “20% Off Ends Tonight”
Optimize creative for mobile-first scrolling (think: close-up visuals, minimal text)
3. Experiment With Story & Reel Ads
Story and Reel placements have some of the best CTRs during BFCM because they blend seamlessly into content.
Ideas to try:
Quick 6-second video of “Before vs After” using your product
“Tap to Reveal” effect showing original vs discounted price
Limited-time offer countdowns with upbeat trending audio
Pro Tip: Keep it short, dynamic, and vertical.
4. Leverage Custom Audiences + Lookalikes
Don’t rely on cold traffic alone. Build:
Custom audiences from email subscribers, website visitors, or past purchasers Lookalike audiences to find users similar to your best buyers
This ensures your ads hit shoppers who already resemble your proven converters.
5. A/B Test Creative & Copy Early
Start testing now—before the big weekend hits. Try variations like:
Static vs video
Humor vs urgency copy
Product-focused vs lifestyle visuals
Pro Tip: Use early results to identify your top performers and scale those ads during peak sale days.
6. Optimize for Conversions, Not Just Clicks
Use Meta’s Sales or Conversions objective to let the algorithm find purchase-ready users. Add your BFCM landing page as the destination URL, and ensure pixel tracking is correctly set up to measure ROAS accurately.
7. Don’t Forget Post-Purchase Ads
The sale doesn’t end at checkout. Retarget buyers with:
Keep momentum going while ad costs are still low right after BFCM.
8. Track, Tweak, Repeat
Monitor:
CTR and CPM to spot fatigue early
Add-to-cart and purchase events to gauge intent Creative performance to replace underperformers mid-campaign
Automate Instagram DMs to Drive BFCM Sales
Direct Messages are your playground for personal, high-converting interactions during BFCM. Automating DMs can help you respond instantly, guide users to products, and nudge them toward checkout without burning out your team.
1. Set Up Welcome & Instant Replies
Auto-greet new followers: “Hey 👋 Thanks for following! Tap here for early BFCM deals 🎉”
Answer FAQs instantly: Shipping info, return policies, or bundle queries can be pre-set as quick replies.
This keeps your engagement timely and consistent, even when your team is handling hundreds of inquiries.
2. Personalized Product Recommendations
Use automation to send product suggestions based on users’ interests or engagement.
Example: If someone comments “Love this bag 😍,” an automated DM could respond:
“We think you’ll also love our BFCM bundle—grab it before it’s gone! [Link]”
Personalized DMs feel one-to-one but scale effortlessly when automated.
3. Exclusive Offers via DM
Send VIP deals or early-access codes to followers who engage with Stories or Reels.
Example: Story sticker interactions could trigger a DM with a limited-time discount.
This turns DMs into a direct revenue channel while rewarding your most engaged fans.
General Instagram Tips to Boost BFCM Performance
When everyone is running similar campaigns, creativity and consistency are what help your brand stand out. Here are some general yet powerful Instagram tips to keep your visibility and engagement high this BFCM:
Use Trending Audio: Pair your Reels with trending sounds to increase discoverability. Instagram’s algorithm favors content that aligns with popular audio, helping you reach new audiences organically.
Engage Beyond Your Page: Don’t just post—comment meaningfully on posts from influencers, customers, and other brands in your niche. It boosts visibility within shared audiences and positions your brand as part of the conversation.
Think Memes, Not Just Marketing: Inject humor into your BFCM content with relatable memes about holiday shopping chaos or deal frenzy. Memes are shareable, humanize your brand, and often outperform traditional promotional posts in engagement.
Repurpose Content Across Formats: Turn long-form content or product demos into bite-sized Reels or carousel tips. The more touchpoints your audience has with your products, the higher your recall during BFCM.
Wrapping Up
BFCM is fast approaching, and your Instagram strategy can be the game-changer that turns passive followers into paying customers. From updating your bio to automating DMs—every touchpoint counts.
Remember: Instagram isn’t just a social channel during BFCM, it’s a revenue-driving engine. Test, optimize, and iterate in real-time, and you’ll be able to capture attention, boost engagement, and maximize sales like a pro.
Are you overwhelmed by the volume of comments and story reactions?
ZEPIC is here to make your life easier. With our intelligent Instagram automation you can convert this channel into a revenue engine this Black Friday.
Desperate times call for desperate Google/Chat GPT searches, right? "Best Shopify apps for sales." "How to increase online sales fast." "AI tools for ecommerce growth."
Been there. Done that. Installed way too many apps. But here's what nobody tells you while you're doom-scrolling through Shopify app reviews at 2 AM—that magical online sales-boosting app you're searching for? It doesn't exist. Because if it did, Jeff Bezos would've bought (or built!) it yesterday, and we (fellow eCommerce store owners) would all be retired in Bali by now. Growing a Shopify store and increasing online sales isn’t easy—we get it. While everyone’s out chasing the next “revolutionary” tool/trend (looking at you, DeepSeek), the real revenue drivers are probably hiding in plain sight—right there inside your customer data. After working with Shopify stores like yours (shoutout to Cybele, who recovered almost 25% of their abandoned carts with WhatsApp automation), we’ve cracked the code on what actually moves the needle. Ready to stop app-hopping and start actually growing your sales by using what you already have? Here are four fixes that will get you there!
The Painful Truth: You're probably losing about 70% of your potential sales to cart abandonment. That's not just a statistic—it's real money walking out of your digital door. And looking for yet another Shopify app for abandoned cart recovery isn't going to fix it if you're not getting the fundamentals right.
The Quick Fix: Everyone knows you need multi-channel recovery that hits the sweet spot between "Hey, did you forget something?" and "PLEASE COME BACK!" But here's the reality—most recovery apps are a one-trick pony. They either do email OR WhatsApp, not both. And don't even get us started on personalizing offers based on cart value—that usually means toggling between three different dashboards while praying your apps talk to each other.
Enter ZEPIC: This is where we come in. With ZEPIC's automated Flows, you can: Launch WhatsApp recovery messages (with 95% open rates!) Set up perfectly timed email sequences (or vice versa) Create personalized recovery offers not just on cart value but based on your customer’s behavior/preferences Track and optimize everything from one dashboard
Fix #2: Reactivate past customers today
The Painful Truth: You're probably losing about 70% of your potential sales to cart abandonment. That's not just a statistic—it's real money walking out of your digital door. And looking for yet another Shopify app for abandoned cart recovery isn't going to fix it if you're not getting the fundamentals right.
The Quick Fix: Everyone knows you need multi-channel recovery that hits the sweet spot between "Hey, did you forget something?" and "PLEASE COME BACK!" But here's the reality—most recovery apps are a one-trick pony. They either do email OR WhatsApp, not both. And don't even get us started on personalizing offers based on cart value—that usually means toggling between three different dashboards while praying your apps talk to each other.
Enter ZEPIC: This is where we come in. With ZEPIC's automated Flows, you can: Launch WhatsApp recovery messages (with 95% open rates!) Set up perfectly timed email sequences (or vice versa) Create personalized recovery offers not just on cart value but based on your customer’s behavior/preferences Track and optimize everything from one dashboard
Offering light at the end of the tunnel is Google’s Privacy Sandbox which seeks to ‘create a thriving web ecosystem that is respectful of users and private by default’. Like the name suggests, your Chrome browser will take the role of a ‘privacy sandbox’ that holds all your data (visits, interests, actions etc) disclosing these to other websites and platforms only with your explicit permission. If not yet, we recommend testing your websites, audience relevance and advertising attribution with Chrome’s trial of the Privacy Sandbox.
Top 3 impacts of the third-party cookie phase-out
Who’s impacted
How
What next
Digital advertising and acquisition teams
Lack of cookie data results in drastic fall in website traffic and conversion rate
Review all cookie-based audience acquisition. Sign up for Chrome’s trial of the Privacy Sandbox
Digital Customer Experience
Customers are not served relevant, personalised experiences: on the web, over social channels and communication media
Multiply efforts to collect first-party customer data. Implement a Customer Data Platform
Security, Privacy and Compliance teams
Increased scrutiny from regulators and questions from customers about data storage and usage
Review current cookie and communication consent management, ensure to align with latest privacy regulations
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