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Hey there,

I’ve been in the dropshipping game for a while now, and back in the day, it was all about Facebook Ads. I’d spend hours tweaking ad campaigns, trying to hit the jackpot with the next big product. But times have changed. Today, if you’re serious about growing your dropshipping or e-commerce business, Instagram is the platform you need to focus on.

Why? Because Instagram isn’t just for selfies and food pics anymore—it’s now a powerhouse for e-commerce, giving you the ability to connect directly with buyers and generate sales, all without spending a dime on ads.

And here’s the kicker: I’m not just going to give you my 3 best strategies to make sales on Instagram—for free—I’m also going to show you some of the coolest products I’ve found along the way.

Instagram vs. TikTok: The Real Deal

Let’s address the elephant in the room—TikTok. Sure, TikTok has its moment in the sun, especially when it comes to viral visibility. It’s fantastic for reaching a younger crowd, but when it comes to closing sales? Not so much. TikTok’s user base skews young, and while that’s great for viral content, they’re not always ready to drop money on products.

Instagram, on the other hand, caters to a wider age range, including people with actual spending power. It’s where your audience doesn’t just engage with your content; they’re ready to click “Buy Now.” It’s the platform where eyeballs turn into real customers.

With more than 1,3 million likes, I can tell you for sure that this product below, brought thousands and thousands.

It’s All About Organic Growth

When I started, it was about sourcing the product, building the store, and then running ads. The game has flipped. Now, you focus on creating content first, organically building your brand and community around a specific niche, and then letting the sales come in naturally.

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Ads still have their place, but what’s really driving success on Instagram right now is organic growth. This means no more dumping your budget into Facebook Ads hoping something sticks. Instead, you create a space that attracts people interested in your niche—without paying a cent upfront.

Example: This stupid product below has recently gone viral and got more than 4 million likes.

First Strategy: Finding Your Niche & Building a Theme Page

Here’s how you win with Instagram today:

1. Pick a Niche

Choose a niche that’s trending and in demand. Passion is optional—what really matters is that it sells. Analyze current trends, identify what’s working for others, and find something with an active audience. It could be something you like, but more importantly, it should have strong sales potential.

2. Create a Theme Page Around It

Build your page entirely around your chosen niche. Make it visually appealing and aligned with the interests of your audience. Share a mix of content—tips, hacks, lifestyle posts, and even memes. From my own experience, memes can go viral easily and help boost engagement. The goal is to post content that both informs and entertains. Keep it fun and engaging, not boring. Every post should connect with your niche and keep your audience coming back for more.

3. Post Consistently

The goal isn’t to bombard people with product images (Even you can also do this, some of them will go viral for sure) ; it’s to build a brand that resonates with your audience. Provide value through consistent content that informs or entertains, while seamlessly integrating products that fit your theme. Post 2 times a day (9am and 9pm). That’s what works best for me.

Example: a Baby theme page (they post a lot of products, they have their store, and it seems to work very well for them).

shopbabyblush

View more on Instagram

Second Strategy: Build a Page Around a Single Quirky Product

Another powerful strategy is to center your Instagram page around a single, quirky product.

1. Find a Unique Product

Look for something attention-grabbing and unconventional. This could be a quirky gadget, a niche fashion accessory, or an unusual household item—anything that makes people stop scrolling and pay attention.

2. Build a Page Focused Only on This Product

Unlike a theme page, this strategy is all about one product. Your Instagram content will creatively showcase this item in action, through fun videos, photos, and demonstrations. The goal is to highlight the uniqueness and versatility of the product to make it memorable.

Example: Take a look at the product I found below—it’s one of the weirdest and most offbeat things I’ve seen, but it’s so cool at the same time. The entire page is just videos showcasing this one product, and you can totally see how its uniqueness makes it stand out. This really proves that when you choose something quirky and eye-catching, it makes your life so much easier. Honestly, the product itself is 80% of the battle when it comes to making sales. (I still can’t get over how bizarre it is, but they still manage to have a reel that gor 129 million views.)

Example: here’s another page featuring only one product. 253 posts, and ALL AROUND ONE PRODUCT.

Third Strategy: Become a Product Curator

Another solid approach is to position yourself as a product curator. Tons of people are already doing this, usually relying on Amazon commissions (which, let’s be honest, don’t pay much). Instead, you can take this model and pair it with your own store. This works best in specific niches, and one of the most popular right now is home finds.

The beauty of this strategy is that Instagram allows you to repost content. So, in the beginning, you can share other people’s content that fits your niche. Over time, start ordering the products yourself and creating your own original content. Remember, Instagram rewards fresh content, so when you can, film your own product showcases. This keeps your page relevant and boosts your engagement.

I’ll give you some examples below to show how effective this can be. Btw those pages are also a good place to find trending viral products.

This product below has racked up 145 million views (I’ll let you imagine what that means for sales…).

stuffyouactuallyneed

598K followers

View more on Instagram

Example: The page below is only doing reposts (he doesn’t even create his own content, and is still getting millions of views on some posts).

The MVS Strategy: Minimum Viable Shop

Now, here’s the new approach I’ve developed that’s been a game-changer: the Minimum Viable Shop (MVS). Forget building out a fully fleshed store with dozens of products before you even know what’s going to sell. Instead, identify a product you believe has potential, set up a basic shop with the essentials, and start testing it with content.

You focus on finding that one product and making it the star of your content. When it gains traction, you refine your shop, source the best suppliers, and scale up. This saves you time and money. You’re not locked into a product until you know it works. You create a shop around demand, not the other way around.

Final Thoughts

Instagram has completely transformed the way I do e-commerce. It’s not just about running ads anymore—it’s about building organic growth through content, community, and engagement. Pick a niche, create a theme page, build your Minimum Viable Shop, and let the content do the heavy lifting.

If you’ve made it all the way to the end of this email, I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me a quick email back and let me know what you think of this newsletter—your feedback is everything to me.

Stay tuned for more , and let’s get those sales rolling in.

Cheers,

Nick.