Instacart Native Component
Role:
UX/UI
Research
Monetization
Product Date:
Launched 2024
How could we integrate commerce in a way that felt natural, useful, and engaging while also opening up new monetization streams?
Well+Good and Only In Your State both thrive on editorial content that inspires action, whether it’s discovering a new recipe, planning a trip, or learning about wellness trends. But before this project, taking that next step wasn’t always intuitive.
For recipe content, users had to manually gather ingredients across different retailers. Travel guides lacked an easy way to shop for trip essentials. While static editorial content was valuable, there was an opportunity to enhance the experience by making shopping immediate and effortless.
Beyond improving the user experience, this project was also a key monetization initiative—providing new revenue opportunities through affiliate partnerships and brand sponsorships.
Identifying the Opportunity
We developed a shopping module powered by Instacart that allowed users to purchase products directly within the editorial content. Instead of having to search for ingredients or travel essentials separately, readers could easily add curated product lists to their Instacart cart.
Frictionles shopping
Clicking on the component redirected users to Instacart's storefront, where they could make changes to their cart, switch retailers, or proceed to checkout. This offered ultimate flexibility while maintaining a smooth and user-friendly shopping experience.
Sponsorship opportunities
In addition to affiliate revenue, we also created sponsorship placements within the component:
• Brands had the opportunity to sponsor shopping collections, such as a wellness brand sponsoring a curated "Self-Care Kit" within an article on stress relief.
• Featured Product Placement: Sponsored products could be highlighted within shopping lists for increased visibility.
• Seasonal Takeovers: The component allowed for seasonal sponsorships, enabling a brand to own all shopping placements during a holiday or back-to-school campaign.
Project Highlights
The Instacart Native Component was not just a shopping integration but a seamless blend of content, commerce, and monetization. By embedding curated affiliate commerce, flexible sponsorship opportunities, and a frictionless user experience, this project showcased that shopping moments can be natural, engaging, and revenue-driving simultaneously.
• Increased Engagement – The feature added an interactive layer to editorial content, keeping users engaged longer.
• Affiliate Revenue Growth – The component drove significant revenue by making shopping effortless and embedded into intent-driven content.
• New Sponsorship Revenue – The ability to integrate brand sponsorships unlocked a high-value monetization stream, giving advertisers a native and non-disruptive way to connect with audiences.
• Scalable, Reusable Component – The modular design allowed for easy expansion across multiple brands.
• Commerce & Content Should Work Together – By integrating shopping naturally within content, we made it feel useful rather than intrusive
• Editorial Curation Creates a Better Experience – Instead of relying on an automated feed, hand-picking relevant products made the experience more thoughtful and trustworthy
• Sponsorships Should Feel Native – By designing sponsorships within the shopping flow, we created a monetization model that felt natural instead of disruptive
• Scalability is Key for Growth – Designing within a shared design system made it easy to scale across different brands and adapt for future partnerships
