The Instagram platform will be deprecating its API as of March 2, 2020.
This change will immediately affect the Instagram feed section in all Shopify themes, including those used by Shop Style Design, as the access token system was built on the out-going API structure.
Moving forward, the Social Feeds functionality will be removed from all themes utilized in stores built or maintained by Shop Style Design.
For stores build by our team but not being managed under our retainer agreement, we will be supplying you with an updated theme you can apply, or engage with us to have us update your shop. For stores that do not update to the newest version of the theme, the Instagram social feed section header will be visible, but the images will no longer function as of the deprecation date.
To prevent displaying an empty Instagram feed on your home page, you will need to delete the Instagram section within your theme by taking the following steps:
- In your Shopify Admin, go to Online Store > Customize.
- Click the Instagram section within the Theme Editor.
- Remove the Instagram section
Note: This will only impact an Instagram feed that was added to your shop via the Theme Editor and will not affect the Instagram Sales Channel.
Alternatives to explore
If the Instagram feed is vital for your store, there are other options, as outlined below, to add an Instagram feed to the homepage of your shop.
Use an App
There are many apps available via the Shopify Apps Store that perform a similar function as the existing Instagram feed. The primary benefit of this approach would be the continued real-time display of the latest posts.
Unfortunately, third-party apps can potentially carry an additional monthly cost, which needs to be paid directly to the app developer. Furthermore, third-party apps are not supported by Shopify’s
We recommend the following application:
Instashow takes the functionality of the Instagram feed that you are used to and expands it with call-to-action buttons, image size and layout controls and filters to allow you to display only the posts you choose.
Furthermore, with the easy to use Custom HTML theme sections, adding Instashow to your home page is easy. If you would prefer to have it done by our team, it can be done under your retainer or as a “Small Task.”
Manual Feed Creation
The other option is to use the same photos you’re uploading to your Instagram posts to your website. We recommend using the Logo list or Gallery section to add your photos and create a similar feel to the Instagram section. The benefit to this approach is that it is free but the drawback is that it can be timeconsuming and requires you to add your photos twice; first to Instagram and second to your website.