The long days of summer and a vacation mindset open wallets faster than any other time of year. Pair that spend-ready mood with Instagram’s scroll-stopping visuals, and you have a recipe for impulse buys that happen in just a few taps.
Effective summer sales combine themed storytelling, limited-time offers, and friction-free checkout to channel seasonal enthusiasm straight into sales. Nail the timing and the tone, and you can ride the same wave that fuels retail giants every year when the temperatures spike.
Why You Need a Summer Sale Strategy
When summer rolls around, it’s not just the weather that heats up. Consumers are also busy shopping: they’re planning vacations, preparing for weddings, getting their back-to-school preparations done, and making upgrades around the house.
Big retailers capitalize on the frenzy by organizing blockbuster shopping events that consumers wait all year for. You have Amazon’s Prime Day, Target’s Circle Week, and Expedia’s Summer Sale, among others.
But these opportunities to sell aren’t limited to just the big names. Smaller companies and independent brands can also jump on the bandwagon. For example, plenty of online stores ride the Prime Day wave, setting up their own sales to take advantage of customers looking for savings.
Seeing as these smaller brands don’t have the marketing budgets of massive corporations, they have to be creative in attracting customers.
Social media platforms like Instagram are the perfect solution for summer advertising. With over 2 billion active users each month and a feed dominated by Reels and Stories, Instagram offers small businesses tools that push sales. For example, you can:
- Drop limited-time coupons that disappear after 24 hours, encouraging customers to shop quickly to save
- Showcase your products against sunny, beachy backdrops to pique interest and encourage more views
- Instantly convert viewers to shoppers with product tags and an easy way to check out
Seeing as up to 99% of Instagram users access the platform via a mobile device, you have a unique opportunity to capitalize on impulse purchases. Creating highly visual, attractive, and time-sensitive summer campaigns can connect you with eager shoppers who are only a couple of taps away from a saved credit card.
The Biggest Summer Sale Events That Set the Standard
An interesting thing about summer sales is that shoppers are primed for them. This is because the Big Guys have trained customers to expect them. Check out how some of the world’s biggest brands announce their summer sales, and be sure to take careful notes: the way these companies splash their offers across Instagram gives smaller brands a playbook that they can follow for their own sales.
Amazon’s Prime Day
For 2025, Amazon stretched its popular Prime Day summer sale from one day to four days. Its feed included countdown clips and carousel deal teasers, along with cute videos and even a cameo from LeBron James.
Epic Games’ End of Summer Sale
Last year, Epic Games lamented the end of summer, telling viewers, “Summer is almost over we fear.” It included a colorful image with a bold reminder of its “End of Summer Sale”; the associated caption urged shoppers to hurry “before it's gone next week!”
Expedia’s Dream Summer
To advertise its Halfway There Summer Sale, Expedia inspired travelers with a Reel that asked about their summer plans. Upbeat music against the backdrop of big cities, famous landmarks, and exciting adventures enticed viewers to click and book.
Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale
Nordstrom spent a month pumping up its shoppers for its annual Anniversary sale. Using Reels and Highlights, along with teaming up with SNL star Chloe Fineman, the brand teased sneak peeks and promised cardmembers early access.
Sephora’s Major Summer Deals
Beauty giant Sephora was all about driving home the FOMO with its short Reel that screamed “Our Major Summer Deals end today!” Featuring snapshots of popular makeup and skin care brands that are perfect for summer, the included caption let customers know that savings of up to 50% off were ending soon.
Southwest Airlines’ Wowzers Sale
In early June, Southwest Airlines kicked off the first of its summer sales with a carousel of trip destination images, each superimposed with the statistic that booking a trip increases dopamine levels by 50%. The accompanying caption included a limited-time offer to save 50% on flights for the next 48 hours.
Target’s Circle Week
Target used humorous Reels to remind viewers that Circle Week was in full swing with BIG deals. The summer ads featured customers snapping up extra-large versions of the store’s most popular products, including bedding, electronics, sunscreen, and snacks.
Walmart’s Deals
Walmart got right to the point with its Instagram posts for its first summer promotion. One image featured a clear, bold overlay declaring “Walmart Deals — July 8-13 Only!”, while the accompanying caption reminded Walmart+ members that they’d enjoy early access.
What Brands Do to Make Their Summer Sale Work
There are a variety of summer marketing ideas that big brands use to entice customers to spend big bucks this time of year. Borrow two or three of these moves, and you’ll give even a modest summer sales event greater urgency and reach.
Turn to the Ticking Clock
Nothing creates anticipation more than a ticking clock. Nordstrom spent an entire month prepping its customers for its anniversary sale, getting them more and more excited about the day the deals would finally drop. With each Reel, it reminded shoppers that its sought-after deals were just that much closer.
Push Summer-Only Promos
Frame your offers as only being available during the summer, and then prove it by sticking to the theme. A makeup or skincare brand, for example, can offer up its bronzers and SPF, while a clothing brand might push cute summer tops, short shorts, and strappy sandals.
Own the Last-Chance Narrative
Summer comes but once a year, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. Make sure your customers know they can’t wait if they want to take advantage of your limited-time deals. Deploy “last-chance” calls to action, and continually push your sale’s end date. Captions that declare, “Sale ends Monday!” or “Last chance to save” will nudge consumers to make their selections.
Reward Loyalty with Exclusivity
Both Nordstrom and Walmart reward its most loyal customers (cardmembers and subscribers) with early access to sales. This summer sale strategy creates extra buzz and entices non-members to sign up so that they don’t miss out. As a smaller brand, you might consider newsletter signups or comments under a post to unlock early access.
Instagram Funnel Tactics for a High-Impact Summer Sale
Think of Instagram as a three-step funnel: you have Reels that capture eyes at the top, Stories that crank up urgency in the middle, and shoppable features like Collections and one-tap checkouts to round out the process. Learn more about these tactics below:
Reign with Reels
Reels continue to be Instagram’s best way to reach potential customers. For your summer sales, consider shooting short clips with warm, sunny, beachy vibes. Use special effects, bright backlighting, and trending audio to command attention. Be sure to include a “Summer Sale Starts August 1st” overlay so that every share puts the sale date front and center.
Showcase Stories
Stories are where urgency meets interaction. Start with a countdown sticker that winds down to the exact moment your summer sales event opens. Anyone who taps “Remind Me” gets a push notification the moment sale prices go live. Keep the momentum going with polls and quizzes. For example, you can ask followers which color deserves a 30% off discount, and then let their votes build anticipation for your reveal.
Curious what your competitors are doing? Use our Insta Story Viewer to do a little recon. Our web tool lets you watch any public account’s Stories anonymously so you can see exactly how rival shops tease their discounts, what countdowns they use, and which calls to action earn the most replies.
Check out our Instagram Story Viewer tutorial on YouTube to see how easy it is to use this powerful tool.
Set Up Collections and Guides
A funny thing about bargain hunters is that many of them don’t actually like to go hunting. Take the guesswork out of finding deals by serving up curated collections so shoppers can spend more time browsing. Group together related products under the title of “Beach Essentials” or “Summer Must-Haves.” If you have a limited selection, list your sale products under a heading like “Last Chance for 50% Off.”
Make Shopping Easy
You don’t want anything to stand in the way of your shoppers making their purchases, so be sure that every product tag and shop link on your summer sale Instagram posts point to the right place. On your storefront, consider utilizing one-tap checkouts like Apple Pay, PayPal, and Shop Pay to minimize friction so your customers can get in and out.
Conclusion
Summer shoppers already have a spending mindset, so all you have to do is use Instagram to amplify your sale. Plan early, post often, and let the season’s built-in shopping energy do the heavy lifting for you.
FAQ
How to announce a sale on Instagram?
Follow these four steps to snag the attention of would-be shoppers:
1. Tease your summer sale
Drop a short Reel a few days before the start of your sale to generate buzz. Add a countdown overlay and hashtag to get your audience excited and talking.
2. Pin the important details
Publish a static post or carousel with the relevant dates and discounts, and then pin it to your profile.
3. Reward loyal customers
Give your channel subscribers early access to the sale or an additional discount via coupon code.
4. Follow through during the sale
Continue to push Reels and Stories leading up to and during your sale to keep the momentum going and catch new eyes.
When should I post on Instagram in summer?
The best time to post to Instagram is Monday through Thursday, between 11 AM and 3 PM. This generally corresponds with when consumers might be taking mid-day breaks and lunches. On the weekends, consider posting from 9 AM to 4 PM; this will capture viewers who are checking the platform in the mornings and those who are catching up before evening plans.
Keep in mind that this is general advice, and you should check your own Insights and adjust for your audience’s time zone.
How to get more sales on Instagram?
First things first: make it easy for your customers to shop. Be sure to use clear titles and product pictures so there aren’t any guessing games. For a summer sale, focus on summer-specific collections; you want to capitalize on the general vibe of this time of year — no one is thinking about jackets and cocoa in July. And to reduce friction at the point of sale, consider mobile-friendly checkout options, such as those that require one tap to pay.
Next, you want to create a sense of urgency. Limit your sale dates so that customers have to shop fast to take advantage of the deals. Utilize low-stock stickers and publish last-chance Reels and Stories to drive shoppers to make a decision.
During and after the sale, work on cultivating your community. Invite your customers to share unboxings and use your branded hashtags so that they and others keep talking about you, even after the sale has ended. You might even consider rewarding engaged shoppers with gift cards so they’ll be incentivized to shop your next event.
