Online shopping is constantly evolving and now offers a new way to shop through Social Commerce.
This method is a real success, with more and more companies using social media platforms to sell their products and services.
And we quickly understand the craze when we see the benefits of Social Commerce for businesses.
- Reaching a wider audience
- A hassle-free shopping experience
- Collecting data about your audience
- Rely on social proof
- Getting feedback from customers
That’s why it is essential to reconsider your marketing strategy by integrating Social Commerce into your sales processes.
In this article, we will explain in detail what Social Commerce is, why companies should be interested in it, how it differs from e-commerce, and its benefits.
What Is Social Commerce?
To summarize, Social Commerce sells products and services directly through social media.
In other words, the entire shopping experience takes place on social platforms, from product search to payment.
In fact, the major social networking platforms, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok, now integrate Social Commerce functions in native mode.
This method greatly improves the user experience as customers can make purchases without leaving their social network, allowing consumers to:
- Discover the brand
- Search for products
- Interact with customer service
- Purchase items
Thus, Social Commerce differs from traditional social media marketing strategies, in which customers see branded content, visit websites and start making purchases.
Is Social Commerce The Same As eCommerce?
One could imagine that Social Business is equivalent to eCommerce since both occur online. Yet, both have their particularities, and here is the explanation.
In fact, in eCommerce, the business either use a turnkey platform like Shopify or its own website to sell its products.
On the other hand, in Social Commerce, brands sell their products or services directly on social networks. As a result, even if your business does not have a website, you can still sell your products on social media.
The Benefits of Social Commerce
Let’s get into more detail on the benefits of Social Commerce. Find out why it should be your next marketing strategy:
Social Shopping Experiences
With many features, such as CTA’s and in-app checkout, Social Commerce helps reduce unnecessary purchasing steps. On the website, sometimes the risk of customers losing interest and leaving your page increases.
However, you can minimize this risk and increase your revenue by creating a seamless purchase process that keeps users in-app throughout the purchase.
To give you an example, Instagram offers a “Checkout on Instagram” option that allows customers to purchase directly on the platform. So you no longer need to redirect your Instagram community to your e-commerce site.
Making it simpler for your clients to find your business while enjoying their time on social media is a better option than wasting browsing time.
Easy as that!
Increased Revenue
Traditional shopping patterns are declining as more people switch to online shopping.
According to research, the Social Commerce market is expected to hit $1.3 trillion in 2023, exceeding the $1 trillion mark for the first time. So, investing in Social Commerce presents a huge opportunity.
Social Commerce features streamline the initial purchase and create an engaging customer experience that people want to repeat.
Targeted Audiences
Most of your customers are likely already on social media. It’s a great opportunity to engage with existing customers in new and more authentic ways by sharing your brand voice through creative content.
Many social media platforms also have analytics features that allow you to track your users’ social and purchasing behavior over time. You can use this information to target content and products directly to your target audience.
Of course, to reach your target audience, you first need customer data. We suggest taking some time to gather the demographics of your customers, find out what they like and dislike, etc.
Then, deliver the products and messages that best fit your needs to your target group.
Younger Generations Shop This Way
According to Statista, social media users worldwide it is expected to grow to 4.4 billion by 2025.
Especially among millennials and Gen Z, social shopping has great potential to attract customers and increase sales.
Brand Awareness
Influencer marketing is one of the key ways to increase brand awareness, and it can surely be your next worthwhile investment.
Influencer marketing has taken off in recent years as customers don’t necessarily seek the advice of big-time celebrities but primarily seek credibility from micro-influencers whose lifestyles are similar to theirs.
Easy Customer Journey
Features like in-app checkout, purchase CTA buttons, and instant messaging tools make shopping on social media convenient.
You reduce the risk of buyer abandonment by allowing users to stay in your social media app from discovery to checkout.
For example, instead of redirecting Facebook users from your app to your website, the platform has a “Checkout with Facebook” option.
Instead of interrupting their time on the platform, your potential customers can browse and buy products without leaving social media.
Pro Tip: Create hashtags that customers can use to share images and videos of your products and engage with your brand’s community.
Inbuilt Social Proof
The reality of e-commerce is that many shoppers may not immediately trust your brand.
Fortunately, Social Commerce has social proof built in. Best of all, through UGC (User-Generated Content) like comments, likes, follows, and shares, brands can create a positive feedback loop that keeps customers returning.
The more users interact with and promote your product, and the more likely other customers will trust your brand.
Key Takeaways
To conclude, Social Commerce has become an increasingly important tool for businesses looking to connect with customers and drive sales.
Here are four key takeaways to keep in mind:
- Social Commerce allows businesses to engage with customers in real time, build relationships, and foster brand loyalty.
- Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok have built-in native Social Commerce features.
- Shopping on social media is easier and more convenient.
- Use analytics features to target content and products directly to your target audience.
- Reach a younger generation.
What do you think about Social Commerce? Do you use it as a marketing strategy? Tell us in the comments!
Denisa Lamaj
