How do you use social media to take your business to the next level? Social commerce allows businesses to connect with customers directly through apps that customers log onto every day. By using social media, your business is meeting your customers where they are!
Social media has been used for posting cute cat videos and sharing family photos for many years, but what if social media is now a key component in the success of a small business? Getting involved in social commerce could take your business from zero to hero!
Social Commerce vs. eCommerce
Based on what is described above, you may wonder, “What’s the difference between social commerce and e-commerce?
At its core, e-commerce is any digital sale, as the “e” in e-commerce stands for “electronic”; for example, ordering new shoes from your favorite brand online.
Social commerce takes e-commerce to the next level. Using social media takes advantage of the algorithms that already know your customer base and what they will likely buy. Social commerce allows your customers to purchase products without leaving their social media site of choice. As such, it creates ease of access and a quicker checkout process.
Best Social Commerce Platforms & Tools
Many major social media platforms are quickly adapting to the social media shopping model; however, a couple have been on the scene longer than others. Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest added shops to their sites during or before 2022. Platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are now hot on their tracks with their up-and-coming “shop now” buttons.
Each business has its own target demographic. This information may inform your company about which social media platforms you should invest in. Some awe-inspiring examples of social commerce include brands like 100% PURE, who took advantage of their Pinterest presence, and Cluse, who used Instagram to take the world by storm (Shopify).
7 Social Commerce Tips for Success
While social media marketing has been around for a few years now, social commerce trends are everchanging. Here are 7 tips & trends to keep in mind as you launch your business’s social commerce debut!
1. Increase Video Content
According to Shopify, 88% of people want to see more video content from brands. With apps like TikTok booming in popularity, seeing a brand’s product in action can influence people like no other!
2. Take Advantage of the Influencer Era
Investing in social commerce means keeping up with the trends. Who’s better at that than the influencers and micro-influencers of today? Now more than ever, brand deals with TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube influencers not only help such creators pay the bills, but they boost brand recognition and trust.
By entrusting well-loved content creators with your product, your business will be exposed to hundreds if not thousands of potential customers; according to Influencer Marketing Hub, “in 2022, the [influencer] market expanded to a whopping $16.4 billion industry.”
3. Create a Seamless Shopping Experience
When you are trying to purchase a product online and the website glitches, exits the browser, or is just frustrating to handle, ditching the idea altogether becomes more and more appealing. Social commerce is no different.
When someone visits your website or social media shop, they want a seamless and hassle-free experience. This not only ensures they will be more likely to go through with the purchase, but they will also be more likely to return to your shop in the future and recommend it to others.
4. Go Live!
Live streaming is one of the most popular ways consumers can be in direct contact with a business. During a live stream, many people can tune in and ask questions about a product in real time. This also allows consumers to develop a personal connection with a brand, which may increase their likelihood of making a purchase.
Furthermore, live streaming allows potential customers to see firsthand the top-notch customer service your company offers. Thus, it creates a positive connotation between the customer and your brand.
5. Collect Zero-Party Data Using Polls and Quizzes
Polls and quizzes are not only interactive components of the consumer experience, but in the age of cookie blocking, this is also an effective way to collect consumer data.
By using polls and quizzes, you can gain a better understanding of your audience demographics and use that information to better market your products in the future!
6. Manage & Sync Your Inventory Across Platforms
Inventory management is key; according to McKinsey, 48% of consumers reported that they have tried a brand because they had products in stock.
Additionally, keeping your inventory consistent across platforms is key. Different companies exist to make this synchronization a breeze, such as Shopify and Cin7.
7. Celebrate What Makes Your Brand Unique
Every brand is different, so not every marketing technique you see is going to work for your company. Try to make a unique connection with your customer base and focus on what sets your brand apart from others (Insider Intelligence).
3 Steps to Getting Started
You have now learned about some of the most important aspects of social commerce, but how can you get started on implementing social commerce into your business strategy?
1. Conduct Your Research
Doing your research on your target demographic is crucial to aid you in deciding which platforms to utilize, how to market on them, and where to focus your time and energy.
Which social media platforms do your audience use most often? Who is your target audience? What kind of content interests them? These are all questions you must ask before getting started with your launch.
2. Launch Your Social Media Platform
Once you have conducted your research, you now have the opportunity to launch your social commerce shop!
Different platforms offer different services and tools for you to use while creating your shop, so take a look around at all of the platforms you are interested in using and see where you would like to get started.
Facebook may be the perfect platform to launch your social media shop; currently, Facebook is the biggest social commerce site, as nearly anyone with a Facebook account can sell on their platform.
Additionally, Facebook and Instagram, the two most popular social commerce platforms, are interconnected, and you can find a few tips and tricks on the Facebook Business Website.
TikTok is a platform that allows businesses and influencers to create their own video content that can be shared with potentially millions of people; you can learn more about TikTok Shop here.
3. Employ Assistance
Managing a business is hard enough – adding an additional layer of social media marketing is even harder! Doing it all yourself can be daunting and even unrealistic.
Employing help for launching your online presence is absolutely essential to the success of your business. Why should you have to handle keeping up with all these trends and new lingo when there are people you can hire to do that work for you? Save that time you could use to come up with even more innovative ideas that will take your company above and beyond!
Want more assistance with taking your business to the next level? Content Cucumber offers comprehensive packages so businesses can easily invest in their social media presence, blogs, and email newsletters. Click here to get started!