Social media marketing is a time-tested way for brands to promote their products and services. In the early days, this was done by posting pictures or videos on Facebook with no real purpose behind it other than getting attention - which often worked because people love looking at pretty things! Nowadays, however, there are so many more tools available that can be used in order to make sales directly through social commerce channels.
The social commerce market is expanding at the speed of light, and it’s not going to slow down anytime soon. If you're looking for a new way to market your business, then social commerce might be the perfect fit. In this article, we'll explore everything that is involved with embracing and implementing it and some benefits of doing so.
WHAT IS SOCIAL COMMERCE?
Social commerce is a way to sell products directly on social media. With social commerce, the entire shopping experience — from product discovery and research to the check-out process — takes place right on a social media platform. Here’s an example from a clothing brand named Todd Snyder showcasing what a Facebook Shop looks like:
E-Commerce and Social Commerce are not precisely the same thing. The goal of e-commerce marketing on social media is to drive traffic directly from a company's website or stores towards their products. The difference between social commerce and marketing an e-commerce store comes down to where you want the customer's shopping experience (including browsing products adding items into their cart) to happen. Social commerce is using social media to identify, connect with and nurture customers. This doesn’t always generate immediate sales but instead focuses on networking/relationship-building in order to build long-term relationships that could eventually lead toward a sale.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT SOCIAL COMMERCE?
One of the biggest benefits to adopting a social commerce strategy is that can increase your sales by converting them directly on social media. This is done through a streamlined, entirely online process that takes the hassle out of marketing for you. If a customer finds your brand or product on there, they can easily make their purchase without having to leave the platform and risk missing out because you're not processing payments instantly like some sites do. More than 48% of internet users between ages 18 and 34 reports that they have purchased something through social media. 81% percent researched products on Facebook before buying.
In 2021, 45% of businesses are using social media to drive more conversions or sales. So, social commerce is a win-win for everyone.
4 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR EFFECTIVE SOCIAL COMMERCE
Here are four helpful tips before you jump in headfirst.
1. Lower-priced items sell better
Luxury retailers are more likely to see successful social media commerce campaigns than those selling low-priced items. The same is generally true for eCommerce in general, with orders averaging $140, depending on your region. But with the average shopping order through social shopping stores being $79, it’s clear that lower-priced products perform better.
You can sell more products by using your ad spending for lower-priced items. Make sure you grab an email address at the point of purchase too, so that when someone buys one product, they are automatically enrolled in your upsell campaign.
2. Create an automated bot checkout
Back in the good old days when customers could be guided through the buying journey by a real-life sales rep. This genius strategy is what kept their service levels high, even when they were busy, however, it prevented shoppers from leaving with an unfinished shopping cart of items. There are tools out there that can now help you engage with your customers on their preferred channels and convert customer service conversations into sales. One example is Heyday.
Heyday is a chatbot designed to automate your customer service on social media. The AI will assist you with questions about inventory or order tracking, and it'll also pass more complex inquiries over the phone if they need assistance too.
3. Integrate social commerce into your eCommerce platform
It's hard enough trying to keep up with all of the trends. But every time a new platform or avenue comes along, you've got to invest hours incorporating it into what you're already doing.
And so, you're probably thinking, "is social commerce worth all the time and effort?"
Well, the short answer is yes, it is. But there's also an intelligent workaround:
Integrated marketing campaigns are the way of today's digital world. As much as 51% percent find themselves integrating their new social commerce stores with an existing eCommerce platform, so you should too.
If you're a digital marketer, it is imperative that your content is constantly updated and fresh.
Shopify offers a bunch of integrations that make inventory updates with Facebook and Instagram Shops easy. BigCommerce has similar options, as does WooCommerce.
These e-commerce platforms are all highly popular - which means you can connect your products directly into them, so prices get automatically adjusted when something changes on one side or another.
4. Partner with influencers to boost social commerce sales
Influencer marketing is on the rise, with 30% of CMOs investing more time and resources into this channel. Investing in social commerce is a fantastic way to take advantage of influencers who will push your products for you. They can use shoppable tags on Instagram, and their audience has been shown that when they click through – which will take them straight into the store.
This seamless experience is what makes influencer marketing so successful. With the click of a button, consumers can be directed to their favorite social media pages and find exactly what they're looking for without any headaches or hassles involved in between.
And with 70% US-based internet users following them on a given social media channel, you have the potential for an expansive reach.
FINAL THOUGHTS
You don't want to be left behind in this social-first, mobile shopping revolution! With both users and brands loving the ease of using an app for transactions on their devices, there's no time like now--especially if you have a product or service that can help them do what they need without the hassle.
There's nothing to lose. So, what are you waiting for? Start today!