With global social media usage on the rise, social commerce is flourishing as well. Driven largely by Gen Z and millennial consumers, buyers can find products on platforms like TikTok and Instagram which serve as virtual storefronts.
Integration of ecommerce into social media enables brands to streamline the user shopping journey by not forcing users off of their platform of choice.
1. Increased Conversions
Social media is an invaluable way to expand your ecommerce sales. From increasing website visitors and YouTube subscribers to increasing newsletter sign-ups and ebook downloads or webinar registrations, using social media can help convert more people into customers and expand your business.
Many consumers have grown accustomed to purchasing products directly from brands on social media, according to an infographic from HubSpot, with 54% having completed purchases via this channel.
By harnessing social proof, you can increase ecommerce conversions on social media. Social proof is a highly effective form of marketing since consumers trust recommendations from friends and influencers over branded content. One strategy to leverage it effectively is encouraging satisfied clients to share their experiences on social media using pre-filled sharing buttons or by inviting them to leave reviews directly on your website.
2. Increased Engagement
Marketers know the power of social media can help reach audiences and raise awareness, but engagement levels remain challenging to improve. How can marketers improve engagement on these channels?
Engaging potential customers is an effective way of showing you care, while simultaneously helping to rank better with algorithms on social platforms that favor posts that spark discussion on user feeds.
Social media engagement can help your business create relationships with its customers, provide customer service and build brand loyalty – as well as increase brand recognition, sales and traffic.
Social media shopping features, like Instagram Shops, Facebook Marketplace and Pinterest Buyable Pins can create an effortless purchasing experience for customers on their favorite platform – increasing conversions and revenue goals while setting you apart from competitors – thus making boosting engagement on social media channels one of the key components to building business success.
3. Increased Brand Awareness
Brand awareness is one of the first steps toward reaching your marketing goals, and an essential component to driving sales growth. Social media can assist your business in expanding brand recognition by showing its content to the appropriate audiences at appropriate times.
Customers expect brands to interact with them on the platforms of their choosing – from Instagram stories and posts, to TikTok or X (formerly Twitter), with which customers expect interaction. Utilizing social media to showcase customer testimonials and reviews can build credibility while expanding reach and visibility for your brand.
Use of branded hashtags and influencer marketing can also significantly boost exposure and engagement. Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign serves as an exemplary case of how one simple social media post can resonate with its target audience and increase brand recognition; its emotional messaging and inclusive depictions of diversity inspired millions of followers to spread its message organically across their networks, further heightening Nike’s visibility and engagement.
4. Increased Sales
Social media provides brands with an effective opportunity to reach audiences and move them down their sales funnels toward purchasing. Paid social ads that direct consumers directly to an e-commerce platform is one way of doing this, which can produce outstanding ROI (Return on Ad Spend).
Sharing content that positions sales professionals as thought leaders early in their buyers’ journey is of crucial importance for B2B buyers, as this inbound material can accelerate pipeline velocity and lead to improved win rates.
Integrating social media into the sales process not only facilitates top quality customer service, but it can also build buyer trust and loyalty, helping increase average sale sizes while driving long-term revenue growth. The key is having all the appropriate tools in place and creating a data-driven social strategy with tangible results.