It might be time to reevaluate your perspective on social media whether you’re an entrepreneur, freelancer, or just starting out in the creative field. One or more of your company’s accounts probably already exist on various social media sites, but you may not be making the most of them.
These days, it’s not enough to just have a social media presence for your business and interact with your followers. Don’t get it twisted; they’re still quite important. But if you currently have a great social media marketing plan, you should capitalise on it by making your content more shoppable.
Let’s look into how that operates. You don’t need to be a marketing professional to get immediate results when you transform your social network into a shoppable experience, whether you’re selling physical products or services.
The impact of social media on business
More and more individuals are making purchases online, signalling a shift in consumer buying patterns. Sales are booming thanks to the internet savvy of Generation Z and Millennials. They have a greater familiarity with and confidence in the reliability of online social networks. If you’re attempting to sell to this group on your personal social media profile, you might as well not bother; but, if you’ve put up a shopping page from your business, they might check out what you have to offer.
Of those between the ages of 18 and 24, around one-third say Facebook is their preferred platform for making online purchases, with Instagram coming in a close second. It’s hardly unexpected that online buying through social media has experienced such a meteoric spike in popularity. To put it another way, individuals are spending the vast majority of their time on such sites. People spend almost two hours daily, on average, on social media.
Rather of ignoring your followers in favour of pushing things, focus on genuine interaction to build connections with them. However, most modern platforms provide built-in shopping options that you should utilise to promote your wares.
The credibility you’ve established will allow you to confidently promote your greatest offerings, reassuring customers that they will get their money’s worth from purchasing from you. Most consumers have come to rely on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest; this trust makes them more likely to make a purchase through one of these sites rather than a third party or even your own corporate website.
Taking advantage of each service’s built-in “Shop” features
As the number of people who purchase on social media grows, more and more sites are adding shopping tools of their own. Because of the tiny variations in functionality among platforms, this may be a bit of a headache for organisations. Knowing such functions may greatly improve your brand’s “shopability.”
If Facebook is your most popular social media platform, for instance, you may want to consider opening a Facebook Shops account. It’s a virtual shop where you and your fans (and anybody else who happens to stumble upon your page) can make your own special brand of shopping magic. A few of the many advantages of Facebook Stores are as follows:
Your store will be linked to Instagram and WhatsApp without you having to do anything, your products will be easily searchable, and there will be no costs associated with setting a shop.
The nicest aspect of opening a business on Facebook is that you don’t need to already have an online store or website. It’s a great method to get your stuff out there without having to invest time or money into creating your own online shop.
TikTok’s e-commerce interface, like those of other platforms like Instagram, is streamlined and user-friendly. Promoting your TikTok and Instagram shopping features is best done through collaboration with relevant influencers or through the solicitation of genuine video testimonials from your actual clientele.
Livestream shopping is another alternative that’s worth exploring, especially on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Promoting and selling things during a Livestream, whether by an influencer, celebrity, or even someone from your own company, may be an excellent method to attract attention and create a “FOMO” experience for your audience. It’s evocative of home shopping networks, which urge viewers to contact right away to get a chance to purchase an item. This is a lively update on the traditional kind of exclusivity in social settings.
No of the channel, your content should always be tailored to the audience’s expectations. If you’re trying to sell anything on Instagram, for instance, you should post photographs and videos of the goods that are both clear and of excellent quality. It may make a huge impact if you provide your audience numerous perspectives on a single product through the use of multiple photographs. Consumers are more likely to make a purchase decision if they are given the opportunity to examine the product from all angles.
It’s also crucial to be accessible via every medium. Customer service and interaction with your audience are always crucial, but they take on further significance when your customers are making purchases on your social media platforms. If a consumer poses a query about a product on one of your platforms, and you respond to it promptly, precisely, and simply, you’ll demonstrate to your audience that they can trust you and your products. That’s why it’s crucial to have a social media manager that is either thoroughly familiar with all of your items or has easy access to such details.
Adapt quickly to changing circumstances
Advertising your wares and services on e-commerce sites found on social media is a viable option. Look to the present and the expected future of social media marketing for guidance if you are unsure of how to get started or what the best practises are for getting your items out there.