8 Reasons Why Your Small Business Should Use Social Commerce To Achieve Growth
Once again, the disruptive nature of the digital commercial space is transforming, developing and taking on new forms. Social commerce has become increasingly important for businesses, particularly those who rely on social media marketing to gain sales through brand exposure.
According to Hootsuite, social commerce is an $89.4 billion industry and is projected to grow to $604.5 billion in the next 7 years! So, there is no better time to jump on the social commerce train. But what is social commerce and why does your business need it?
Social commerce is the process of selling products directly on social media. Platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Instagram Shopping, Pinterest and even TikTok have created a way for their users to easily discover what they want to buy along with a hassle-free way to buy it! Essentially, a user can jump onto Instagram shopping, hit ‘shop now’, and have it ordered in just a few clicks before returning right back to where they left off on the app. Ideal right?!
This brilliant business solution must not be missed out on, and here are 8 reasons why:
1. Your customer won’t have to leave the app
Have trouble converting followers into shoppers? Maybe you’ve boosted a post and only gained a small ROI? Social commerce can help you to sell your items right from the social media app they are on. As growing a business is all about bringing the brand to the target audience, what’s better than directly giving them what they want within their online social space.
2. Unmatched and even viral exposure
Ever heard of Tik Tok leggings? This 1 type of legging has gone viral amongst TikTok users. Why? 2 reasons: 1. They were promoted by influencers in videos that went viral. Once this has piqued the interest of many female users. 2: In-app shopping ads gave users a quick and easy way to make the purchase in just a few clicks (trialed and tested ;)). You might not sell leggings, but targeting your audience correctly on social media with a push from influencer marketing or targeted ads can give your products the potential to go viral.
3. Removes friction in the consumer journey
Social commerce is a great way to ensure sales. You can avoid abandoned baskets by making the shopping experience as seamless as possible for your customer. With less clicks before purchase, you’re reducing the amount of time that a customer has to change their mind.
4. Keeping the customers attention
If your audience is the millennial or gen-z generation, you’ll already know that keeping their attention is the key. Knowing that both of these generations have a short attention span, it’s vital to keep them interested by ensuring their shopping experience is as quick and seamless as possible.
5. From researching to purchasing
Increasingly, shoppers are researching their products on social media before purchasing from a brand. They’ll see if any influencers have worn them, any red flags or alternatives. So why not give them exactly what they’re looking for in the place they’re looking for it!
6. Increase customer feedback
You’ve got your customers right in front of you to tell you what they do and don’t like. Within social media, you can directly engage with them through polls, questions and other features to gain better feedback that can be used to achieve growth. Not only this, but you can see exactly who your customers are as well for better targeting.
7. Millennials and Gen-Z like to shop on social media
Almost 50% of millennial internet users are shopping on social media and even more have expressed their interest in purchasing through social platforms. Particularly after many of us went through a period of lockdown, a lot of your customers would be been pushed onto the digital platforms to make the majority of their purchases. This means that those who were hesitant before are now most probably more comfortable buying directly from online stores. We all love the Dubai shopping malls, but social commerce is the modern shopping experience and businesses must learn to thrive in this space.
8. Targeted advertising
Knowing your target audience better can help you to go beyond traditional advertising and personalise their shopping experience. For both old and new customers, social commerce will help you to be strategic in what your target audience is seeing and giving them exactly what they want to see.
If you want to set up social commerce for your business, your options start with Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. However, Snapchat and TikTok ads are quickly following suit, so keep your eyes on the influencers and the trends for the latest social media shopping trends.
Need assistance with digital marketing or social media? We’re here to help, email us at info@popcomms.ae for your FREE consultation.