Social media is more popular than ever, with 62.3% of people around the world using it every day. On average, users spend 2 hours and 23 minutes scrolling, liking, and chatting. Seeing this, social media companies jumped on a golden chance to cash in on all that attention. They mixed shopping with social hangouts, creating cool new ways to buy stuff while still feeling part of a community. People who love both online shopping and connecting with others will find this blend pretty exciting and game-changing. Keep reading to discover how this trend could change the way shopping feels forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social commerce is the process of selling products, goods, or services directly through a social media platform. There are several compelling benefits of social commerce for both brands and creators. For starters, it greatly simplifies the check-out process because your audience doesn\u2019t have to leave the app to buy. Social media sites also already have a massive built-in audience<\/a>, so sellers can start attracting customers simply by launching a storefront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social commerce platforms are designed to be personalized, which allows you to create custom storefronts that showcase your products in unique ways. Plus, many social media users are already using their platform of choice to research products. A recent PYMENTS-AWS study<\/a> shows that 43% of consumers scan their social feeds to find goods and services they\u2019re looking to purchase. Bringing the check-out process directly into the platform makes for a streamlined purchase experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok are the only social media platforms offering social commerce features. While all of them are set up to support existing businesses, some aren\u2019t as accessible for smaller creators. Let\u2019s take a closer look at what those offerings entail and how they\u2019re set up to help users drive both sales and views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n TikTok shop<\/a> is the social video platform\u2019s newest addition, allowing business accounts to set up shops with products for sale. Creators can then tag those products directly in their videos through TikTok Shop\u2019s Affiliate plan. Audiences can check out reviews, watch demos, and check out directly from the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instagram Shopping<\/a> enables users with business accounts to set up shops of their own. You can create curated collections of products, product detail pages, and much more. Shop owners can add product tags to anything they post in the feed, Reels, or Stories to help customers tap in directly to a product page. Users can even create ads with product tags featuring large CTAs to shop for the product. And of course, users can check out right from the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook Shops<\/a> integrates directly with business page accounts, similar to Instagram\u2019s setup and approach. Users can develop and show off curated product collections, showcase featured products, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pinterest Shopping<\/a> is Pinterest\u2019s social commerce offering, and is generally more targeted at existing ecommerce brands. Users can upload their product catalog from a third-party commerce platform to turn them into pins, enhancing their visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given the surging popularity of video marketing, it\u2019s no surprise that most social commerce platforms prioritize video. Which means it\u2019s essential to use video as a key part of your strategy. Video is key to driving engagement, helping build trust and making an authentic connection with your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Video and social commerce also complement each other in several ways. Incorporating video is a great way to engage with your audience, boost brand awareness<\/a>, and promote your products, all at the same time. There’s a few different types of videos and tactics you can use to make the most of the videos you create for your social commerce, but we always recommend A\/B testing<\/a> to see what works best!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a demo video for your product allows your audience to see it in action so they know exactly what they would be purchasing. It also lets people ask questions in the comments so they have all the information they need before placing an order. Plus, by directing answering their comments, you can build a better 1-1 relationship with prospective customers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working with established influencers whose viewers match your target audience<\/a> for your product is a great way to promote your social commerce. After all, 69% of consumers trust what influencers say and recommend<\/a>. By partnering with an influencer who genuinely likes or uses your product, you’ll be able to drive more sales and followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being able to go live on platforms like TikTok or Instagram<\/a> have made it easier than ever to build a community around your brand. By hosting live question and answer sessions, you can directly connect with your audience in an authentic, helpful way. You can also go live and take your viewers behind the scenes of your brand, bringing them into your world to showcase how your business operates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Order packing videos are exactly what they sound like – you create a video where you pack an order for one of your customers. Many brands allow people to request these types of videos when they place their orders, so you can fill those requests to make your customer happy. As a bonus, depending on how you film your video, these types of videos can also appeal to lovers of ASMR content<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat social commerce platforms exist?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Creating a social commerce strategy with video<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Product demo videos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Influencer collaborations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Live Q&A and BTS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Order packing videos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n