Are you capitalising on the growing popularity of social eCommerce?
We’ve talked about lots of different UK and EU eCommerce marketplace platforms recently, but these platforms aren’t the only place to sell your products online! E-commerce brands have recognized the importance of social media for many years, but it’s only recently that social platforms have incorporated shopping into their experience. Social commerce is exactly that, the process of selling products directly on social media, and it’s massively growing in popularity in today’s age of technology.
The average person spends 2 hours on social media every single day, that’s nearly 5 and a half years in their lifetime. Rather than redirect users elsewhere, why not create seamless eCommerce experiences directly within social channels, which happen to be some of the most popular destinations on the web.
If your target demographic lies in the 18-to-34 age range, they’re already online and waiting to shop while they scroll. 48% of US internet users this age made a purchase on social media in 2019. For those in that demographic who haven’t shopped on social media yet, 27% have expressed interest in giving it a go. So if you’re product’s target market is in this area, you’re missing a huge trick by not doing social commerce.
What platforms are the best for social commerce?
As of right now only a few of the most popular social apps allow for in-app purchases including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. TikTok has only very recently joined the fold and is already making huge strides with 24% of users shopping on the platform. It’s likely we’ll see more of these social media brands integrating eCommerce functionality as it only continues to prove successful for those currently doing it. Here is a breakdown of how these currently work and where your products might fit into this.
As a prime destination for visual content, Instagram is ahead in the social commerce game, with 64% of consumers shopping from the platform in the last year. Business profiles can create a customizable storefront page that acts as a curated collection of products for sale. Each product gets its own detail page, featuring pricing, media, and a detailed description. Instagram’s Shopping Tags allow businesses to tag their products in their Stories or posts.
Facebook shopping is the next most popular with 46% of consumers buying on the platform. Facebook shops are customizable, allowing the owner to choose which collections or products to feature, and edit the fonts, images, and colors to suit your brand. You can import an existing catalog of products from your website, or create one from scratch.
Benefits:
Reach consumers in the places that matter
Users are already browsing social media every day, using these platforms for eCommerce puts your products where they already are rather than having them go and search for your products. increasingly becoming the first port of call for shoppers looking to discover products and make purchases.
Create frictionless shopping experiences
Offering direct and one-click purchasing options reduces customer potential to change their mind during the checkout process.
Take advantage of the e-commerce boom
On top of the rising traffic in online shopping, people are more used to buying within social channels. Previously this was seen as risky and potentially dangerous but now buying products via social platforms is commonplace and to be trusted.