From the dawn of MySpace to the age of TikTok, social media platforms have come a long way. While tech innovators originally made channels like these to help people connect with friends and loved ones, they have now evolved beyond their initial use. Since everyone can be found online, businesses have taken advantage of these platforms' opportunities.
Brands are always looking for new ways to connect with their audience, especially those that cater to younger generations, such as Millennials and Zoomers. Social media makes it easier to know what your target audience is like, what’s trending among them, and what makes them tick.
As a business, you get access to key features and tools on these platforms that can help you market your brand effectively.
How big of a role does social media play in your business? Do you need to be present on multiple platforms to find success? This guide will answer all that and more!
Why Use Social Media for eCommerce?
As a business, being on social media has all sorts of benefits. You can enjoy boosted sales, strengthen brand awareness, and build lasting connections with your customers. Here are some statistics that will help you understand how important social media is for businesses.
1. As of January 2022, there are over 4.62 billion social media users worldwide. It means that more than half of the global population (58.7%) is on social media - Data Reportal
Social media has become the go-to way to connect with friends and family. Since 2021, the total number of global users has grown by over 10%, with 424 million new users joining different channels.
Besides staying in the loop, many people use social media to consume entertaining and informative content. The total number of social media users isn’t expected to slow down soon, so your business should hop on these platforms for an advantage!
2. Globally, the average person spends over 2 hours and 29 minutes on social media - Smart Insights
Most users switch between platforms during their free time to catch up on notifications, messages, and other priorities. During the pandemic, these hours also rose, showing significant behavior changes due to worldwide lockdowns.
For eCommerce brands, this opens up an opportunity for you to attract your audience and lead them to your channels. The more time they spend online, the more likely they’ll come across your marketing efforts.
3. Facebook continues to be one of the world's most widely used social media platforms - Oberlo
As of 2022, there are over 2.9 billion monthly active users on Facebook, making it one of today's leading social media platforms. Its success is attributed to many things, but the biggest contributor is that the platform caters to a wider demographic.
Many businesses convert their customers through Facebook Marketplaces and official store pages on the platform. Additionally, its built-in analytics tools allow you to gain valuable insights that can help you improve your marketing efforts and understand your audience better.
4. Around 84% of users aged 18 to 29 are active on social media - Pew Research Center
Most social media users are teenagers to young adults since it serves as a place to connect virtually. If your brand caters to a younger audience, staying active on social media is a great way to reach new customers and drive conversion opportunities.
5. More businesses are turning to social media marketing because 73% believe that their efforts are ‘somewhat’ and ‘very’ effective - Buffer
As platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn continue to gain traction, it’s no surprise that more brands are turning to social. Since social media marketing is popularly known to be cost-effective, businesses that run social campaigns or consistently generate content can curb costs while building engagement and growth.
6. When internet users need to know more about a brand, 75% turn to social media to get more information about a company - Data Reportal
More shoppers rely on social media to look for reviews and insights on a brand they're interested in. Others may use these channels to look for the top businesses in a specific service they need.
The more positive reviews your eCommerce brand gets, the more likely you are to build a loyal consumer base and drive repeat sales.
7. When users go on social media, 91% access these channels through mobile devices like smartphones - Lyfe Marketing
More users rely on their phones to access social media platforms because of the convenience it serves. In addition to optimizing your site, your brand can take advantage of this trend by generating mobile-friendly content. Doing so will allow your users to explore your channels with ease and allow you to engage with them better.
3 Essential Things You Can Do on Social Media
Social media platforms are highly diverse tools that can fulfill various business needs. Here are the three main business operations social media can optimize.
- Marketing
Your eCommerce brand can significantly grow thanks to the marketing capabilities exclusive to social media platforms. Some examples include partnering with popular influencers, using user-generated content, posting stories and reels, and more.
A mixture of these strategies will help you balance out your content to encourage your customers to engage with your business more frequently.
- Sales
Major platforms like Facebook and Instagram now have a marketplace feature where eCommerce brands can establish themselves. These channels allow your customers to easily scroll through your content and get through the checkout process without leaving the app.
The convenience also encourages users to complete their transactions, leading to more sales and growth in revenue.
- Customer Service
Most users want to connect with your brand to inquire about your products and services. But rather than going out of the way to send an email, you can use social media platforms like a messenger to help your customers faster. It enables you to grant instant gratification and is a great way to build customer loyalty.
The Best Social Media Platforms for Businesses
Marketers are blessed with abundant social media platforms with different specialties. Knowing the best social media platforms for businesses is important to attain success.
- Facebook
Many eCommerce stores can establish themselves on Facebook through pages, paid ads, and engagement tools. It’s also best for creating various content types like images, videos, and links to appeal to all kinds of audiences. - Instagram
Brands that want to showcase products through images should do their best on Instagram. This platform highlights each post through a single-line feed, and stories are a great way to engage with your audience casually. - Twitter
Compared to other platforms, Twitter is considered best for businesses that want to stay in touch with trends and build a community with their audience. Twitter highlights its content mainly through text posts with a 280-character limit. But you can also use custom hashtags or attach other media such as images, links, and videos to diversify your content. - TikTok
TikTok specializes in video and live content ranging from short 15-second snippets to 5-minute-long videos. It’s also one of the newer platforms that have grown in popularity since there’s a variety of content users can enjoy. Moreover, your eCommerce brand can benefit most from this platform since it comprises younger individuals. - YouTube
YouTube caters to all forms of video content, from vlogs and shorts to live content. Many eCommerce brands can establish themselves on the platform by picking up a specific niche that caters to your target audience. Apart from ad revenue, you can also profit by connecting your eCommerce channel through your videos.
Social Media for eCommerce: 7 Tips for Success
Different social media apps will have varying features that make them unique. But with so many platforms available, it can be tricky to keep up with all the updates and changes. So here are some tips and tricks you can use to ensure your eCommerce strategy can succeed.
- Find the best platforms for your brand
Being present on different platforms is great, but you don't necessarily have to be on all of them. Building a strong presence will take a lot of your time, budget, and effort, so you should start small by determining the best platforms for your brands. Mastering one or two platforms will be much better than being a jack of all trades. - Determine the main purpose of each chosen platform
The audience and features of every platform are unique. To ensure your marketing efforts are successful, you should know what strategies and channels align with your goals.
Are you looking to connect with like-minded professionals? Then LinkedIn will be a better place to start. But hopping on Facebook will be ideal if you’re looking to cater to a general audience.
- Utilize-user generated content
Let your audience share their experiences and content to show your brand's credibility. Posts from your customers can act as social proof and showcase your brand’s value. It can also be a cheap and easy way to keep your customers engaged while becoming a notable figure in the market. - Always be consistent across all channels
To make your eCommerce brand more memorable, you must be consistent with your content. Keep your discussions within the realm that you specialize in. Doing this will help you develop industry authority allowing you to be seen as a respected figure in the industry. - Make a connection with your audience
Consumers want to connect with a brand that feels their needs are being met. When you engage with your customer regularly, you can build a stronger relationship and improve customer retention. - Reach out and partner with influencers
With the right influencers, you can appeal to a bigger audience that you haven't reached yet. When they vouch for your brand, it’ll increase awareness, better sales, and even improve your market image. - Use video content to drive traffic and conversions
Video content can easily attract the curiosity of your target audience. Digesting content can also be more enjoyable without reading through a whole article. If you choose this strategy, the key is to be informative and engaging.
Social Media for Business Success!
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With the points above, it’s clear that social media provides many benefits for businesses. While tech innovators originally made it so you could stay in touch with loved ones and friends, it has become much more over the past few years. As of today, features like online marketplaces, communities, and live events have taken the business world by storm.
Many businesses have realized the potential of social media and have quickly hopped on these channels. However, there’s no denying that platform mastery will take some time. But now that you have this guide in hand, you’ll have a much stronger foundation as you start your social media journey.
If your business is growing fast, you’ll need a proven eCommerce platform that will enable you to capitalize on the conversion opportunities that your social campaign is generating. As you develop a strong presence on social media, don’t forget to optimize your online store. Learn more about boosting your eCommerce business with Rush’s all-in-one eCommerce platform.
Book a demo with our Sales Champs to learn more about our eCommerce packages and white-label loyalty solutions!
