In 2019, consumer interest in shopping through social media platforms increased with 38% in 12 months. More than 2,000 consumers across Germany, France, the USA and UK participated in the research by the digital marketing company Bazaarvoice, and the insights show that there are several benefits in creating e-commerce on social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook. However, is it just another buzzworthy trend or is this the future for e-commerce?
What is Social Media Shopping?
Social media shopping, or social e-commerce, refers to companies that sell products directly through social media platforms. It is different from digital marketing that drives traffic from social media platforms to the website through content. Every social media platform addresses e-commerce differently but it usually involves fewer clicks than on a normal e-commerce website.
Social Media Platforms
Instagram is the most popular platform when it comes to social media shopping. Instagram Checkout has already been rolled out in different countries, and it is opening a whole new revenue stream. Checkout tags will appear on posts, stories, etc., and Instagram will introduce a selling fee.
Facebook has the tool Facebook Page Shops that allows brands to build an entire store on the social media platform. In the tool, brands can add and update products, promote the store through advertisements, sell directly from the Facebook page, and even manage orders and shipping.
On Pinterest, brands can upload the entire product catalog and turn it into products all at once. Furthermore, it is possible to create Shopping Ads to reach consumers who are looking for products.
Why You Should Consider Social Media Shops?
60% of people discover new products on Instagram and 30% of consumers would buy through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, or even SnapChat. Consumers are looking for authenticity, and they want to get social proof when they choose which brands they want to trust. Social media shopping provides real consumer reviews and feedback in the interactions. 70% of consumers use social media platforms as a tool to read reviews before making a purchase decision. Moreover, with a lot of potential young consumers who already spend a significant portion of their time browsing social media platform, a social media store will offer a potential avenue for brands to expand the reach and increase engagement and interactions with consumers to boost sales.
What is Next?
It can be difficult to create a social media store that engage the target audience. If you need help or have any questions, leave a comment or contact me.
