Brands are increasingly expanding their reach and selling their products and services where their consumers hang out: on social media. Online sales are expected to rise by up to 22%, and online platforms continue to be a favorite place to shop. Having a social commerce strategy is critical to your marketing success. A social commerce strategy is well-planned, and uses tools that are relevant and will help you sell your products and services on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even Pinterest. Using the right strategy and tactics will give you more brand visibility and increase sales.
1. Identify the Right Social Media
You will need to find out which social media channels will mesh with your products and services. Art, wedding decorations, or fashion items, for example, will do best on visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. Meanwhile, tech and gadgets are products that will do better on Facebook or Twitter. The Nike brand, for example, uses Instagram to post high-quality images of athletes in action and uses filters and hashtags to extend their brand awareness. Use platforms where your audience spends most of their time.
Related post: Social Media and Your Business' Personality
2. Customer Service Experience
Approximately 67% of customers are seeking customer service through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. When you offer an undeniably great customer service experience on social media platforms, it creates more loyal followers and attracts new customers. Consumers will spend more on brands they engage with on social media, which is a great way to boost sales.
3. Provide High-Quality Content
Provide your audience with relevant and helpful information. Sharing helpful posts that your audience can enjoy is a perfect way to engage them and create a loyal following. For example, Sony actively shares content about new Playstation games and gaming footage on Twitter, and Coca-Cola shares content about current events on Facebook, which keeps their customers engaged throughout their buying process.
4. Connect with Influencers
Identify influencers in your industry and connect with them. Engaging with influencers on social media is good for your brand's credibility. A mention from an influencer will make people trust your brand, and you can tap into the influencer's loyal audience, which can lead to more conversions and higher sales.
Related post: How to Run an Influencer Campaign
5. Use Analytics
Social media analytics will give you helpful insights and let you know if your social commerce strategy is working or needs to be adjusted. You will know the content that your customers are engaging with more, and identify the content to remove when it isn't effective. You get to know this information from the number of likes, shares, and even comments that your post receives. Metrics on customer behavior are also important for understanding the customer journey, even as you measure sales.
6. Seamless Checkout
Having a seamless checkout on your social media platform is critical. Cutting the amount of steps that customers have to take to make a purchase will help boost sales. When customers see a product they like, they want to make a quick purchase and go back to their newsfeed. Making this possible will encourage them to make the purchase and repurchase your products in the future. Integrating features like Amazon Pay will help you to eliminate the many purchasing steps and offer your customers a hassle-free checkout process.
Conclusion
Having the right social commerce strategy will set you up for success in your social media campaign efforts. Social media is a powerful place to extend your brand reach and connect with your audience. It is a welcome addition to your overall marketing strategy, and with the right strategy, you will be on the right track to success. At Ironmark, we can help your brand reach new heights with social media marketing. Get in touch with us today.
