Social commerce has become an essential part of any successful marketing strategy.
As the world becomes increasingly digital, savvy marketers are taking advantage of social media platforms to reach a broader audience and increase their revenue. Once you have a sense of the audience you’re trying to reach and the platforms that will best showcase your products and services, it’s time to start putting together your plan. Let’s explore some tactics you can use to take your social commerce strategy to the next level.
First let’s talk about working with Micro-influencers.
Creators and micro-influencers can be valuable assets for marketers in their social commerce campaigns. These individuals have smaller followings than traditional influencers, but they often have a highly engaged audience that trusts their opinions.
Here’s Hasan, cinematographer & on-camera talent at Nexorank to share more:
Hasan: I think ultimately working with influencers can be a cheat code for a number of brands. If the influencer really ends up aligning with the target audience that you want to go after, they already have an audience that’s built-in that really trusts what they have to say. That will probably convert much more easily than you trying to access that same audience yourself. And so I think in that way, working with an influencer can be a huge boost to your funnel if you end up finding the right kind of influencer for your brand.
There are a variety of ways you can collaborate with micro influencers to help boost awareness for your business. For example, you can partner with them for product reviews and recommendations. One of the most effective ways to work with micro influencers is by having them review your products and provide recommendations to their audience. By providing an honest and authentic review of your product, these individuals can help build trust and credibility with their followers. Unboxing products in realtime can also be a big draw for the influencer and for your brand.
Sponsored Posts
You can also partner with them for sponsored posts. Marketers can work with micro influencers to create sponsored posts for their social media channels that feature your product or service and include a call-to-action (CTA) to encourage followers to make a purchase. Sponsored posts can be an effective way to reach a larger audience and increase your brand’s visibility.
There’s also the opportunity for influencer takeovers. Influencer takeovers are a popular trend in social media marketing. This involves handing over control of your social media channels to a creator or micro influencer for a set period of time. During this time, the influencer can create content and engage with your audience on your behalf. Influencer takeovers can be an effective way to increase engagement and build a more personal connection with your audience.
It’s important to choose the right creators and micro influencers that align with your brand’s values and target audience to ensure the success of your social commerce campaign. Just because they’re popular doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the right fit for your brand.
Next, consider how you might employ your efforts. One option is to use artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a powerful tool for improving your social commerce strategy. Each of the platforms employs some form of AI to help manage analytics and manage engagement, but brands can take advantage of AI tools to help develop content for paid and organic campaigns and to automate customer support through chatbots, making it easier for customers to get the help they need quickly. When AI is paired with contextual voice technology it can be even more powerful, enabling consumers to purchase from a social site using just their voice. Look for tools that integrate with the social media platforms, not just your ecommerce database or your website.
There’s also live stream sales.
Live stream shopping has been big in many countries and is only just now finding its footing in the U.S. as people rediscover the thrill of buying something via a live video stream. YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok are the primary social platforms for live shopping. If you’re considering adding live shopping to your commerce strategy, here are few things to consider:
- 1. Showcase your product. Live stream sales allow companies to showcase their products in real-time, providing an engaging and interactive experience for customers. By highlighting the features and benefits of the product, and answering questions live from customers, you can build loyalty and generate excitement among customers who want to secure the product before it’s no longer available.
- 2. Provide exclusive offers. Live stream sales are perfect for offering exclusive, limited-time deals and discounts to customers who tune in. This can create a sense of exclusivity and urgency and incentivize customers to make a purchase during the live stream.
- 3. Cross-sell and upsell your products. You can use live stream sales to cross-sell and upsell products to customers who are already interested in what you are offering. By highlighting complementary products or accessories, or offering a bundle deal that includes multiple products, you can increase the value of each purchase and increase revenue.
- 4. Take advantage of interactive features. Live stream sales events can be made more engaging and interactive by incorporating features such as live polls, giveaways, or live Q&A sessions. These features can increase customer engagement and create a more memorable shopping experience, increasing the likelihood of a sale.
User-Generated Content
Another opportunity for collaboration is through user-generated content (UGC). User- generated content should be on the top of your list of social commerce tactics to use when developing your strategy. UGC is content created by users or customers, such as product reviews, social media posts, and images or videos that feature a product or service. UGC can build trust and credibility with potential customers by providing authentic and unbiased opinions about products or services.
When customers see other users sharing their positive experiences, they’re more likely to trust the brand and make a purchase. By leveraging the content that your customers have already created, you can increase engagement and social proof, drive conversions, generate buzz, and gain valuable insights into the customer experience. As social media continues to play an increasingly important role in social commerce, businesses that embrace UGC will have a significant competitive advantage over those that don’t.
As you can see, social commerce offers a world of opportunities for marketers to engage with their customers and drive sales in new and exciting ways. From influencer partnerships to chatbots and social marketplaces, the options are endless. By leveraging the power of social media and e-commerce, businesses can tap into a vast network of potential customers and build lasting relationships with their audience.