eCommerce took a massive upswing in those years we’d all rather forget – lockdowns and self-isolation meant a lot of time for online shopping. Even though things have gone back to some semblance of normal now, ecommerce is still on the rise. In fact, the numbers say that there is likely to be a 100% increase in the amount of money spent online over the next three years.
One of the major advancements that’s driving this growth is a fairly new phenomenon called social commerce. This has become an enormous factor of online shopping and will most likely push the trends even higher over the next five years.
What Exactly Is Social Commerce?
Social commerce is essentially the marriage of social media and online shopping. It’s when a business sells its products via their social media profiles. The term was first coined in 2005 but the meaning has evolved into what we now see on social media.
We’re not talking about sharing links to products on social media for people to click through to your website. The entire shopping experience actually happens on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. The customer can view the product in your post, click on the “shop now” button and then actually pay for it right then and there.
Why Should Brands Get Active With Social Commerce?
- You Shorten The Shopping Process
The fewer steps someone has to take when shopping online, the less likely you are to lose them through the process. When they see the product on Facebook, for example, and then have to click on the link to go to your website, and then have to fill in their details and finally get to purchase – you could easily lose people along the way.
Being able to make a purchase right on social media as they come across the product will take away a lot of that friction.
- It Brings Back the Social Aspect Of Shopping
One of the things that online shopping has always been criticized for is that it’s a solitary experience. The joy of going out to the shops, trying things on and chatting to your friends through the process isn’t there. With social commerce, that interactivity is brought back to some degree.
Customers can interact directly with the brand or the store on their social media platform. They can also share the image or video with their friends for input before making a purchase. It all becomes much easier and more social.
- Incredibly Precise Targeting
Something that the large social media platforms do very well is targeting. There is so much consumer data stored on those sites that you can segment your audience as finely as you like. You can delve into interests, location, age and so much more. If you know that your audience also like claiming an online casino welcome bonus to play games, you can create similar targeted offerings to attract their attention.
Get In On Social Commerce
It’s quite clear that social commerce is not a trend that will be here one day and gone the next. It’s been working well on the established social media platforms and is most likely going to keep on doing so as more and more brands adopt to the practice.
