But your business is probably not in the list.
Why? You’re still assuming it to be just eCommerce, and not social commerce.
Yes – with the onset of the digital revolution, we are no more following the old norm of online shopping. Everything from coming across a product to checking its reviews and even ordering it – happens on social channels!
In this article, you’ll know how social media has impacted eCommerce and reshaping the customer journey – for the good.
Why Should eCommerce Businesses Shift to Social Commerce?
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Small businesses – great SEO, top-notch website performance & quality blogs aren’t going to be it anymore. If you want your eCommerce business to thrive and bring in bucks, it’s time to shift from eCommerce to social commerce.
Here’s why social commerce should be your go-to approach:
Online stores are dominating
Online stores give your customers the convenience to shop from anywhere at any time. Customers can browse through a profile and purchase the product just with a tap – and that too – from the comfort of their homes.
Besides, imagine the cost of running a physical store and compare it to the cost of running an online store. We can safely say that you’ll be the gainer!
For example, Glossier has leveraged content to create a following of over two millions on Instagram. How did they manage to get so much exposure? They used Instagram-integrated tools, especially Instagram shops at the right time, which ensured that none of their customers with a buying intent left the page.
Visual content is the king
While written content has dominated the market for quite some time, visual content has taken the throne now. Compared to text content, visual content can grab your attention in a jiff – making it more likely to be shared and interacted with on social media.
It’s common to have a dilemma regarding the performance of your posts especially when you are just starting out. That’s why you can use social media reporting tools to analyze the performance of your social channels and reassess your strategy.
Product discovery rates are higher
Social media platforms have a huge user base, making them an ideal place for businesses to showcase their products to a wide audience. As social media uses algorithms to analyze and suggest content to their audience, your brand has higher chances of discovery and purchases.
For example, The Grommet leveraged their strong social media presence to promote their products, reach new customers, and even to announce sales and offers from time to time.
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How is social media changing e-commerce?
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Increasing scopes of brand awareness
Before social media, running an eCommerce business was nothing short of a myth. You get your website, do SEO, write some blogs, run some ads – and sit back and wait for a lead to discover you.
Thanks to social media, creating brand awareness and generating inbound leads have now become a cakewalk. Just by engaging with your audience & posting pictures and images that appeals to your audience right – you can generate word of mouth marketing for your eCommerce business in no time.
Getting real-time feedbacks
Imagine getting feedback from your customers pre-social media – cumbersome, complex & inefficient. But with the onset of social media, you are just a DM away from your customers. They can reach out to you 24×7 no matter the time-zone or the location.
Even if the DM seems a little out of the way for your customers, they can simply upload a picture or a video on their public profile with the concern (no need to tag the brand as well) – and, you can discover & address the issue ASAP by using any social listening tool.
Enhanced customer experience
From order deliveries to refund and even general product queries – everything was delayed more often because back then, the mode of communication was either email or calls. But, not anymore.
Social media is not just a platform to post pictures and become popular – in fact, it can work great as a customer service and even ensure a retail customer experience.
You can use any social media automation tools to automate replying to the customer’s queries faster, resolve their issues then & there in the comments and offer customized offers and discounts for next purchases.
Increased sales opportunities
Compared to the sales relying on SERP results and a couple of paid ads, the exposure scopes & sales possibilities are undoubtedly better on social media. Social media isn’t just a lead generation tool – that’s why you get a chance to engage with your audience and create a community.
You already get the chance to educate your audience about your products and service organically through social media beforehand,- thus, the overall sales cycle becomes shorter as well.
Personalized communications
When you are helping your customer out, it’s not only about offering them the solutions – the way you communicate with them also makes a major difference. Small gestures like, referring to them by their first name, or sending them a birthday wish or even humor works like magic and plays a crucial role in customer retention.
When it comes to conversions, such personalized communications work really great too. As you have access to both customer data and customer’s preferences real-time, you can share relevant offers and discounts with them.
Better scopes of influencer marketing
Who would your customers relate to the most – a mannequin wearing a beautiful dress or an influencer wearing the same dress? It’s undoubtedly the latter because your audience already knows that individual, can relate to them & has a higher trust factor.
Besides, influencers tend to have a huge following – and, by partnering with those who align with your branding – you have better chances of reaching a wider audience around the globe.
Improved data visualization
By visualizing data from social media analytics, e-commerce businesses can gain insights into customer behavior, preferences and interests. Such an approach can help e-commerce businesses make informed decisions about their marketing and product strategies and tailor content accordingly to meet the customers preferences.
Besides with data visualization, it is easier to track your businesses performances on social media and measure the success metrics of your marketing efforts. Once you know where you are going wrong & identify those weaknesses – you can stand in those areas and make data driven decisions.
Takeaway
The way businesses and consumers interact now in eCommerce have changed. Social media has not only facilitated stronger relationships – but has also resulted in convenient & shorter sales processes and longer customer retention. So, are you ready to transition from eCommerce to social commerce?
