Are you one of those who often find themselves saying “everything is online now”? Well, you’re not alone! The way we shop has changed drastically and the high street is a testament to that. So, what exactly is social media ecommerce marketing?
In simple terms, social media ecommerce marketing refers to the use of social media platforms to promote an online store by creating brand awareness, generating interest in products or services, and ultimately driving sales.
To achieve these goals, businesses utilise various tactics such as promoting and directing traffic to an e-commerce website or app, selling products directly on social media, engaging with customers and prospects on social channels, providing customer support, gathering insights about the industry and market, and building an online community around their brand.
In fact, successful social media ecommerce marketing strategies often employ a combination of these tactics to create an online presence and drive business growth. If you’re looking for some top tips for social media ecommerce marketing and examples of companies who are doing this well then keep reading!
Using social media can be a great way to get people excited about your brand.
Whether you’re announcing a new store, product, service, event, or promotion, social media is the perfect platform to reach out to your target audience and start meaningful conversations. By having a consistent posting schedule with a unified voice and message, you can successfully create brand awareness across various channels and formats.
Stay engaged with hot topics, trending hashtags, and directly interact with your audience to keep the conversation going. Remember, building brand awareness takes time, but by showcasing your brand’s personality and values, keeping your messaging consistent, connecting with the right people, demonstrating your value, and responding to feedback, you can help your brand stand out and leave a lasting impression.
Social media has become a powerful advertising channel with a global reach that’s constantly growing. Paid social media ads are now the way to go for businesses looking to reach their target audience effectively.
Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, TikTok Ads and LinkedIn Ads all have robust targeting and segmentation tools to help your businesses advertise effectively (you don’t want to target to the masses just because you can – your audience still needs to be defined to heighten your chances of success).
To make the most out of social media advertising, you need to identify your target market and audience, layer targeting parameters, create a compelling content strategy, define your goals and KPIs for each channel, pick the ad types that align with your goals, and specify the right conversion metrics. The ad types, KPIs, and conversion metrics you choose will depend on your goals for social media advertising and the platforms you invest in. For instance, image, video, and carousel ads are best suited for driving brand awareness, while product, collection, or shopping ads are ideal for driving sales.
Building customer loyalty is essential for any business, and one of the best ways to achieve that is by engaging with your customers.
If you have an ecommerce business, it’s crucial to include customer support as part of your social media strategy. Social platforms provide an excellent opportunity to connect with your customers, offer support, and build relationships. As a result, social media has become a go-to channel for most major brands to provide customer support.
Your social media profile can serve as a platform for your customers to ask questions, offer feedback, engage with your content, and even provide insights into what they want. To handle these interactions effectively, brands and social media managers need to be well-prepared to respond to incoming comments and direct messages. And if you can’t, then you may consider using an ecommerce chatbot to assist you.
Apart from providing a great customer experience, having an interactive social media presence also helps build social proof. Prospective customers will see your public interactions with your customers, and this can impact their decision to make a purchase. How you handle complaints publicly on social media can speak volumes about how you handle them privately. Therefore, it’s crucial to prioritise engaging with your customers!
In today’s digital age, it’s not uncommon to come across sponsored ads and paid product reviews on social media. However, as a savvy user, I can spot them from a mile away, and I’m sure many others can too.
That’s why authenticity on social media has become more important than ever. Brands that are true to their values and brand voice, communicate openly and honestly with customers, and take responsibility for their actions are the ones that stand out. Authenticity can forge a deeper connection with customers, encouraging brand loyalty and taking the bond beyond just sales.
For instance, Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, with a staggering 90% following at least one business. Meanwhile, TikTok has become a popular platform for genuine product reviews and recommendations, which has helped many brands achieve major successes in sales.
In fact, TikTok’s impact on driving sales is so significant that it has its own popular hashtag: #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt. Recent studies found that 67% of TikTok users were inspired by the app to purchase products they hadn’t intended to buy. It goes to show that being real and creating authentic content can go a long way in building a successful brand.
With millions of users actively engaging on social media every day, it’s crucial to have a competitive edge to stand out from the crowd! One way to achieve this is by conducting a competitor analysis on social media.
While the primary reason for conducting such an analysis is to learn about your competitors, it can also provide valuable insights into your own business and audience. Performing a social media competitive analysis can offer several surprising insights, including performance benchmarks for your business, such as average followers, engagement rates, and share of voice. It can also give you ideas for the best times to post on social media, an understanding of potential customer pain points, and new ideas for content that may resonate with your audience.
The insights gained from a social media competitive analysis are invaluable. It not only gives you a competitive edge but also helps you understand your audience better and make informed decisions that can positively impact your business’s growth. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to start analysing your competitors on social media!
Not sure where to start, here are some examples of ecommerce businesses who have smashed their social media marketing.
Nike, the well-known global sports brand, has gained worldwide recognition for its slogan ‘just do it’. However, it’s not just their high-quality images and videos that promote their products, but also their powerful social media marketing that tells inspiring stories. One such story is that of Alex Roca, who became the first person with 76% physical disability and cerebral palsy to complete a marathon. This was a significant achievement and a remarkable breakthrough, inspiring many consumers to get their own pair of running shoes and start their own journey towards fitness. By sharing such stories, Nike not only promotes its products but also encourages people to push beyond their limits and achieve their goals.
Image source: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk
Sephora is a beauty haven for anyone looking to amp up their beauty game. From cosmetics to skincare, they have it all. What’s even better is that Sephora offers their customers a chance to see the products in action with their product photos and short videos that demonstrate how to apply the products and what effects you can expect. Real life examples of how to use their products – really brings it all together and showcases the quality of their products to their consumers.
Need help with your ecommerce social media strategy?
Talk to our social media team today so we can help you smash your business goals! Contact us today or call 01788 288020.