Social Media and Ecommerce - It's like Milk and Cookies

Social media has transformed the way that people run their businesses, and if you don't yet have a presence then it might be time to jump on board the social train...

Did you know that 43% of consumers are more likely to buy a new product when learning about it on social media? Connecting with your audience is a vital step in driving conversions, and that's why your social platforms can be so valuable.

But, if you don't think you can afford to spend time building a social presence then take a look at why you should reconsider...

1. You can target your audience more effectively

Your social platforms can teach you more than you think. The truth is, if you want to run a successful store then you need to know who your audience is and social media can offer you those insights.

Any decent social media management tool will give you handy metrics to find out who is engaging with your posts. That way, you can better improve your online store.

But that's not all! Many social media management platforms let you take advantage of geo-targeting, meaning you can target people depending on their location, to further improve your conversion rate.

2. You'll gain valuable feedback

You could have a clear strategy set out for your Ecommerce store, but if you don't get any feedback then how do you know if you're doing it right?

Social media will give you the feedback that you need to better your service. Sure, some of your feedback may not always be what you want to read. But negative feedback can really help you improve your product and service.

Check out our previous blog, how to encourage, reward and showcase user reviews, to find out how to tackle bad feedback.

3. You'll find new customers

Yep that's right, if there is ever a reason to use social media then it's this. There is a giant world of opportunity out there, and by 2017 there will be 2.55 billion using social media, so you're bound to attract new customers on social.

In fact, 70% of marketers have been successful gaining new customers via social networks.

If you use it to it's full potential, you can actually seek out people who may be interested in your products. For example you can use Twitter as a search engine, and find people who are talking about what you sell. That way you can reach out to them and direct them to your store.

4. It will direct traffic

Social media will help you drive traffic to your store, because the more awesome posts you put out there, the more people will be interested in finding out more. Make sure that you include your website link on all of your profiles so people know where to find your online store.

If you have enough budget, then consider promoting some of your posts as this can help you target the right people. The great thing about social ads is that you don't have to spend a huge amount, and when you start promoting your content, you'll reach people who are actually interested in buying.

5. You can benefit from social selling

Social selling is the new hot topic and with our Ecommerce solution, you can actually sell stuff from your Facebook page. This makes it so much easier to drive conversions because sometimes all a person is looking for is a quick sale, rather than having to go through a long shopping cart process.

And Facebook isn’t the only place you can drive conversions with our Ecommerce platform. You can also Tweet your new products by sharing a unique link that will direct them to the cart, rather than landing on a product page.

Social media is also great for letting your customers sell for you. Often when a customer is impressed with your products, they'll tag you in their social praise, and this can really help raise awareness to other people who may have not yet heard from you...

After-all, 81% of consumers purchase decisions are influenced by their friends' social media posts.

6. It's great for showing off your personality

The good news about social media is that it's not all strictly business the whole time. Of course you have to stay true to your brand, but social media gives you the opportunity to open up a little, and show off your personality.

It's important to remember that social media shouldn’t be used solely as a selling tool. People will want to follow you if you are providing them with content that they find useful, so think about who your audience is and what they like to share. They won't always be interested in buying - and that's ok.

Social media is all about building your brand and connecting with your audience. As a rule of thumb, you should be posting 20% promotional stuff and then 80% useful/interesting/fun content.

7. It's great for sharing content

Did you know that 87% of marketers use social media as the main channel to distribute their content? Social media is a playground full of content and there's a huge opportunity to reach a wide audience.

If you don't have one already, make sure you set up a regular blog so that you can publish them on social every time you write a new post. Other popular content to add to your schedule include product videos, e-books, infographics and even case studies.

Just make sure the content you are promoting is targeted to your audience, actionable and highly shareable.

Takeaway

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to include social media as a priority in your marketing strategy. Make sure you use it to connect with your audience, build your brand personality and help drive conversions!

And, if you want to find out more about how our Ecommerce solution can help you become a better social seller then contact us today.