Could social shopping be the next big thing for your brand? Try some of BRANDED’s top tips on how to get started and make the most of this exciting marketing trend.
1. Audience is Everything
Audience research is your number one task. Know who your shoppers are, what makes them abandon cart, and what drives them to make that final purchase. By knowing your audience inside out, from their demographics to their social media habits, you can properly target your customers and find the right influencers and messages to convert a view to that all-important sale.
2. Not All Platforms are Created Equal
Each selling platform has its own strengths and niches, so it’s vital to find which platform works best for your brand, based on your audience demographics. For example, Pinterest is dominantly female users, while Facebook has a more even demographic spread. Do your audience research and select the correct platform, and you’ll know you’re talking to people who will be interested in your brand and not wasting your time or resources. Having an expert team with a deep understanding of different platforms onboard is key here, to maximize reach and use features to their best advantages (and to tread fearlessly into new trends!)
3. Carry on the Conversation!
Now, we know that reviews are absolutely essential for e-commerce success, but that doesn’t mean it’s all about the Amazon reviews. Make sure you don’t neglect your reviews on social platforms like Instagram and Facebook. You’ll gain a better understanding of your customers from these channels and other users will see this feedback as brand-confirming and proof that your products are worth talking about. Carry on the conversation and convert those views into sales and brand confidence!
4. User-Generated Content for the Win.
Get your users to show their love for your products, and they’ll produce some invaluable content for you as well as promoting your brand! Encourage user-generated content (UGC) through giveaways, contests and campaigns and ensure your hashtags are easily searchable and engaging. Talk to your audience, and you’ll build up a thriving partnership with your brand and a special community of creators and customers.
5. Small is Influential Too!
Micro-influencers can have a big impact on your brand. You don’t need to aim for superstar celebrities to increase your following – just selecting the right influencer is key. A micro-influencer might have just 10k-50k followers, but they may already have a loyal community following who trust their recommendations and can encourage their audience to try new brands and products. Focus on how an influencer engages with their followers and gauge their activity with their community for a productive and profitable social shopping experience.
6. Focus on Your Shopping Experience
Live-shopping and sharing products on social media is a careful balance of hooking your audience and making them want to find out more about your brand and your products. Keep your users engaged and wanting more by sharing a selection of your products at any one time, and encourage them to visit your website or shop page to find out more. Remember to ensure your customers have as seamless a shopping experience as possible, especially in-app checkouts, so that views can be converted to sales quickly and easily.
7. Track and Tease Your Way to Success
Set yourself up to track each product’s performance and you’ll keep one step ahead of trends. Promote your Livestream sessions frequently in the lead up to your event and provide any influencers with all the information they need, including hashtags in advance. Once you’re live, link each product on Amazon Livestreams so viewers can easily purchase your items and then, when done properly, your Livestream session will appear on the product page, resulting in even more views – and sales!
8. Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
With anything e-commerce related, do remember to be patient too – growing a following and succeeding at social media shopping isn’t an instant overnight guarantee. Stay consistent with your messaging and approach, invest time and energy into your strategy, and pay close attention to data and user patterns and behavior as they emerge to inform your actions.
