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During the last few years, both e-commerce and social media have grown rapidly. There are more than a billion active users on Facebook and Instagram each month, while the eCommerce sector is experiencing boom times.
As much as your online store is where sales occur, social media is where you can warm up your prospects. Approximately 71% of people trust social media referrals when making a purchase online.
That is why the idea of incorporating social media into eCommerce stores in 2023 should be given serious consideration. If you own an e-commerce store and have no idea where to start, well, we have written this complete guide outlining every step you must take. So, let's get started
Here are a few steps to follow and take advantage of social media platforms for your e-commerce website. You don’t have to implement all of them at the same time, but you must start somewhere.
1. Add Social Media Buttons to Your Product Pages
It is helpful if you provide social media buttons on your product page for customers who want to learn more about your brand.
Your customers will have an easier time navigating between your product pages and your social media channels when you add social buttons to each product page.
This option may seem to distract them from buying, but most customers do not make a purchase their first time visiting an online store. It has been found that 70% of customers will abandon their shopping carts even after adding items to them.
Your prospects will have the opportunity to interact with your brand if you make it easy for them to find your social media channels. This will allow you to gain their attention and 'warm them up' so that they will return and make a purchase before they are fully in the mood to do so.
2. Make Sure Your Logo is Everywhere
As the face of your brand, your logo is crucial. People immediately recognize this logo, and it contributes to building a sense of trust, reliability, and credibility. Put your ecommerce business logos on your website and your social media channels, and be sure to use the same logo on all your marketing channels.
If social media channels bring customers to your store, you don't want them to feel lost. They will feel more confident knowing they are in the right place when they see your logo prominently displayed.
You should include it in all of your visual content as well. Add your logo to the top left of every image you create on Instagram, for example.
3. Make Social Media Posts About Your Products
Online video consumption is on the rise among consumers. If the content is compelling enough, they may also interact with brands via social media if they want to be social.
Creating a product video and sharing it on social media isn't scary. A successful video should be short, concise, engaging, and - if possible - a little entertaining. To make your video even more impactful, consider adding captions or a transcript. Audio to text transcription tool can help you effortlessly generate accurate transcripts and captions, ensuring your content is accessible and engaging to a wider audience.
Make sure the hashtags are optimized and encourage sharing of the content. It may even be possible to offer rewards to encourage more shares.
Make the most of Instagram Stories to create a buzz about any new products you plan to launch as well. Instagram Stories allows you to create the following:
It is important to be cautious when posting to your Instagram feed. Video length on Instagram is typically limited to 26 seconds, so keep yours as short as possible. Splitting one video up into three or four may be necessary if you require more time than that.
Also, you can livestream on Facebook. Streaming live is a challenge for some, but if you prepare properly in advance, you will be able to pull it off. It is also a very good idea because 82% of people say they prefer watching live content. Listed below are a few suggestions:
If you are going to use social media, make sure you use visual content. You should also include a call to action that directs your customers to your online store.
4. Use Social Media to Interact With Your Customers
As you spend more time with your customers, they will become more aware of your dedication to them. In addition, spending time with your customers allows you to address objections and develop long-term relationships with them.
Be sure to address comments on your social media pages on time. Engage in the discussion. Listen to your customers and answer questions about delivery and shipping. Remember when it comes to shipping your products, and you want to reduce expenses and seek cheaper options, ShipSaving could help you. It is an advanced mailing discount platform designed to assist sellers in evaluating and selecting optimal logistics solutions. ShipSaving not only ensures real-time synchronization of order status and package delivery updates but also facilitates significant cost savings of up to 89% on shipping expenditures.
Use the right tone of voice when communicating with your customers on social media. Keep a positive attitude, be friendly, and be humorous. Do not act in an irritable, moody, or defensive manner. If you are insulted by your other conversation partner, do not lose your temper. Show understanding and invite them to a private talk. Consider the possibility that a customer may be frustrated by their experience if they turn nasty. Therefore, be empathic.
5. Provide Opportunities For User-generated Content
The term "user-generated content" refers to content that is created by your customers and shared on your social media channels. What is the purpose? To build social proof and drive more traffic to your store by building a buzz around your brand and products.
Your best user-generated content will demonstrate how your products are being used and enjoyed by your customers. As a brand, it is extremely valuable since it is 100% authentic.
According to the statistics, user-generated content, such as photos, increases conversion rates by 25% for eCommerce stores. To put it simply, customers are more likely to trust content created by others than by you.
Additional requirements for user-generated content are as follows:
Talk to your customers about what you expect from them to ensure user-generated content is as effective as possible. Provide them with some guidelines regarding your brand's values. Ensure that this is as simple as possible for them and remain by their side at all times.
6. Use the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) to Your Advantage
A common emotion people experience when viewing social media content is the fear of missing out (FOMO). The desire and urgency they feel grow when they witness their peers enjoying an event or sharing a brand-new product they have purchased. Therefore, they feel compelled to participate in similar experiences and activities as soon as possible.
Business owners can use FOMO to increase their brand's engagement and sales. Whenever your customers post something interesting about your brand, FOMO can occur. Consequently, it is up to you to think of interesting ideas that can draw the attention of your target audience.
7. Use Influencer Marketing
The most important lesson to be learned from social media is that people are looking for authentic content on social media. As well as establishing a personal connection.
Making promotional materials for your audience is no longer sufficient. It is unlikely that they will engage with a brand that appears faceless.
A solution to this problem is to collaborate with influencers who appeal to your target audience. A social media influencer is a content creator with a large following on social media. Their followers are loyal and engaged because they provide entertaining content, are honest, and share their personal opinions.
You can find the right influencer for your industry with the assistance of an influencer marketing tool. Get in touch with them and ask them to promote your product to their audience.
Ensure that the influencer's content matches the brand image and values of your business. As well as setting up rewards in connection with the achievement of specific objectives. You should be cautious when dealing with influencers who do not have a substantial following.
Do you want to grow your e-commerce business with social media? Just now, we explored several powerful ways in which social media can be integrated with online shopping. All that is required is to take care of the basics and do the right things. Logos and videos contribute to the building of trust. Focus on your audience's needs and keep experimenting.
Other than that, make sure you provide efficient customer support and ensure a smooth delivery process for your products. Platforms like ShipSaving are a good option to streamline delivery and reduce costs as well.
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