From connecting friends and families on Facebook to uniting brands and communities across platforms, social media has unlocked a whole new dynamics of marketing. Over the last few years, social media has become an essential part of people’s lives and, your digital marketing strategy.
Modern-day consumers are very social. They are tech-savvy and are always online. And please don’t think that brands haven’t noticed the change.
Today, many businesses use social media eCommerce strategies to reach out to their audiences on different networks before their consumers visit their e-stores. Almost everything, from taking a class to booking your favorite products and buying a bike can be done online.
Brands have complete freedom over when and how to move to social to discover new markets and connect with customers.
One of the fastest-growing footwear brands in Pakistan announced that their social media has played a critical role in boosting their online sales. By digging into data they revealed that almost 75% of people bought something from their online store because they saw it on social media.
If you are still skeptical about adopting a social media eCommerce strategy, here are a few reasons why you need to do it fast:
People are interested in knowing about your business
Whether or not you are on social, people are talking about your business and are interested in knowing more about the products you sell. Without an active presence, you give users the power to control your story. It’s not necessarily a bad thing –after all, referrals/ word-of-mouth has been shown to be the most credible form of marketing.
But it is a concern if that story is narrated with a negative sentiment, or when a user’s feedback goes unnoticed.
It is important to understand that the success of your online store is driven by the volume of website traffic. Social media plays an essential role in directing followers to your product or landing pages. If you can get people to talk about your brand online, you are generating awareness. But if you respond, you build connections and create relationships that will benefit you more than just bringing a link share.
People are looking for answers to the questions they have about your brand
According to a recent survey, 90% of followers try to connect with brands via social media. Instead of using the phone or email support, they find it easier to voice the issues they have with a product or service on social. However, they do so, with high expectations. Most users expect a response from a business within four hours.
Convince and Convert reveals that more than 40% of followers expect a response within one hour, while 32% aim to hear back within thirty minutes. 36% of these people will publicly shame a business if their complaints are ignored. And 1 in every 3 of these people will switch to a competitor.
To effectively handle the influx of incoming messages, businesses like Amazon manage separate customer support channels. By using a dedicated support handle i.e. @AmazonHelp on Twitter, they don’t have to worry about the queries from followers getting lost in the bulk of brand mentions.
Plus, it is easier to maintain a consistent tone for your brand across the channel. Switching from promotional to conversational to support can be demanding, especially during peak times.
Your followers are your strongest marketing asset
For most users, social media is a lot more than just a source of entertainment. It is a lifeline. It is becoming the primary place people turn to for reviews and research. According to Adweek, almost three-quarters of shoppers use social media to dig out information about the products they want to purchase.
Having consumers share positive feedback with your business on social can be powerful. Mintel, a global market intelligence firm says about 69% of people, including millennials, check online reviews before actually making a purchase.
They also revealed that 72% of 25-34-year-olds value the recommendations of social contacts, and 56% of users said online reviews even from people they don’t know helps them decide which services and products to consider.
50% of people are even willing to pay more to buy a product with positive reviews online.
There are many reasons why the most successful brands online are using the power of social for eCommerce today. It works.
Are you managing an eCommerce website? What tips and tricks are you using to grow your brand, build a loyal following and increase revenue?
Let us know in the comments section how social media has helped your business pull in more leads this year and how likely you are to recommend it for other businesses?
Aamir writes about the influence of social media on modern-day business activities. He’s best known for designing social media strategies for some of the well-known global brands. His recent interests are in helping a local footwear brand elevate their Peshawari Chappal sales using the power of social.
