How Social Media and Ecommerce Can Work Together
By Black Bear Design on 10/24/2018
Recent statistics reveal that social media users have reached 2.34 billion worldwide this year. Combined with the fact that retail ecommerce sales are expected almost to double between now and 2020, and it is only natural that these two phenomena eventually intersect. With the average user spending well over an hour every day on social media, it’s safe to say that there are plenty of opportunities to market your brand on Facebook, Instagram and beyond.
The average social media user has seven or more accounts, and each of those platforms offers unique ways for you to showcase your business. This means that it has never been easier (and simultaneously more complex) to grow your audience, turning them into actual customers.
Social media can be overwhelming. Which keywords and hashtags should you use? When is the best time to post? How should your message on LinkedIn differ from Instagram? The good news is that there’s a formula for it all. The bad news is that the formula is constantly changing. Luckily for you, the Black Bear Design team proudly stays abreast of all things social media.
How To Sell on Social Media
Seeing direct sales on your ecommerce website from your social media efforts is your end goal. We get it. This is entirely possible once you understand how to utilize your social media platforms. You need to identify your audience and create content tailored to them so that your marketing doesn’t come across as a sales pitch but more like a thoughtful observation. As your network grows, find innovative ways to connect it back to your business. How-to videos, instructional infographics or videos of your customers receiving and opening their items (unboxing) are just some of the ways in which you can capture your audience with intriguing content. Be sure to link it back to your ecommerce site with a promise that there’s more where that came from.
Paid Social Advertising
Driving organic traffic to your business’s social media page is becoming tougher with every new algorithm. Today, it’s important to target your audience and direct them to your page. This is where having a paid social media strategy becomes useful. There are endless options when it comes to advertising on social media. You can tailor your ad by age, geography and more. While it may seem as easy as filling in a few fields and putting in your credit card info, it’s so much more. If you don’t know how to optimize your visibility, you could very well be wasting valuable time and money.
Private Messaging
Having easy online access to goods and services has created a demand for instant communication. Having an avenue for your customers to ask questions easily is important. Consequently, having a quick response time can mean the difference between making a sale or not. Facebook messenger and similar services provide automated responses to private messages creating real-time customer service. Knowing how to maintain the tone of your brand and creating a connection to your audience is the best way to maximize these tools. A Black Bear Design social media strategy includes identifying what’s special about your brand and developing a message that seamlessly travels across all platforms, including the private messaging arena.
In-App Purchasing
For years, social media has been an undeniable brand builder. You can easily see what works and what doesn’t by how many likes, shares or views a particular post has generated. However, it was tougher to see how much of that attention translated into direct sales. In-app purchasing has changed that with “buy now” buttons that elevate the user experience with a clear call to action. A large, clickable button urges the user to shop your store. This turns a social media visitor it into an actual customer for your business.
What Does It All Mean?
Social media has become a positive force for the ecommerce world. When done correctly, it can be used to attract attention to your brand, form a meaningful relationship with your audience and create sales for your business – all in one place.
How Can Black Bear Design Help?
At Black Bear Design, we make your business our business by understanding your unique objectives and challenges. We then use what we’ve learned to build your social media presence from that perspective. Our social media experts create, manage and track your social media using the right formulas for each platform.
Still feeling stuck when it comes to social media and your ecommerce website – and all of the elements that go with it? Black Bear Design is here to help you design your logo, clarify your brand, and create the guidelines you’ll need. Please contact us today to see how we can help.
