Get to know Social Commerce and use this strategy in your business

Our reality today is very different from ten years ago, isn’t it? Many things have changed over the years, especially in the digital environment: new technologies, new strategies, new social networks… And certainly, we are becoming more and more dependent on them because they make everything in our lives easier.

Beyond that, with so many changes, it is clear that the way we relate to each other has also changed, as well as the interaction between brands and their customers and the way we consume products and services.

Everyone knows that social networks nowadays, in addition to being used for entertainment and communication, are also strong sales channels. Companies and entrepreneurs use them to establish a relationship with their consumers, and for that, a new strategy has emerged that is already well known and used by many people: Social Commerce.

Social Commerce is already very present in digital channels and has been helping brands carry out various sales. Do you want to know how this strategy works, which has been gaining strength, especially with the pandemic, and which makes people shop more and more online? Follow this text until the end!

Social Commerce can be translated as commerce performed on social networks. You’ve probably already applied this concept to your business or have already been impacted by a brand on the networks and made a purchase, whether by seeing an ad (paid media) or organically (searching the internet or referring friends). Social networks are an excellent source of research, which people use a lot before making an online or physical purchase.

Generally, people use the internet (hello, Mr. Google!) to find out and ask questions about a product or service they want to purchase before actually making the purchase. On social networks, users often give their opinions – positive or negative – about the products they have purchased to help others.

In addition to looking for references before buying something, consumers also evaluate the purchased items on social networks, informing others about their experience. These feedbacks are very helpful to users and often influence their decisions. This entire cycle is part of the Social Commerce strategy.

The importance of Social Commerce

You know the saying “Unseen, not remembered”? It fits perfectly with the Social Commerce strategy. As everyone currently uses social networks, brands need to use them to be seen by their audiences.

Social Commerce helps brands to be more easily located by their consumers and also helps consumers find the ideal brands for the products or services they want to purchase.

The consumer’s purchase decision is greatly influenced by social networks through the comments, ratings, and recommendations that users publish. And brands need to interact, producing content at all times in order to actively participate in the lives of their consumers.

Online shopping preference

During the Covid-19 pandemic, some habits were created. One of them was the use of the internet for shopping. Social isolation greatly increased online consumption. The ease and practicality of shopping without leaving home won the public’s preference.

Therefore, brands needed to react and stay on top of this new reality, adapting and migrating to the digital environment to not lose customers. Many companies have learned to position themselves on digital channels and take advantage of the available resources to boost their sales.

How does this strategy work?

Social Commerce works as a means of interaction and relationship between brands and their consumers through social networks, which happens in a native and spontaneous way. But companies also need good planning to take advantage of opportunities to connect with their audiences, gaining recognition and earning their trust.

Furthermore, besides using social networks as a sales strategy, brands should also use them for branding, that is, for self-promotion, producing their own content, and maintaining a “friendship” relationship with their audience on these channels.

How to put Social Commerce into practice?

Putting Social Commerce into practice is simple. Just enter the world of social networks and keep up with trends and news. It is clear that your e-commerce needs a website. Having a physical store is not necessary, but a virtual environment is essential.

With a website ready – containing all the information about the company and its products or services – it’s time to establish a presence on the social networks where your consumer audience is. The most common ones are: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, WhatsApp, and YouTube.

You establish presence by creating frequent content, updating your profile and information about the company, providing product catalogs, promotions, raffles, and discounts, among other actions.

Thus, the consumer will look at your brand with different eyes. But regardless of that, the important thing is to provide them with a good experience with your product or service, both before and after purchase.

Social Commerce advantages for your business

You already understand that Social Commerce works as a facilitator in the relationship with your consumer audience. For users, it helps a lot, for example, when making a purchase, as the interaction with other consumers greatly influences their evaluation of a brand’s reliability and the worthiness of purchasing a particular product or service.

Therefore, it is important to be correctly positioned on social networks to increase your conversion rates and customer acquisition. This strategy brings many advantages. Check out some:

• Social networks act as virtual showcases: audience segmentation, visibility, and unlimited brand reach.
• Based on the audience’s interests, production of diversified content (photos, videos, text links on blogs, and live video transmissions, such as Live Commerce, among others).
• More humanized, personalized, and less robotic conversations with consumers.
• Identification of possible problems and their resolution in a more agile and practical way.
• Cost-benefit in relation to the investment in digital marketing.
• Organic increase of the lead base through users coming from social networks.
• Users who are more engaged and consequently more confident, becoming loyal customers.
• Receiving post-purchase feedback, which provides the opportunity to analyze metrics and make improvements.

Now that you know what Social Commerce is, the importance of this strategy for brands, how it works, and how to put it into practice, how about starting to use it in your business right now? We are sure that by making good use of Social Commerce, your audience will be delighted by your brand and will purchase your products and services through social networks. Need help with this planning? Count on us!