Social media has quickly become one of the driving forces in digital marketing. Platforms that were once used solely to connect with friends and play games have transformed into marketing powerhouses, offering businesses an incredible array of tools with which to target would-be shoppers and gain more traffic and conversions.
For eCommerce businesses looking for ways to improve their brand and get more sales, properly implemented social media marketing is perhaps one of the most effective ways of going about doing this. While other forms of digital marketing, such as SEO, are still perfectly viable and in some cases mandatory, social media offers a different approach that can help you generate a thriving fanbase.
If you are interested in upping your social media presence or simply learning more about how you can apply social media techniques to your eCommerce store, the following tips will help get you started.
Why Social Media Marketing is so Effective
There are several reasons why marketing on social media platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest can be so effective for growing a brand and selling products, and a lot of it comes down to the human element.
These days, many users are tired of seeing nothing but ads everywhere. The Internet used to be about genuine connection, free speech, and fun, whereas now, many users feel hemmed in by what they see as non-stop attempts to get into their pockets. Many corporations don’t even sugarcoat the fact that they only exist online to sell products and services, and this leaves a bad taste in the mouth for users who want to enjoy their time online without feeling like they are in a used car lot.
Social media is now a driving force in eCommerce, because it allows you to connect with your audience in ways that other forms of digital marketing can’t.
That’s what makes social media platforms so potentially rewarding for eCommerce stores. If carefully utilized, brands can develop a natural presence and build a following on social media built on trust and loyalty, which can be leveraged down the road in incredible ways. A small group of diehard fans is worth far more than tens of thousands of users worth of cold traffic. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways in which social media can impact your online store.
1. Increase Your Audience
One of the most obvious and useful reasons to invest in social media marketing is so you can increase your following. Sure, anyone who stumbles onto your website organically has a chance of becoming a fan or joining your email list, but through a strategic social media campaign, you can routinely connect directly with your users, reaching them in a unique and more relatable way.
On social media, it’s easy to interact with other people, allowing you to show them a human side to your brand. You don’t even have to focus on your products from a sales point of view, which is powerful. Instead, you can provide insight into your life as a store owner, share jokes and memes, answer questions about everyday life, and simply provide value.
2. Promote Your Brand
Likewise, social media offers a unique way to promote and enhance your brand. There’s nothing like a beautiful, professionally-designed online store, but social media can certainly help you increase your brand appeal and bolster your company messaging.
So much of social media is based around media. Every post is a new opportunity to display your unique logos, packaging, and products. You can easily get creative and show off the best face of your business over and over again, which gives users a clear look at what you are all about as a company. A website can do this, of course, but social media is far more interactive and gives you different angles to work with. Well-made social media posts can do wonders for brand appeal and help you deliver a more powerful message that resonates with users.
3. Increase Traffic and Conversions to Your Store
The goal of any form of digital marketing is ultimately to get more traffic and conversions. While this isn’t necessarily what organic social media marketing is for, this is certainly on the table. As long as you can create content that connects with your audience, you stand a chance at increasing traffic and getting sales on social media.
As eCommerce grows in popularity, social media channels are working to make sure users stay on their platforms longer. Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest have all made strides to incorporate eCommerce elements into their platforms. Instagram even has a shopping cart feature now, so there’s no reason to think you can’t directly benefit in terms of traffic and sales by using social media. You simply have to have a proper strategy in place and be consistent with your posts.
4. Open Additional Selling Opportunities
While native social media shopping features and gaining more traffic are both perfectly reasonable ways to increase your sales through social media, there are other options available to store owners as well.
Once you have developed a strong following on a particular social media platform, you can begin to push products organically, because your user base trusts you. Rather than paying money on advertising, you can simply create a normal post that announces a sale or directly links to a particular product that you want to highlight. Because your followers trust you, such a post will garner a lot of attention and will likely result in a few sales. Used sparingly, this is a powerful way to leverage your social media audience and create a new and reliable revenue stream, all for free.
As you progress your social media efforts, you may adopt even more ways to connect with your users and sell your products. For instance, reaching out to them through direct messages and chat features, not only for customer service purposes but to direct them to appropriate products and also announce sales and special opportunities.
How to Get Started With Social Media Marketing For eCommerce
Starting a social media campaign, or any kind of eCommerce digital marketing strategy for that matter, can be a daunting task. If you want to get powerful results, your best option is to rely on the skills and expertise of a marketing agency that has a background in eCommerce.
Here at Genius eCommerce, we know what it takes to help eCommerce businesses succeed, whether it means increasing their Google traffic or helping to boost their social media presence. We are an eCommerce marketing company that covers all aspects of the digital marketing world, from comprehensive SEO campaigns, to PPC and even email marketing, there’s nothing we don’t do when it comes to promoting your brand and helping you sell your products. Get in touch with our team today at 888. 982. 8269 if you want a professional agency running your social media efforts.
