Social media is one of the most popular and effective methods of marketing ecommerce products. The platforms are simple to master and you can easily link back to your website to further your brand reach.
If you’re looking to increase ecommerce sales with social media, but you’re not sure which tactics to try, consider these ideas from the experts.
Up Your Video Game
Video is one of the best ways to promote your products on social media simply because people watch them. About 80 percent of all consumer internet traffic will be videos by 2020. It’s also estimated that a single video is worth 1.8 million words.
The videos you create don’t have to be complex or expensive to produce. For example, if you’re trying to get more people to order CBD capsules from your site, you might follow the example of Mood CBD, a company that uses video testimonials on their website and social pages in order to increase orders. The same concept can be applied to any industry.
You might also check out YouTube videos in your trade to gain ideas for videos that work well in your own industry. CBD sellers, for example, might observe informational videos that break down the stereotypes surrounding CBD, thus generating more sales. It’s always beneficial to stick with ideas that work.
As you make your videos, keep in mind that more than half of all videos are played on mobile devices. Pay careful attention to the format of each in order to appeal to the right audience.
Start Using Hashtags
At first glance, hashtags might appear to serve no more purpose than to add comedy or personality to a post. However, the key impact of hashtags in driving sales for businesses is unprecedented.
Hashtags are used across nearly all social media posting platforms as a means to categorize posts into appropriate sections. This makes it easier for consumers to search for your products. If you fail to use hashtags, it won’t make your products invisible to searchers, but it will limit your organic traffic and increase the traffic of competitors who use hashtags.
A good hashtag strategy begins with research. Find trending hashtags in your industry and use them for your own posts. This allows your content to show up in the same league as more popular brands in your trade, giving your business a competitive edge.
You’ll also want to use more than one. Put a couple in your actual sales post, and then add a few more to the comments section. This prevents your post from looking spammy while increasing the number of search hits it might receive.
Sell Through Social Platforms
Platforms like Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram make it simple to sell your products on your social pages. Customers don’t have to exit the social page in order to complete the purchase. Since too many steps leading to checkout often causes consumers to back out of a purchase, this is an extremely useful tool.
Each platform has different requirements for selling products. On Instagram, for example, you can use the Shoppable Posts feature, which allows consumers to research and buy products without ever leaving the app. Your only requirements are to create a business page and upload a product catalog that’s connected to your account.
There are various fees and restrictions surrounding each social selling platform, so research them carefully before jumping in. You can even cross-promote various selling platforms to further the reach of your products. It makes selling products easier for both the consumer and the brand.
Offer Better Customer Service
Social media is one of the best places to improve your customer service game, as long as you have a good strategy and use all tools available to you. Customer chat is a good place to start.
According to research from marketing expert consultant Neil Patel, 77 percent of customers have a more positive view of a company when they offer online chat. More and more of these customers are seeking these online chat opportunities throughout social media platforms.
You can also establish a strong pattern of reaching out and responding to customers. Social platforms like Facebook advertise your response rate to new customers, and if they see that you have a 100 percent response rate, it will leave a great impression on your customers.
Have Flash Sales
Although a good deal isn’t the only motivating factor for making a purchase, it can bring a lot of attention to your products. A flash sale occurs when a company sells a product at a huge discount for a short amount of time.
Jane.com or Zulily are masters at flash sales. Their products, usually put up by third-party sellers, are only available for a short amount of time, but they’re just a fraction of the original price. It’s great for generating excitement on social media while encouraging return customers who enjoyed your products and want more.
A successful flash sale begins with putting out products that your customers are interested in. Rather than using it to clear out old, unpopular inventory, sell a few more popular items. Ship the items quickly and ooze high-quality customer service to leave a powerful impression on consumers who may be interacting with your brand for the first time.
Let Your Brand Voice Thrive
On social media, branding is everything. Those who successfully generate thousands of followers only do so when they’ve established a strong brand that their customers can identify with and recognize.
According to research, about 60 percent of consumers say that authenticity and the true-to-brand nature of content will make them follow a brand on social media. Additionally, 65 percent of consumers say that they follow a brand because they feel an emotional connection to it.
If you want to increase your exposure on social media and generate greater interest in your products and services there, everything you do must be true to brand. People will buy your products if they feel that you’re staying authentic and true, but as soon as you focus too much on promoting and selling your products, you’ll start to lose sales and customers.