Social media platforms can be used as powerful tools for digital marketers aiming to boost small businesses, startups and online retailers.
A recent study by Datareportal shows that 58.4% of the world’s population use social media platforms – that’s more than 4.6 billion individuals. On average, a user spends 2.27 hours on certain link-driven digital apps, with 424 million new users signing up in the last 12 months before January 2022. As digital marketing agencies aim to optimize their client reach, so does the need for available online marketers like WebSuitable. These tools will help businesses achieve their goals despite fierce competition when paired with the right strategies. Find out how in this article.
How e-commerce websites work
E-commerce sites allow companies and business owners to sell tangible goods, intangible products such as services, and other digital items online. Entrepreneurs can maintain or use them to extend the reach of their brick-and-mortar stores – enabling fast global transactions.
In addition to accepting and processing orders, businesses can receive payments, monitor, arrange delivery, communicate with customers or provide after-sales support. E-commerce websites can also be used to strengthen marketing and sales processes.
Below are some key social media strategies that entrepreneurs and online marketers can use to achieve their goals.
1. Connect your social media accounts to your e-commerce site
Creating a local business listing account can help your brand reach local customers. Complementing this strategy with omnichannel presence on social networks startups and small businesses can increase brand awareness, attract more customers, increase revenue and provide timely customer service.
Users can also get real-time information about your products and promotional offers, which helps compel customers to buy your merchandise, especially when paired with effective call-to-action techniques.
2. Start a shareable blog
Most do-it-yourselfers or marketing newbies may think that social media marketing fees only apply to popular platforms. They don’t realize that before the advent of social media, blogs were used for the same purpose. If your business doesn’t have a blog yet, consider creating one now and start selling your products and services more subtly.
Your blog articles must use specific search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and be engaging so that users can share them online, comment and react to your post – just as they would in social media apps. In addition to increasing your business’ online presence, an engaging blog can be used to demonstrate your brand’s expertise and authority, building trust among your potential clients and existing customers.
3. Use it shoppable posts
A shoppable post refers to any content that allows consumers to purchase your offers directly from your post. Common examples include placing ‘buy now’ buttons or shopping links on your banner. Embedding such links in your post allows customers to purchase your products or services without logging out of their social media accounts to complete the transaction.
4. Create SEO friendly posts
Even if you offer a life-changing product, it will be useless unless your consumers can find it online. Search engine optimization is one of the best tools marketers can use to increase their clients’ visibility in the digital realm. Use highly searched keywords and integrate them naturally to expand your reach. Create attention-grabbing headlines, but be aware of clickbait. You can also use link building strategies for optimal results.
5. Create content with social media usage in mind
Content is king, whether online or in print. But creating great content isn’t the only thing to consider. Whether you’re creating a blog, white paper, webinar, newsletter, or any marketing tool, you should ensure that your content is valuable and relevant to your audience. Make your posts interactive and engaging. It doesn’t have to be a long post. If your audience can take something of value from it or at least have fun with it, they would be willing to share it with their network.
6. Integrate video into your content
Videos are more effective in attracting and retaining users’ attention. The most popular micro-blogging site found that users who included videos experienced a tenfold increase in engagement. In addition, posts integrated with video across all social networks reported spending less in cost-per-engagement.
Use how-to videos, webinars, and customer testimonials for an engaging post. Highlighting the manufacturing or packaging process is also a good idea. Moreover, uploading live videos instead of canned ones can be more efficient and engaging. Since it’s impossible to integrate videos into all of your posts, embedding an image or moving images can have the same impact. Live selling is also an emerging trend for entrepreneurs around the world, especially those selling clothing and other items.
7. Highlight stellar customer reviews
Lack of trust in your brand is one of the reasons why customers don’t follow through with a purchase. Use customer reviews to establish trust and convince customers that your product or service can solve their challenges and pain points – and share them in your posts.
This effective social media marketing strategy can lead your prospects to close the deal. In addition to word-of-mouth advertising, stellar reviews and customer testimonials help attract more customers as 88% of consumers they found they trusted online reviews as much as recommendations.
If your customers don’t agree to share their reviews, encourage them to like your page and products. Asking them to share their comments or reviews can also help attract more consumers. Some sellers take pictures of their shipments while obscuring the recipient’s information as proof of legitimacy.
8. Increase follower engagement
In addition to creating interesting posts, the best way to communicate with your audience is through social media. Optimize the platform by asking questions, running surveys, responding to inquiries and thanking positive reviews. You can also host a live event about a pressing issue that affects your business and consumers. Streaming these events using multi-streaming software will help you build trust with followers who might not be able to attend—and strengthen your brand in the process. Also, handle negative criticism nicely and don’t be combative or aggressive. Showing your followers that they are valued and heard can go a long way in building trust and strengthening your reputation.
9. Highlight your advocacy
Create a community where you can discuss your advocacy and issues affecting your industry niche. For example, if you are a local coffee maker, use farmers in the community and be active in trying to advocate for sustainable practices. This is especially true if you’re trying to capture the millennial market.
According to Nielsen’s 2015 Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 73% of millennial consumers are willing to buy more products from sustainable and ethical companies. This figure shows a higher percentage of 66% of respondents in all age groups.
10. Share user-generated content
In addition to highlighting customer reviews, businesses can encourage and share content from their subscribers. Whether it’s a blog, review, image or video, the content must show your followers’ positive experience using your product. Run a competition to see whose content gets the most engagement or ‘likes’ and offer prizes to the winners. Additionally, have them tag their friends and your account. This increases engagement and helps build your reputation as a brand that can deliver.
11. Determine the best time to post
Understanding your target audience is key to a successful marketing campaign. As already mentioned, users spend about 2.6 hours a day on social networks. Finding the best time to post – when the majority of your audience is online – will ensure your content is seen and consumed by your intended viewers and readers, increasing the chances of engagement. Uploading content outside of this time will result in missed opportunities and wasted effort.
12. Choose hashtags strategically
Initially spawned by the world’s most famous micro-blogging site, this trend is not used on almost all popular social media platforms. Using hashtags allows your business to expand your reach and target consumers are more likely to engage with your content.
The leading image sharing platform allows up to 30 hashtags in a single post. In practice, it’s best to limit your content to three, as it will no longer help your intent to target the right market. To know which appropriate hashtags to use, choose popular and specific terms. Additionally, opt for related and clickable hashtags to increase the chances of a post being shared.
13. Learn or collaborate with influencers
Influencer marketing is also a valuable tool for companies hoping to expand their reach as quickly as possible. You can use special tools to determine who these personalities are in your chosen niche. Once you know who they are, take the time to understand their strategies, study their patterns, and discover why they click. Incorporate these elements into your content creation.
Otherwise, reach out to them to see how you can work together. Keep in mind that these social media giants have busy lives and may be hesitant to partner with startups or local businesses. Still, it doesn’t hurt to try.
14. Pay for social media advertising
To increase your chances of conversion, set aside a budget for paid advertising. Social media platforms offer different costs to display your ads above other posts, ensuring your brand is seen. Thousands of offers appear on these platforms daily, and your exposure is not always guaranteed, no matter how good your content may be.
Paid social networks are one way to get the attention of your target market, as some channels allow advertisers to adjust their campaign settings, targeting the most relevant users. Additionally, your business may use pay-per-click or PPC ads, which use algorithms to show your ads to users based on their interests, search history, and demographic profiles.
Conclusion
E-commerce merchants need to think beyond using their websites to offer their products and services. As social media usage continues to grow dramatically two years after the pandemic, businesses must catch up and use these digital networks as a marketing tool to stay competitive.
With the right strategy complemented by other digital marketing tools, social presence can be a powerful force in increasing brand awareness, building trust, expanding your reach and increasing revenue streams.
