Any business looking to stay competitive and relevant in today’s evolving marketplace needs to reinvent themselves every now and again. Currently, social media is one of the hottest ways companies interact with their customers.
Not only is it advantageous for connecting with loyal consumers, it can also help introduce your brand to new users. Social media makes it easier to close more sales since many platforms offer built-in tools that support ecommerce.
Once your business has set up profiles with the most popular social media platforms, it’s time to put them to use. Take a look at some of the different selling options these platforms provide. You can rely on your ecommerce site to track business and manage inventory from these popular platforms. Before you know it, you’ll quickly expand your customer base with the tips below:
1. Facebook
When it comes to social media, Facebook still reigns supreme. In fact, according to the 2016 statistics from Statista, Facebook has approximately 1.7 billion active users each month. Imagine how reaching just a tiny portion of these users can help your business. Within the Facebook platform, there are a few selling tools that your company can benefit from using including Facebook Messenger and Facebook Shop.
Facebook Messenger: If your company wants to be able to instantly interact with customers, Facebook Messenger is the way to go. This tool allows you to advertise to customers directly. Simply set up the messenger app to reach all your customers, then message them with discount codes or links directly to your site so they can shop for targeted products.
Facebook Shop: Facebook now makes it possible to sell products directly from your company profile. Just set up the shop feature, and followers will be able to click and purchase without ever leaving the Facebook platform.
2. Twitter “Buy Now”
Back in the day, Twitter was solely used to send pithy updates on celebrities and news, but now it is being utilized by businesses to drive sales as well. The Twitter “Buy Now” button allows users to quickly and conveniently purchase items from a vendor without ever leaving the app. Companies can attract customers to their Twitter handle with enticing sales or quirky posts, and customers can then click on a single link to make a purchase. This is a great option for flash sales or to gain followers with ‘member only’ offers.
3. Pinterest Buyable Pins
Pinterest has also jumped on the ecommerce bandwagon. With the introduction of Buyable Pins, those with a Pinterest business account now have the option of selling directly from a pinned post. Users simply click on the “Buy It” button, and they can instantly purchase the product. All information is sent directly from Pinterest to the vendor for proper processing.
4. Instagram
Instagram too makes it possible for businesses to sell products. Companies can purchase ad space from the social media platform. The ads are then placed on targeted users accounts, where they will see them in their normal feed. Users can click on the “Shop Now” button, which will redirect to make a purchase from the vendor.
5. Snapchat
Snapchat allows businesses to purchase video ads on their platform. The ads are 10 seconds in length and appear in the user’s normal video lineup. Snapchat has over 10 billion videos viewed a day and is one of the most engaged social media platforms out there; so it’s a great opportunity for marketing.
Social media is no longer just for connecting with friends and relatives. With so many marketing additions to these platforms, companies can actually grow sales by promoting themselves on the platforms people already use and love.
