You’ve probably noticed since 2021, all major social media platforms have added many new features, looks, and even a new name in Facebook’s case. Social media is tirelessly evolving and growing to bring the most simple and pleasant user experience. It is the most influential component that kick-starts the buyer’s journey. Social media and the buying process have been intertwined for a long time but it has only improved which is why you need to be selling on social.

Here are some social selling tips to keep in mind.

Social Commerce is on the Rise

By now, anyone who is in the business of selling a product or service is on the same page about using social media to promote said business. However, many have been left in the dust about different ways to approach their audience on social media that go beyond posting and engagement – I’m talking about social commerce. Social commerce is the process of selling products directly from a social media platform like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Since the 2020 pandemic, the way consumers make use of and look at social commerce has changed. Instagram recently updated its app to make the shopping feature more front and center to accommodate this trend. In 2021 alone, social commerce generated $492 billion in sales which is expected to triple by 2025.

Social commerce is so great because it simplifies everything. People are less inclined to leave a site they are already on to go search for the item they just saw or to even be taken to a different site automatically with Buy Now links. With social commerce, all they need to do is click on the shoppable link on the photo without leaving the app they are on. When they’re done they simply go back to scrolling. This condenses the buyer’s journey tremendously and makes for a pleasant experience to tell their friends about. Everyone wins!

UGC Will Always Deliver

User-generated content is known for being the highest performing form of content. People love seeing real people recommend products or services because it lets them know someone actually believes in the brand. With that in mind, if we combine UGC with social commerce we get a very strong piece of creative work that creates trust and quickly gets consumers through the funnel.

UGC social commerce is being used more and more every day with the rise of influencers, micro-influencers, and content creators. It offers a cost-effective way to promote your products while still condensing the buying experience.

Go Beyond Word of Mouth

Affiliate marketing takes social selling a step further. It allows you to pay commission to influencers, content creators, etc. for promoting your product through an affiliate program. This takes the trust created with UGC content and the efficacy of social media shops to create sales leads and brand awareness. Affiliate marketing spending is predicted to reach $8.2 billion by the end of 2022.

Keep in mind, that to be successful with affiliate marketing you must define your niche so you can attract the right content creators and influencers within that category to in turn promote the products to the right audience. Once you find your niche and audience, content creators will be incentivized to promote your product.

Trust Social Media

While we shouldn’t trust everything we see on social media, we definitely should trust in the power of social media when it comes to bringing more success to businesses. If you want to look into social media opportunities for your business, reach out to us!