Running an eCommerce business is hard work. Your life can very quickly be swallowed up by orders, stock takes, deliveries and more. It can be hard to focus on anything beyond keeping the day to day sales ticking along but if you want to expand and you want to grow, you have to market. Social media marketing for eCommerce is an effective and easy method of drumming up more business and building interest in your brand.
eCommerce Business Owners should be using social media for:
- Finding and engaging customers
- Paid advertising optimisation and enhancement
- Always remaining ahead of competitors
Investment in social media can mean time and it can mean money but commitment almost always delivers results. Below is a closer look at some successful ways of using social media for the benefit of your eCommerce website and business.
Connect with the Customer
Social media is a way of connecting directly with existing customers and potential customers. It is a way of engaging with a segment of your customer base you may previously have been unaware of. Knowing which social media platforms are best for your business depends on the demographics of your target audience. You can use your market research and digital media statistics to pick and choose the best platforms for your products and message.
Integrate into your Wider Customer Experience
Social media can be easily slotted into many stages of the customer journey. Your marketing strategy cannot be entirely run on social media but it can back up many aspects of it. Social media can play a role in customer acquisition as you target those core customers on your chosen channels and it can also be used effective in the post-sales stage of the journey, turning customers into advocates and bringing them back for more.
Use Paid Social Media
Some social media channels such as Facebook can be hard to crack without a little investment. Paid social media can help to boost your position on such sites and ads can be so targeted you can make sure those very specific target customers are most likely to see your ads and be drawn in by your promotions.
Share and Curate
eCommerce brands who simply post link after link to their own content and products get nowhere. Social media is a community experience and to succeed your brand needs to add something to your community. This will be some of your own content, product links and such like but you also need to be seen to be a community member, sharing other relevant content and becoming a recognised provider of quality from all sources for your audience. Interact with followers, share their content too, especially when its positive reviews!
Social media is proven to be successful for eCommerce. Many of the most recognisable high street brands are hugely successful online because of their approach to social media in addition to their brand notoriety. Integrating social media with your brand image and using it to both show off your wares and be a recognisable voice in the online community soon converts into clicks and sales.
