By Mary J. Carey 
One of the questions we often receive from our readers is the effective use of social media for e-commerce.
Over the years, we have accumulated more than 2 million followers on various social media channels for WP beginners. Through our partner brands, we also sell software used on more than 25 million websites.
A big lesson we learned is that your social media followers’ expectations of you are different from those of your website’s audience.
Unfortunately, many small business owners treat their social media followers and their website audience the same way.
In this article we will explain what Social Commerce is and how to start doing it, even if you are not a social media expert.
How does Social Commerce work?
Social Commerce means buying and selling products or services directly through social media platforms.
Think of it as if you have integrated a virtual storefront directly into your favorite social media applications. By scrolling through the updates Of friends, you can discover new products and sometimes even make purchases without leaving the application.
Several popular social media platforms now offer built-in Social Commerce features.
Instagram, for example, allows companies to tag products in their posts and display a “Buy Now on Instagram” button. Some profiles may even be available through their own shop section with a payment function.
Facebook also allows companies to tag products in photos, which users can then click on to view and buy them.
Similarly, TikTok allows you to add a “visit the store” tab to a brand profile that directs users directly to your product catalog.
Many companies make the most of selling on social networks.
Take Fjällräven, a popular Swedish outdoor brand whose website is based on WooCommerce. They use the features of the Instagram store to showcase their products and increase sales within the platform.
Bloomscape, another WooCommerce-based company, uses TikTok for Social Commerce.
They create attractive videos that showcase their beautiful plants and increase traffic to their online store.
What are the advantages of Social Commerce?
If you already sell through an online store or marketplace, you may be wondering why you should give Social Commerce a chance.
Social Commerce can be beneficial because it simplifies the shopping process for customers. This convenience can lead to more sales and more satisfied customers.
Let’s say a customer stumbles across a photo of an elegant hat on his Instagram feed. The Social shopping features allow this customer to click on a button and buy the hat on their mobile device without leaving Instagram.
When a customer interacts with their Social Commerce store (for example, by liking or sharing a product), their social network also sees it. This organizational reach can expose your brand to completely new customer segments that you may not have reached with traditional ecommerce.
Choose the right Social Commerce platform
Choosing the right platform for your business is essential to increase Social Commerce sales. After all, different platforms cater to different demographics and product types.
You will want to consider these factors in your choice:
Target audience: Where does your ideal client put their time online? Understanding your social media habits is essential.
Product type: Are your products visually appealing and well-suited to photo and video content? This could affect your choice of platform.
Platform Features: Consider the features offered by each platform. Some may offer live shopping events, product labeling features, or customer interaction chatbots.