The use of social media channels is currently one of the most popular activities of Internet users. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that about 48% of the world’s population actively uses Facebook, Instagram or Tik Toka. Do you run a company and want to appear on the web, reaching the largest possible group of recipients? When preparing your marketing strategy, do not forget about the right choice of SM channels, which, if properly managed, can be the door to success. What should the social media strategy for eCommerce look like to bring the desired effect? What to consider when determining the form of communication? In the pages of this article, I share 5 elements of an effective social media strategy.
The social media strategy for eCommerce strategy is an inseparable element of a well-prepared marketing strategy of the company. Unfortunately, it still happens to be neglected, which makes the actions a bit random and inconsistent with the overall strategy of the company. Remember that the specifics of consumers change regularly, buyers are becoming more aware and therefore more demanding. Therefore, if you want to build brand awareness, you need to start interacting with potential customers, while caring for the trust of those who are already familiar with the products or services you offer. So where to start working on your MS strategy?
Social media strategy for eCommerce – where to start?
When starting work on a strategy, you need to have a plan that will help not only define the next steps, but also systematise and monitor important issues. Don’t let chaos dominate your business. What to consider in order for the social media strategy to be created correctly?
A thorough analysis in the social media strategy for eCommerce
This applies not only to the verification of the competition, but also to conducting a SWOT analysis, thanks to which you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your brand and products. Don’t treat weaknesses as something that will block your actions. On the contrary, being aware of them, you can turn them into advantages, thanks to which you will “score” with potential customers. Sounds like motivational gibberish? Therefore, I will use an example. Let’s say you offer ecological products, the specificity of which does not allow you to prepare too much inventory. This, in turn, translates into an extended waiting time for shipment. Do not hide it from customers and do not try to delay informing the consumer that he will have to wait longer for the ordered goods. Based on social media channels, communicate the inconveniences in a positive way – use valuable arguments, such as: We create our products on an ongoing basis, based on natural, fresh ingredients, without chemical additives affecting the longer shelf life. Therefore, the shipping lead time may be slightly longer. However, we make every effort to ensure that the package reaches you as soon as possible. For this, it is worth presenting the preparation process from the kitchen – publish photos or video material showing production or completing orders – thanks to this, the customer will feel that it is worth waiting, in the minds of consumers, an association will be developed that equates your product with the highest quality
Define Goals
You want to increase your conversion, that’s clear. However, have you wondered how you plan to achieve it? Growing sales is the final result that must be preceded by other goals that are components of success. Remember that in the age of growing consumer awareness, it is not enough to send a “buy” message to get customers. Social media is an ideal field for creating brand awareness and bonds with recipients and building their trust, i.e. aspects that directly affect purchasing decisions. Each social media strategy for eCommerce should have clear, defined and defined goals.
Determine the target audience
When you want to sell to everyone, be sure you won’t sell to anyone. Think about whose needs the products you offer meet. If the product available in your store is universal, remember that specific groups of recipients pay attention to other issues. Create personas – this will allow you to more precisely define what your ideal client is. This, in turn, will help you develop better, more effective communication. Get the whole team involved! The target group is an inseparable element of the social media strategy for eCommerce
Choose Social Media Channels for eCommerce promotion
Do not be influenced by the number of active users of a given platform. Remember that each SM channel has its own specificity – choose the one that has the greatest potential in the context of the products you offer. Do you run a power tool shop? The YouTube channel, where you will present the use of equipment from the assortment of your store, will be a much better solution than describing the advantages of the product in a Facebook post. Are you the owner of a shop selling clothes and accessories? The presentation of the styling on Instagram will surely be appreciated by the audience. Do you run a cosmetics store? Beauty tutorials on Tik Toku will allow you to build brand awareness that translates into conversion.
This does not mean, of course, that you have to limit yourself to only one SM channel, but remember that sometimes less is more – if you realise that you do not have sufficient capacity at the moment to scrupulously deal with running several channels , first take care of the one that best suits the specifics of your products. Over time, you can expand your activities by expanding them with new SM channels – it is also a great opportunity to show customers that the brand is still developing. Do not forget about monitoring activities – this will not only allow you to verify the effectiveness of published materials, but also allow you to implement corrections on an ongoing basis and adjust activities to the changing needs of recipients – also bear in mind that without testing, implementing the trial and error method, you will not find out which path to take.
Social media strategy for eCommerce, meaning the message is the most important
Think about what you really want to convey to your audience, what associations the brand should evoke, and what you would like users to remember after contacting the content published in SM. This element is directly related to the determination of the target group – without creating a persona, don’t move! You will not be able to create an effective message without knowing who you are talking to. Again, I will give you an example – your store’s assortment includes clothes for the youngest. The products are visually attractive, made of materials enriched with unique, charming patterns. By directing information about the store’s offer to new parents, you focus on the visual qualities, surprised that the conversion rate will not budge. Why? It is obvious. Of course, young parents want their child to have nice clothes, but this is not the most important thing for them. More important than the pattern on a romper or a jacket will be the fabric of the product or the material that allows the skin to breathe, does not sensitise and does not absorb toxins from the environment. This element of the strategy is related to the issue I mentioned above, i.e. defining goals, determining what value you want to convey to recipients – a visually attractive product is only an added value here. So, instead of publishing a message, such as the rompers for newborns we offer were made of materials decorated with children’s motifs, create a message with the following content: The rompers for children we offer, decorated with cute patterns emphasising children’s charm, are made of high-quality bamboo fabric that does not absorb toxins from the environment, thanks to which it is anti-allergic and completely safe for the delicate skin of a toddler. This is confirmed by the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 safety certificate, which is attached to the products available in our store – a similar-sounding, slightly expanded sentence will be more valuable for the recipient – the information provided is a response to the most important need of the buyer – in this case the parent – that is, it confirms that the product is safe for the newborn, informs that it has the appropriate certificates, and additionally pleases the eye, because the style is fully adapted to the age of the children for whom the presented clothes are sewn.
Social media strategy for eCommerce – 5 most important elements
The social media strategy for eCommerce is ready, it’s time to implement it and start taking action. What should you remember?
Don’t make your customers buy
Do you want your social media strategy for eCommerce to be ineffective? Start forcing you to buy! Research shows that up to 50% of people give up following social media profiles of brands whose key message is to persuade them to buy and focus only on advertising the products available in the product range. Remember that a good product will defend itself. Present its advantages in a non-pushy way. Be specific, while educating and using arguments that will confirm your words. How to do it? If, for example, you offer the aforementioned organic food, do not limit yourself only to the message, the type of our products are healthy and rich in vitamins – these are clichés that bring absolutely nothing to the recipient’s life. Instead, highlight the specific ingredients that are present in the product you offer, explaining how they affect the functioning of the body. Thanks to this, you will not only present the value of the product, but also increase consumer awareness. Think about what makes your products stand out from others. Let’s go back to the example of organic food. Do you offer eco breakfast cereals with a short composition? Great! Highlight this in your messages, explaining why a simple composition is more valuable than a few lines of complicated names that most consumers will never check. Do you emphasise in SM messages that your products are eco? Explain to the recipients what guidelines your brand meets so that the product could bear this name, signal that the products are certified, explain what is characteristic of organic farming. Thanks to this, users, without the intrusive “buy”, will feel that they want to buy a given product, not because someone encourages them to buy, but because its purchase is associated with many benefits, both taste and health.
Pay attention to the language of communication
When creating personas, determining the form of communication and choosing the SM channels on which you will rely, do not forget about the choice of language. You will communicate differently with the representatives of generation Z, differently with newly minted parents, and differently with people 50+. It is not only about choosing specific words, but also about priorities and putting emphasis on issues important to representatives of a given group. Also, don’t try to be fashionable – remember that authenticity always wins, and sticking to the terms that are popular at the moment can only make your brand perceived as insincere, messages as exaggerated, unnatural and even funny (in the wrong meaning) – an example can be the creations of many companies, which after the announcement of the results of the plebiscite for the youth word of 2021, struggled for RTMs with the winning sleeping plane in the lead role. The truth is that, unfortunately, most of these creations not only amused but even embarrassed, providing an ideal field for discussion on social media crisis groups.
Give value to your audience
When preparing your action plan, think about what would convince you as a consumer to buy. Why the brands you use inspire your trust. Why do you return to the same stores and have your favourite products? Rest assured that communication based solely on soliciting to buy will not produce the desired results, quite the contrary. Give value not only in the form of a product, but also as a “free gift”. Do you offer cosmetic products? Show how to use them, present make-up tricks, show how to use cosmetics to prepare the perfect make-up for a specific occasion. Do you sell food products? Share an interesting recipe for a dish prepared on their basis
Appreciate – often maximum attention is focused on acquiring new recipients and potential customers. Of course, it is natural and there is nothing wrong with it, but at the same time you should not forget to care for and appreciate those who have already benefited from the offer of your store. Cultivate the customer-brand relationship, make the user want to come back to you.
How? Appreciate his presence by adding something from yourself. This could be an e-book with recipes, a discount on subsequent purchases for those who placed an order for a certain amount, a valuable article or priority to buy a new product or take advantage of a promotion. At this stage, it is worth combining SM communication with other activities, such as email marketing
Listen to what they have to say
The activities defined in the social media strategy for eCommerce cannot be limited only to the publication of posts. Remember that social media is a conversation – interact with users, create engaging content that will encourage recipients to comment and take specific actions. A while ago, Facebook withdrew the ability to publish polls – but you can post with responses – give your audience a choice. Do you run a company blog and want to increase the number of visits to your website? Use SM channels for this. Suggest two topics based on the aforementioned feedback post – let your audience decide what they want to read. For you, it is an undoubted advantage affecting the increase in visits to the website, and thus, increasing the chances that the consumer will make a purchase, for the user it is a form of appreciation and the message “this brand knows my needs, my vote counts”.
Don’t forget to comment – it’s not enough to just like replies or comment with emoticons. Monitor comments, answer questions in a matter-of-fact manner, dispel doubts and, most of all, don’t leave your audience unanswered! This also applies to negative comments, which do not always herald a crisis. Do not be afraid to interact with the user in such situations – educate, explain, appreciate valuable tips that you will then put into practice, thus improving your actions in SM.
Summary of social media strategy for eCommerce
Social media has enormous potential, providing an ideal field for working on brand awareness, creating relationships with potential customers and caring for the trust of people who have already decided to buy. A properly prepared social media strategy for eCommerce will allow you to increase not only the conversion, but also to remember consumers, evoking positive associations. Remember, however, that the basis of your actions should be a plan defining specific steps and goals – involve the entire team, not only the marketing department – brainstorming and a fresh perspective on communication can be invaluable. Also, do not forget that both the specifics of SM and the specificity of recipients are constantly changing – if you assume that a once prepared strategy will serve you for years – change your thinking or abandon the idea of going online.
See also categories: Social Media in eCommerce | PPC Campaigns | Shopify technologies | eCommerce SEO | E-mail marketing | eCommerce project management | eCommerce marketing | eCommerce management | eCommerce development | eCommerce b2b | eCommerce automation | eCommerce analytics | Content marketing | Case Study eCommerce | News | Other
For 4 years associated with the Brand Active eCommerce agency as a Content Specialist. Passionate about writing and social media, a graduate of journalism, social communication and sociology. Privately, a lover of music and concerts.
