Data, conversions, optimization. These are words that are commonplace in any conversation surrounding ecommerce development and how we develop and execute digital marketing campaigns.
On data, ecommerce uses it as both fuel and fire; data generates insights for effective ecommerce strategies, and data-collection is a superpower of the platform. And conversions are the single-most concrete benefit they bring you in business.
Those said, it’s hard to argue against the fact of permanence for ecommerce. It’s a need for today’s businesses, and it’s one that will remain for years to come – regardless of its advantages and disadvantages.
Social commerce – shopping in shared spaces
Social commerce refers to the use of social media platforms to facilitate online shopping. Depending on which platforms you decide to open up a shop on, you can access a number of features that make marketing and selling your products online easy.
Not to be confused as separate technologies from the social media platforms, social commerce exists as features within them. With them, you can:
Today, the two most popular social commerce platforms are still Meta’s Facebook Shops and Instagram Shops because they have the largest audience of all the social media platforms.
What’s more is that, given how robust Meta Ads tools and algorithm are, you can also streamline advertising efforts with ease.
FURTHER READING: In-depth Meta Ads Checklist for Optimization [Updated for 2023]
Facebook Shops
Also known as Facebook Marketplace, this feature within the Facebook (or Meta) app or website is their version of social commerce.
Through this feature, you can reach and communicate with interested buyers directly – offering a convenient transaction for both parties.
You can post products with details such as the price and even include a detailed description of features and specifications for your products and/or services. Apart from product landing pages, you can also optimize your page to deliver information about your business location and means of contact on the page.
Instagram Shops
Much like Facebook Shops, Instagram Shops also provide you with the same conveniences. The only major difference is that it fronts an audience that is mainly active on the Instagram app.
Additionally, however, Instagram Shops also allows you to create Shoppable Posts that allow you to add price tags right on the product post displayed on your feed (see example below). These are posts that allow users to tap on a product post and get details on pricing, as well as navigate to a product landing page so they can learn more about or purchase the item directly.
We have a guide on how to make your Instagram Feed more shoppable to help you with that.
Both Facebook Shops and Instagram Shops offer unique opportunities for businesses to reach potential customers, increase their social media conversions, and improve their business performance through social media.