Social Commerce: The Fusion of Social Media and E-Commerce
One of the major aspects of selling as a brand online is to remove friction. Businesses need to make it easy for audiences to go from a landing page to a purchase.
You need to make your user experience capable of supporting impulse purchases.
While there are ways to make e-commerce sites easy to use, it really doesn’t get any easier to make a sale than with social media. Using social media to sell products is one of the best ways for businesses to diversify their income sources and find new sales channels.
Here’s everything you need to know about social commerce and why you should care about it in the first place.
What is Social Commerce?
Social commerce is a blend of social media and online shopping. It involves people discovering, sharing, and buying products directly through social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. It’s more than just ads; it’s about turning social interactions into shopping opportunities.
It’s all about seeing a post about a cool pair of sneakers and being able to buy them right there without leaving the app. Brands engage with users through posts, stories, and live streams, making shopping more personal and interactive. For businesses, it’s a great way to connect with customers where they already spend time.
Overall, social commerce blends shopping and scrolling together and removes most of the deterrents that users face when going from a social media app to an e-commerce site to make their purchase.
How Social Commerce Works
Social commerce works by integrating shopping features directly into social media apps, turning social content into sales opportunities. Years ago, social commerce meant linking back from posts to your site. But now platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have evolved to support this, offering in-app stores, shoppable posts, and even live shopping events.
Instead of redirecting users to a separate website, brands can sell directly within these apps, making the buying process seamless. This setup allows brands to capitalize on user engagement—followers can discover, browse, and buy all in one place.
Reasons Why Your Brand Should Try Social Commerce
Social commerce is quickly becoming a powerful tool for brands to connect with their audience in more meaningful ways. Here’s why your social commerce should be a part of your marketing strategy:
1. Removes Deterrents and Supports Impulse Purchases
User experience makes all the difference in the world for brands. While we have specialized the art of UX for e-commerce sites, social commerce removes common deterrents like multiple checkout steps or website redirects, allowing customers to purchase instantly with just a few taps.
This ease supports impulse buying—a significant factor in e-commerce.
“40% of all money spent online comes from impulse purchases.”
By making the buying process seamless within social media, your brand can capture these spontaneous buyers.
2. Reintroduces the Social Aspect Back to Shopping
Social commerce brings the social element back to shopping, much like the days of browsing malls with friends. Customers can now share their favorite products with their followers, discuss them in the comments, and even join live shopping events with influencers or brand reps.
These interactions create excitement around your products, encouraging word-of-mouth marketing. As customers share, likes turn into clicks, and clicks into sales, all while keeping the experience fun and collaborative.
3. Endless Opportunities to Target Your Demographic
Social media platforms offer powerful hyper-segmentation tools, allowing brands to tailor their content and ads to specific demographics. From age and gender to interests and behavior, you can target exactly who you want with precision.
Whether you're aiming for young professionals or eco-conscious consumers, social commerce gives you the ability to speak directly to your audience. This targeted approach ensures your products reach the right people, increasing the likelihood of conversions and long-term brand loyalty.
4. Millennials and Gen Z Love Social Shopping
Millennials and Gen Z are avid users of social media, and they’re increasingly using it for shopping.
“In 2019, 48% of U.S. internet users aged 18-34 made a purchase through social media.”
These generations value convenience, interactive shopping experiences, and authenticity—things social commerce delivers. By offering an integrated shopping experience within their favorite platforms, your brand can tap into this massive, tech-savvy audience and drive more sales.
5. Using User-Generated Content and Influencer Marketing
Social commerce thrives on user-generated content and influencer marketing. Customers trust peer reviews and authentic content more than traditional ads. Encouraging users to post photos, reviews, or videos featuring your products not only builds credibility but also boosts engagement. Once they do, integrate those reviews in your stories and give users a direct method of making the purchase.
Partnering with influencers amplifies this effect by showcasing your products to their loyal followers, driving both brand awareness and conversions. These strategies create a cycle of trust and visibility, turning everyday users into brand ambassadors.
Best Platforms for Social Commerce
If you’re wondering what social media platform you should start selling on, here’s a quick guide telling you all there is to know about the most popular social commerce apps.
Instagram is a visually-driven platform, perfect for showcasing products through images, videos, and influencer collaborations. Its "Shop" feature allows users to buy directly from the app, creating a seamless shopping experience. With highly interactive features like Stories and Reels, brands can engage audiences while turning posts into purchase opportunities.
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A brand with visually appealing products.
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Targeting Millennials or Gen Z.
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Looking to partner with influencers.
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Selling fashion, beauty, home decor, or lifestyle products.
Facebook offers a wide range of social commerce tools, including "Shops" and "Marketplace," which allow businesses to sell products directly. With its large, diverse user base and advanced targeting options, Facebook is ideal for reaching broader demographics. It’s also perfect for brands looking to combine paid advertising with organic engagement through groups and pages.
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A brand targeting a broad demographic, including older generations.
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Looking to combine social commerce with paid ads.
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Wanting to engage with customers through groups and communities.
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Offering a wide range of products or services.
X (formerly Twitter)
X is more conversational and fast-paced, with limited direct shopping features. However, it can be effective for building brand awareness, launching campaigns, and driving traffic to your store through promotional posts, hashtags, and influencer partnerships. While not as commerce-focused, it’s useful for brands that thrive on timely engagement.
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A brand wanting to spark conversations and trends.
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Engaged in real-time marketing or customer service.
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Looking to partner with influencers or leverage viral campaigns.
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Targeting tech-savvy, news-driven audiences.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the fastest-growing platforms for social commerce, with features like "TikTok Shopping" that enable brands to sell directly through short-form videos. TikTok's algorithm helps content go viral, making it great for product discovery and influencer marketing, especially among Gen Z.
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Targeting Gen Z or younger Millennials.
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A brand that thrives on visual storytelling and trends.
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Ready to engage with influencers and viral challenges.
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Selling products that appeal to younger, trend-driven audiences.
Snapchat
Snapchat offers unique opportunities with features like AR (Augmented Reality) shopping experiences and product lenses. It’s a creative platform ideal for brands that want to offer an immersive shopping experience, especially for younger audiences who enjoy playful, interactive content.
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Targeting a younger demographic (especially teens and young adults).
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A brand with a strong focus on innovation and interactivity.
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Ready to experiment with AR features and playful content.
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Selling fashion, beauty, or entertainment-related products.
While primarily a professional networking site, LinkedIn offers social commerce opportunities through its B2B marketing capabilities. Brands can promote products, services, or e-learning directly to professionals and businesses using sponsored content, ads, and group discussions.
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A B2B brand targeting professionals or businesses.
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Selling services, software, or educational products.
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Looking to build thought leadership and credibility.
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Wanting to reach decision-makers in specific industries.
Closing Thoughts
Social commerce isn't just a trend; it's a full-blown party where you're the VIP. By fusing the awesomeness of social media with the convenience of online shopping, you're creating an experience that'll have customers shouting your name from the virtual rooftops.
So, as you embark on this wild ride, remember to strut your stuff with style, engage like a social butterfly, analyze those digits, and make sure your mobile game is on point! Want some help with that? Get in touch with Good Kids today!
We have over 15 years of experience in the world of paid ads, social media, and e-commerce. If you’re looking to build something that stands out, we’re here to help you out!
