Talking about how social media is now an integrated part of (almost) everyone’s life is already obsolete, just like stating that any e-commerce website should leverage that advantage. Sure, not EVERYONE has a social media account, but those who are likely to shop online do and this article is all about them. So, you know that your target audience spends time on social networks; how do you get them to be your clients by using social media to your advantage? Read on and learn a few tactics that you could be implementing right now and increasing your sales:
Social media for e-commerce websites
- Integrated communication is till the key. Your e-commerce brand needs to be easy to spot and your content needs to be easily shareable on social networks. In order to make these two happen, be sure to always add share buttons to every piece of content you publish and have a coherent visual strategy on every channel. Yes, your Facebook page should have the same “feel” as your website and your Twitter account. Also, create landing pages that seal the deal: once someone clicked on your ad, they need to be directed to a page that has the same tone of voice and message as the ad that attracted them in the first place. Make feel at home on your every channel and they will also feel generous.
- Engage your audience, but don’t oversell. It is very hard to make people fall for a catchy phrase or a cunning ad these days. This doesn’t mean your phrases shouldn’t be catchy, just that it’s going to take more effort. Listen to your audience – social media helps you get instant, free feedback that serves to improve your products and client service. Make sure to answer every query a (potential) customer has, but don’t try to sell something from the very first “Hello”. Instead, offer relevant content; for instance, if you have an online clothing shop, a guide on how to match your shoes to your outfit or one on selecting the ideal purse is the kind of content people love and, most importantly, SHARE with their friends. More important, people are more likely to buy from brands they trust, so make sure to build that trust and the buyers will come shortly after. That’s right, you can get more brand awareness and, ultimately more clients.
- Make your clients feel like VIPs. Put yourself in their shoes: why would they share your content or even bother to be your fans or followers in the first place? In order to make people want to be part of your story, you need to have an excellent brand strategy; and in order to turn them into customers, you need to offer them some incentives. Secret deals that are available only to Facebook fans (or if they connect via Facebook), discount coupons advertised only on social media, flash contents with awesome prizes are only a few of the things that you can do to keep your social media fans & followers happy and buying from you instead of the competition.
What about you? What social media strategies for e-commerce are you using and which of them have proven to be most successful?
