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Social media is the most important marketing tool today. Learn how to utilize social media with our guide on how to start social media marketing for ecommerce.
If there is one thing your business needs, it’s social media marketing. Social media helps you create relationships and build trust. Based on studies, over 60% of Instagram users say they find new products on Instagram.
Maybe up until now, you’ve done well with your networks, circles of influence, events and/or consulting. At the same time, you’ve known deep down inside there is something missing – social media.
You want to connect with people directly. Yet, you may be like many businesses and have no idea how to start social media marketing.
Everyone and their baby has a social media account, literally. Social media works for you 24 hours a day seven days a week and it doesn’t need to sleep as we do.
Social media is the most important marketing tool today. Learn how to utilize social media with our guide on how to start social media marketing for e-commerce.
How to Start Social Media Marketing
We’re sharing the most compelling reasons how to start social media marketing. We are also giving you helpful tips, tools, and technology to help you learn how to start social media marketing and grow.
In today’s social media-saturated world, it’s important to have a social presence. Although over 400 million users view Instagram stories daily alone, some business still haven’t started social media yet. Others may have started but are only scratching the surface on social media and its potential for their business.
At first, it may feel overwhelming to learn how to start social media marketing. The important part is to take the first step. Whether you’re a social media expert or just starting, you can learn how to start social media marketing.
With social media marketing, it is important for you to create a relationship, drive traffic and increase sales for your business.
By the time you finish reading, you’ll know how to start social media marketing. Even if you’ve already started, stick around you will learn something new.
Let’s start by looking at how to start social media marketing for e-commerce stores.
Starting Social Media
Social media is about three things including connecting, relationships and engagements. Whether you are starting or you’ve been on social media, remember this and it will help you get results in your e-commerce business.
People who have a positive experience with your e-commerce business on social media are likely to recommend you on social media too. Many people estimate that the future of customer service is on social media.
Many people stay on one platform and prefer not to leave the platform. Businesses need to be aware of this rising trend in social media marketing.
Some simple ways to start on social media include:
- Picking a platform to focus on
- Sharing content consistently
- Including stories and lives
- Inviting to a freebie or opportunity
Social Media Strategy
Social media strategy is essential to your brand. How are you communicating your brand story? What education are you sharing? Do you invite to anything yet e.g. e-mail, offer? Are you sharing your community?
It’s important to implement a diverse social media strategy. Keep reminding yourself it’s about connecting with people. Social media strategy should include a mix of posts with the brand mission and vision, education, and community. The strategy should include a mix of photos, videos, stories, and lives.
Mix up your content weekly and monthly to show a diverse range of content. Talk about your story, how your items are made, and your community. There is a difference when you are focused on sharing a story and a mission vs. simply focusing on a sale.
It’s important to make sure you don’t focus on selling all the time. If you look at iconic brands like Nike, Apple, and Disney, they share stories and experiences first. Social media may be the first impression people have of you and your business. It gives you a chance to visually show your story and create a community over time.
When creating your social media strategy, including the platform, content, and captions to start. Decide how you will share photos, stories, and lives on the platform you choose.
Diving Deeper with Social Media
Diving deeper with social media may include direct messaging, leading people to a link, and ads. There are a variety of ways to dive deeper with social media depending on how you want to with social media marketing for your business.
Instagram direct messaging increased in 2017 to over 300 million direct messages sent and climbing. Over 80% of people who use social media like to use it to connect to businesses directly on the platform.
Businesses are realizing the marketing and sales impact of direct messaging. Over 65% of businesses are implementing direct messages as part of their social media strategy for e-commerce.
Some e-commerce companies use social media to click and buy directly via an image on Instagram and Facebook. Other businesses invite people to a link via a bio on a social media platform like Instagram.
There are many businesses using ads and influencer marketing on social media platforms. Lulus is an example of a retail e-commerce brand that may interest you.
Social media marketing offers a wide range of options for e-commerce companies.
E-Commerce
The natural flow for your social media is going from connecting to leading to a deeper relationship with invitations and offers. This offers a deeper way for your community to connect with you. This could be freebies, online courses, and retail clothing to name a few options.
Many businesses now start, transition or stay a digital brand. Many of them focus their marketing on social media and influencer marketing alone. An online business with online marketing is a powerful combination.
Social Media Selling
Social Media selling is an art and science. It’s a balance of storytelling and education leading to e-commerce. Lead people organically to freebies, promotions or offers you have. Continue to educate yourself on what’s working and what you want to test with social media selling.
There are several methods for selling on social media. It’s important to know who your target customer is and speak to them. Your success depends a great deal on knowing your target customer, how to connect with them, and their favorite social media platform.
Don’t forget that people to be “ready to buy” before any of these tactics will work. Marketing is a flow from awareness to interest to the decision. People will tell you where they are at any point by what they do.
For example, if someone follows you, they are aware. If they comment and opt-in, they are interested. If they purchase something, they made a decision on a deeper relationship with your brand.
You can use different methods to test what works best for your brand. You can test direct selling on a social media platform and messaging. This includes options with in-app purchases for e-commerce. You can test ads and variations of ads to see which one works best.
There are options for connecting ads across platforms with retargeting ads. For example, if someone saw your ad one time but didn’t buy, they will continue to see the ad on other platforms.
Some business prefers a more relationship-driven approach on social media with influencer marketing. This involves partnering with bloggers and influencers to help you promote your business. Influencer marketing results show 11X ROI compared to ads in some case studies.
E-Mail Marketing
There is another compelling reason why you want a social media strategy for e-commerce. As you consistently create an engaged community, you may invite them to subscribe to your emails.
E-mail marketing gives you a chance to connect deeper with people by sending blogs, newsletters, and offers. It is important to remember that the relationship started on social media.
You may find it interesting and surprising that e-mail is ranked as the best marketing channel for revenue generation. As a result, you definitely want to pay attention to the connection between social media and e-mail marketing.
Social Media Marketing for Ecommerce
Social media marketing is part of everyday life now for most people. It presents a huge opportunity for your e-commerce business to increase awareness, engagement, and sales.
It functions 24/7, attracts people to your business, and offers digital ways to grow. Sometimes it’s hard to prioritize in a business or where to start. Start simple.
Start with a platform or grow the one you are on. Decide the next one to three steps you will take in increasing awareness and engagement first.
Social media marketing is essential for e-commerce. Imagine the community that could form online the more your business applies this information.
You likely agree now that you need social media and its time to start and grow.
Don’t you owe it to your business to take this seriously?
Check our blog post on how to make money with a website.
