Social Media Influence on Online Shopping

We’ve all noticed how social media platforms evolved in terms of their purpose. The transaction from solely connecting people to influencing them in so many different ways happened in the last few years. Social media continue to expand their list of purposes, so we thought it would be beneficial to discuss their influence on online shopping.

Apart from using social media platforms to communicate and connect, people also use them to share their experiences. As customers, people tend to share their advice on health and food, product reviews, tips on using products, warnings about specific products, etc. Many people consume information on social media; the information easily influences consumers’ buying behavior.

People often rely on product reviews they found on social media to plan their future purchases. Considering the number of people who do so, online businesses need to have a prominent presence on social media networks. For instance, your customers need to be aware of the existence of your brand and products (or services), and when they narrow down their choices, they’ll also trust a social media influencer to buy what you’re offering.
Whether you’re looking to raise your brand’s awareness or increase eCommerce revenue, your presence on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc., will be genuinely beneficial to achieve your goals. Now, let’s see different types of social media influence on online shopping:

Building product awareness

It’s not unusual that people turn to social media to find solutions to specific problems. However, there’s usually a wide range of different products and services that will potentially satisfy their needs, so how do they know which one to choose? Well, to direct people into choosing your brand, you’ll need to provide some high-quality content on your social media accounts and use them as a powerful tool to market your eCommerce business. If you’re not even present on these platforms, you’re missing out on a significant opportunity to reach out to a broad audience and influence their buying behavior.

Providing social proof

As we mentioned earlier, people tend to search for other people’s reviews and testimonials before purchasing. This occurrence has made social proof a greater force of buying decisions. Since people are prone to imitating the behavior of others around them, it would be thoughtless not to make use of that in promoting your business. Can you imagine the impact of your satisfied customers when they start liking, sharing, and commenting on your products, therefore presenting them to an even larger audience?

The word about your brand would spread in a blink of an eye. Not only that, but by sharing your customers’ reviews, testimonials, and case studies on your business account, you’ll be able to build a strong, truthful relationship with them. This will have a significant impact on the traffic on your landing, consulting, and sign-up page and, most importantly, your conversion rate. People worldwide agree that social proof can’t be undermined, especially now that social media networks have become an integral part of many lives.

Being a source of discounts, deals, and promotions

Because more than half of online users wait for their desired products to go on sale before purchasing, it’s essential to look at social media as another source of discounts for your consumers. For instance, if your customer base is still not that large, you’ll be able to attract more consumers by offering deals or promotions on your social media accounts. People looking to buy a particular product will run into yours, and a number of them will decide to buy simply because of the discount. On the other hand, your existing customers will appreciate your special offers, and they’ll feel special because you’re offering a discount to them. In a way, you’re rewarding them for choosing you and showing your appreciation for them at the same time. This will also strengthen your relationship with them and turn your occasional customers into loyal ones.

Providing a base of social media influencers

Along with the social media platforms come social media influencers, individuals who influence people’s buying behavior and inspire them. People have grown to believe their choices and recommendations, and having some of them showing and praising your product will have a tremendous impact on your conversion rates. For example, if you’re selling gym wear, you can expect people to turn to fitness influencers searching for their reviews and recommendations. If those influencers share their satisfaction, other customers will be much more confident in buying your product. The fact that influencers don’t necessarily need to be celebrities is another advantage. Even if you’re starting and have a limited budget, you can always find an influencer to collaborate with.

Final thoughts

In case you’re searching for ways to expand your eCommerce business or increase sales, keep in mind that neglecting the power of social media platforms will most likely do you harm in the long run. Since several social media are now implementing some eCommerce components (for example, Instagram shopping), we can confidently predict that social media influence on online shopping will only continue growing. In addition to that, blockchain eCommerce technology continues growing in popularity, and a lot of people expect that it may become the future of eCommerce. This is mainly because of the security of customers’ data and transactions this technology provides and that most social media users seek. If you still haven’t included social media in your marketing tools, we hope you’re now able to see its potential and influence buyers’ behavior.