#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt: the future of social commerce – AI News Update

Driven by Gen Z and Millennials, social commerce is expected to grow three times faster than traditional e-commerce, to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025.

This is no surprise to the experts. The viral hashtag and phenomenon #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has 28.6 billion views, including ads, influencer content and reviews. This commitment skyrocketed brands like CeraVe, The Pink Stuff and elf Cosmetics and created full sales of items like the Revlon one-step hair dryer and Lululemon belt bag.

Brands have been rushing to show up in front of new social platforms like Be real“a photo-sharing app that allows users to post one photo a day to show their followers what they’re up to in real time”, primarily used by Gen Z. For example, Chipotle has experimented with sharing code reduction, and elf Cosmetics used BeReal to show the “inside” aspect of their offices.

In short, social commerce is no longer a suggestion but an essential part of e-commerce sales planning. A great social program can make or break a brand’s image or engagement; there is a difference between doing it and doing it right.

Here are three best practices for your social commerce strategy.

Know your audience and engage

Use the power of data to determine who your audience is. By knowing your audience (gender, age, location, preferences), you can create content that will not only grab their attention, but drive sales.

You may know your audience, but your job isn’t done yet. You need to keep an eye on trends, influencers, and popular culture. For example, singer Harry Styles’ beauty company Pleasing’s social media rebranding has drawn attention as it targets Gen Z consumers and shifts to more “authentic” content and based on trends. Users suspect viral TikTok influencer (and Meghan Trainor’s friend) Chris Olsen runs the brand’s page, further boosting engagement.

This example explains the importance of not only knowing your audience, but also engaging with them properly to continue to build loyalty and awareness. Messaging tools allow a brand to respond to consumer concerns, comments, and reviews.

Quick, smart, humorous or exciting responses show the consumer that the company is present and focused on the client experience. Additionally, social media can be a great way to provide customer service in the event of an issue or problem. Reacting quickly to resolve the issue can bring a customer back to your brand.

Stay up to date with new features

Social media is constantly updating and releasing new features to adapt to user behaviors and desires. Instagram updated to focus on more video content with Reels. Shopping functionality adapted to Facebook. TikTok changed the video’s length to allow for long-form content and took over YouTube’s sponsorship of VidCon This year. This is how these apps remain popular. So your social presence and your business should follow by embracing the change.

Shop-the-look and visual discovery are good examples of new technologies that can drive customers to your website. Through visual discovery, customers can see new ideas, which complements Instagram 2022’s swipe functionality for brands to inspire and convert sales. Testing which features work best for your brand can drive customers to your e-commerce site and increase your brand presence.

Offer quality content

The secret sauce with the perfect content can be surprising. On paper, it looks easy: good product, high resolution shot and voila! Realistically, it’s the content that should provide value to the customer and encourage a click through to your site or product.

Successful content varies by brand. For example, language-learning app Duolingo has increased its brand awareness by including its mascot in trending short videos and collaborating with other famous (and surprising) brands like Scrub Daddy.

They grew the number of followers from 500,000 to 2 million in less than six months. Other brands focus on storytelling and emotionally connecting with customers. Ulta openly supports social issues such as trans rights, proudly sponsoring influencer Dylan Mulvaney. This led to a wave of brand loyalty, where users said they would shop exclusively from Ulta over the past holiday.

social commerce is also a great way to create great content that shows your customers how to use, style, or experience your products. A 2021 Nielsen study said people find advertising on TikTok more fun, real, honest, trustworthy and authentic. The study also revealed that 60% of users feel a sense of community on TikTok.

By partnering with influencers, you can make content more authentic and generate interest to click on it. Social commerce is an essential complement to any marketing strategy. It can increase sales, drive traffic, improve brand image and increase customer engagement. Opening up your brand to current and new audiences and trends can help you completely transform your business.

Zohar Gilad is co-founder and CEO of fast simon.