Social Commerce

Social Commerce

Social commerce uses networking websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as vehicles to promote and sell products and services. Some of the marketing tactics social commerce employs include: Inviting users to vote on product style or choices Offering personalized buyer options Applying large and striking graphics to attract viewer clicks Using videos to show the product in use and from multiple angles Encouraging user-submitted photos, commentary, and feedback Using celebrity endorsements of the product line Linking directly to the checkout or shopping cart Offering promotions or giveaways to users who share the product on their feeds The popularity of social networks such as Facebook and Instagram allows vendors to showcase their products and quickly respond to follow buyer-led trends and fads. Social commerce is a growing and changing field of online marketing that works in conjunction with social media and online shopping growth. While social shopping is a collaboration of online shoppers networking together, social commerce collaborates with online vendors. Social commerce encourages social shopping tools such as forums and communities in which buyers and sellers discuss their online shopping experiences and compare notes.

Social commerce promotes products and services through networking websites.

What Is Social Commerce?

Social commerce uses networking websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as vehicles to promote and sell products and services. A social commerce campaign's success is measured by the degree to which consumers interact with the company's marketing through retweets, likes, and shares.

Social commerce promotes products and services through networking websites.
The numbers of retweets, likes, and shares are measures of success for social commerce campaigns.
Social commerce also seeks to engage online shoppers by offering expert product advice and support.

Understanding Social Commerce

Social commerce professionals create and post messages and interactive features that promote online sales and other e-commerce initiatives. Some of the marketing tactics social commerce employs include:

Social commerce encourages social shopping tools such as forums and communities in which buyers and sellers discuss their online shopping experiences and compare notes.

How Social Commerce Began

In the article "Social Commerce: A New Electronic Commerce," Yao Zhong said the concept of consumer marketing promotions online first appeared on the internet in November 2005 in Yahoo! The site promoted their "Shoposphere pick lists," which highlighted the most popular products.

The notion of social commerce developed further to engage online shoppers by offering reliable advice and support from online experts regarding their purchases. Marketing blogger Jeff Bullas identifies the following four brands as being among the best in the business:

Social commerce is different from social shopping. While social shopping is a collaboration of online shoppers networking together, social commerce collaborates with online vendors.

The popularity of social networks such as Facebook and Instagram allows vendors to showcase their products and quickly respond to follow buyer-led trends and fads.

Special Considerations

Social commerce is a growing and changing field of online marketing that works in conjunction with social media and online shopping growth. Fashion and shopping-related blogs use social commerce and media to entice shoppers to purchase linked items online.

For example, many popular fashion blogs have Instagram accounts that allow followers to like, share, and comment on the offered product. The tagged article frequently links directly to the store's shopping cart or check out desk.

Related terms:

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing allows you to earn commissions for marketing another company's products or services.  read more

Interactive Media

Interactive media is a method of communication whereby the program's outputs depend on the user's inputs, and the user's inputs affect the outputs. read more

Marketing

Marketing refers to the activities of a company associated with buying, advertising, distributing, or selling a product or service. read more

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social media marketing (SMM) is the use of social media websites and social networks to market a company’s products and services. read more

Social Media Optimization (SMO)

Social media optimization (SMO) is the use of social media networks to manage and grow an organization’s message and online presence. read more

Social Media : Sharing Ideas & Thoughts

Social media sites and apps help people share ideas and build communities. See how social media can help you grow your business and gain customers. read more

Social Networking

Social networking is the use of Internet-based social media programs to make connections with friends, family, colleagues, or customers. read more