The next big thing for e-commerce is social commerce, which is the process of implementing e-commerce functionality using social media networks like Twitter and Facebook. The e-commerce process usually takes place within a company’s website, for example, Amazon.com and Nike.com. Customers browse through the available products and then make a purchase using the built-in cart.
Social commerce has changed this process and has made it possible to purchase services and goods through social networking sites instead of direct shopping using the company’s website. This is a fantastic form of E-Commerce, but businesses make many common mistakes while implementing the overall strategy. Let’s take a look at some of these common mistakes:
Failure to Create Engaging Content:
Be creative and try to make your content stand out from the rest. Social media content can be created easily. Many businesses make the mistake of creating unappealing and generic content in huge quantities. You should focus on quality when you adopt social e-commerce. Generic and bland content will give the customer no incentive to read it or to make a purchase. Just because social media posts can be created in seconds, doesn’t mean they should be.
The content you create and put up on social media profile should be engaging, it should be capable of capturing and retaining users. You are supposed to convince them that what you are selling is what they need.
Not Defining Your Target Audience Properly:
There is a misconception that anyone can start selling simply through social media networks and thousands of inquiries and orders will start coming in within a few days or so. The reality is that you have to define your target audience because of the unlimited scope and reach of social media networks. Otherwise, your social commerce strategy would fail.
Create surveys, look at current sales figures, send out a questionnaire and gather information first to define your target audience. Take the example of Udemy, one of the largest online teaching websites. Its target audience is students and young adults that are looking to pick up skills for a career or for a career change.
Not Taking Account of Customer Feedback:
Social commerce has opened doors to an unparalleled level of interaction with customers. Companies can post on Facebook or tweet directly, for example. a good customer service is also integrated into social commerce strategies enabling customers to raise their voice and provide an opinion about products and services to you and to the world. So if you adopt social commerce you should be ready to listen to your customer’s feedback. If there are unanswered questions on your social media page or it’s not well-maintained, customers will not be enthusiastic about buying from you because you are giving a feeling that you don’t care about customers.
Wrong Social Media Platform:
There are a number of social media platforms available, and it is up to you to choose the right one for your business strategy. Making a profile on every single social media out there is not a good strategy because you can’t focus on any of them when you are trying to sell more by employing all. Perform a thorough research before you implement your strategy. For example, a consultancy firm would perform well on LinkedIn as opposed to Instagram while a fashion retailer should focus on Instagram more than Twitter.
Use of Paid Advertisements:
Many businesses see social media paid advertisements as a cheap way to market. If you do proper research before implementing a social commerce strategy and then choose an ad campaign properly, there is no reason for you to fail. All that is required is the proper attention that businesses fail to provide. Your target customer should be identified through proper marketing and research. Paid advertisements via social media can be a fantastic way to provide a boost to your social media performance, but you should put forth the effort and time.
