Social Media is the New e-Commerce
Marketing efforts, traditional or digital, are taking advantage of social media. Henry Ford once said, “When business is good, it pays to advertise; when business is bad, you’ve got to advertise.” The good news is, anyone — whether a solo entrepreneur or a big corporation — can advertise, promote, launch, and sell their product or service on social media. Here are some ways you can take advantage of the different social media platforms:
Private Messaging
Despite its social networking nature, users still prefer privacy in communicating to one another. WeChat, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger are some of the examples that allow users to communicate individually or to a small group rather than in public. Some social media platforms do have a private messaging feature where you can engage into a one-on-one chat with someone like a visitor or customer.
Chatbots AI
Artificial intelligence is now in social media via chatbots. These AI feature can answer customer inquiries immediately without waiting for human customer support. Customers hate being left on hold or waiting days for a reply to their email. But with a live chat, the response is instantaneous. However, if your business doesn’t operate 24/7, having a chatbot to answer a few basic questions may improve customer satisfaction.
Direct transactions
Social media users trust their network of friends. That’s why Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest grew enormously and stayed until now. These are also the social media sites that allow users to purchase or order products directly on-site without going to the business website itself. Not only that, a person can become an influencer because what you share on social media may be taken up by your followers or by people within your circle.
Paid ads on social media
Businesses don’t just rely on organic web traffic. They invest on ad placements either in pay per click, per impression, or by affiliate links. Facebook and Twitter do have ad placements in their platform which are affordable and can be easily managed.
“When business is good, it pays to advertise; when business is bad, you’ve got to advertise.” – Henry Ford
Video streaming
Videos are the most engaging form of media. Moving pictures and real-time action can provide immediate feedback as it grabs your attention. It stands out on a web page. YouTube is so popular that every kind of video — from a simple trailer ad to a video tutorial — is available with just a single click. Instead of advertising on television, you can do it on YouTube.
Virtual and augmented reality
This technology will become the next big thing. Virtual reality and augmented reality bring engagement by offering a memorable experience that is totally immersive. Tech businesses are already investing in virtual and augmented reality. Expect to see VR changing the way people interact with each other on social media. Soon, more businesses will start to produce VR headsets to become more affordable for the mass market.
If you’re looking into fine tuning your e-commerce strategy, try to stay abreast of the latest trends on social media and user behavior. Why not try to invest on some time, money, and effort on social media marketing?
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