With the continued rise of COVID-19 cases, brands are shifting their strategies from traditional marketing to digital marketing by entering the world of eCommerce. While tapping into a new territory may sound intimidating at first, marketers must learn how to quickly adapt to new technologies in order not to be left behind. eCommerce was developed for a reason and one of those is to be able to keep up with the digital native group of consumers such as the millennials and Gen-Zs. It is no secret that these two groups of consumers are constantly being targeted by major brands through paid ads because of their attachment to online devices, which make them perfect candidates as online buyers.

Learning the ins and outs of eCommerce may be intimidating at first, but newbies to the industry should find comfort in knowing that all can be mastered by practice and correct training. Brands may also opt to hire a digital marketing agency for an easier transition to eCommerce.

Understanding E-Commerce

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            In a nutshell, eCommerce is a digital platform where brands can set up their online store showcasing their products and services. Some of the popular eCommerce service providers are Woocommerce and Shopify, both are plugins created for WordPress which allow vendors to easily manage their online stores, promote their products and ultimately, make a profit from online sales. B2C brands have also set up shops in Lazada and Shopee, the two leading E-commerce companies in the Philippines.

Connecting Social Media to E-Commerce

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After setting up an E-commerce shop, don’t be surprised if your online store does not make a sale immediately. The completion of your eCommerce is an achievement in itself, but promoting it to your targeted market is another story. This is where the power of social media comes in.

Social media channels like Facebook and Instagram play a crucial role in marketing your eCommerce store. As mentioned, it is not enough that you already have set up shop. Without word of mouth and social sharing, your eCommerce store will not gain any traffic or website visits. To make it short, adding a layer of social media marketing to your sales and marketing strategy can make a huge difference in the performance of your eCommerce store.

That being said, social media platforms Facebook and Instagram should serve as your hub of content. A hub where you bring awareness to your products by posting relevant and engaging content to pique the interests of your followers and your target audience.

4 Ways To Use Social Media to Boost Your eCommerce Store

1. Identify your eCommerce store’s social media goals

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Ask yourself: Did you create a social media account to drive traffic to your website or to drive sales? While both are equally valuable in their own way, it is important to identify your top priority so you may use your resources effectively.

Goal setting is very important to measure if your strategy is working or just a waste of your time and energy.

2. Create a social media strategy for your eCommerce store

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Social media marketing is not just about posting photos and information about your products whenever you want to. An effective social media strategy involves careful planning, strategizing and execution to be able to achieve satisfying results. Most social media marketers/managers usually take their time to study the brand, do competitive research, and make improvements on their branding to be able to create a solid, actionable plan and strategy that delivers a good outcome.

3. Decide which social media channel your eCommerce store will utilize

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While both Facebook and Instagram are both multi-media platforms and lucrative in their own ways, they differ when it comes to functionality and have their own shares of limitations. For example, you can easily link a product page from your eCommerce store to Facebook; while Instagram, on the other hand, doesn’t support this functionality, unless you set up your own Instagram shop.

Additionally, take into consideration whether your target demographic is more active on Facebook than Instagram and vice versa. It is smart to know where your potential buyers are more active between the two.

4. Make sure to optimize your accounts for your eCommerce store

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Coming to an empty and blank page of Facebook and Instagram can be quite dreadful, especially for consumers who are hungry to make a purchase online. Don’t let this mistake happen. Make sure that you optimize your social media pages for your eCommerce store by providing all of the useful and helpful information they can learn about your products and services.

When creating a post, be sure to link to the correct landing page of that certain product you posted to avoid miscommunication or confusion from the potential customer. Also, make use of clear and easy to understand CTAs to encourage your followers to click on a product.

Want more helpful tips like this one? Head over to our Blog to know the latest trends and updates on digital marketing! For inquiries, feel free to fill out the form at the bottom of the page.