Social media lets you keep in touch with your customers and improve the online purchase experience. That’s why it needs to play a major role in your digital strategy.

Are you looking to learn why, and more importantly, how Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can become your digital allies and help you boost your online sales? Read on…

1. Social Media + e-commerce = A winning combo!

As the anti-smoking campaigns always say, “Smoking seriously damages your health.” To put a twist on this slogan, we always say, “Social media seriously benefits your turnover.” But seriously, when it comes to your business activity, social media can help you in more ways than one.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and sites like Pinterest let you…

• • Improve your SEO (When you share your content on social media, you generate qualified traffic to your e-commerce site, which Google loves!)
  • Create new contacts while maintaining your established connections
  • Build yourself an online reputation
  • Manage your “e-reputation” by moderating what Internet users say about you on social media (where you’re in control, unlike on forums…)
  • Give Internet users the option to exchange info about your business, either by talking amongst themselves or writing and consulting your reviews (specialists use the term “social shopping” to describe this process)
  • Keep your clients informed (promos, flash sales, news…)
  • And just make more sales!

2. Facebook, the Must-do of Social Media…

Alright, we’re going to be honest. If you had to choose a single social media site, Facebook should be it! In addition to its immense popularity, this platform offers several highly effective levers for boosting your online sales.  Facebook Ads, for example, are sure to help you capture new clients, since you can adjust them based on your Internet users’ interests, and location. Another useful tool is the call to action “shop now” button.  When they click on your button, Internet users will be automatically redirected to your site.

3. Instagram because a picture is worth a thousand words, or so it seems!

If there’s one social media platform that focusses on images, Instagram is it.  Restaurant owners, hairdressers, florists and countless other professionals have already taken up the world of Insta. And they regularly post photos of their creations, to the great delight of their subscribers.  Modelled on Facebook’s call to action buttons, Instagram’s “shop now” feature lets Internet users click on your photo and be instantly redirected to the page on your website that displays the photographed product.  They can then make their online purchase if they’re ready.  As for Instagram ads, you can manage these via Facebook Power Editor, an ads management platform you can access from both your Facebook page and Instagram account.

4. Twitter (On your marks. Get set… Tweet!)

Though its market share price is dropping, Twitter remains one of the main social media networks.  This means that if you skip out on it, you have a great deal to lose.  And you have everything to gain with features designed to help you boost your online sales.  There’s the “buy button” that lets Tweeters purchase your products directly from their Twitter account. On top of that, you can also create a list of products and services.  And to boost the impact of these lists, you have the option to add extras like promos.

Key Points to Remember:

• 52% of Internet users consult reviews on social media before making an online purchase (compared to 44% for brick and mortar shops)
• 88% of Internet users read reviews on consumer platforms before making an online purchase (compared to 73% for brick and mortar shops).
• 30% of Internet users will abandon a purchase if they find a majority of negative reviews.  

(Source: Ifop)