Using Social Media as an Ecommerce Seller

Using Social Media as an Ecommerce Seller

In the digital age, shopping isn’t the only online activity. In fact, since the launch of Facebook in 2004, social media activity has risen every year. Currently it is estimated that over half of the global population log on to a social media platform daily.

Within the scope of ecommerce, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even TikTok can be used to help promote products, raise brand awareness and engage with the consumer on a more interpersonal level.

Using these platforms can help smaller online stores market to a larger audience and locate members of their niche from around the globe. While social media platforms offer paid advertising opportunities, certain algorithms will show unpaid (organic) content to millions of users for no ad spend.

It’s important to know how these platform’s algorithms work for creating social media strategies. Below we’ve outlined benefits and tips for several major social media platforms.   

Facebook

If you’re looking to launch a paid-ads campaign, i.e., you pay for your content to be promoted, Facebook is your place. Here’s why:

  • Facebook ads reach 33.3% of the global population over age 13
  • The average price per ad decreased 18% in Q3 2022
  • 37% of Facebook users will make a purchase on the platform in 2023
  • 19% of U.S. consumers start their online shopping search on Facebook
  • The average Facebook page in the retail industry sees 974,000 impressions per month

Additionally, Facebook allows you to reach a diverse audience. Reach specific generations, religions, races and nationalities with simple targeting. That’s because Facebook has a huge, diverse range of users.

  • 70% of US adults use Facebook
  • 56.6% of Facebook’s ad audience are men
  • 49% of Americans say that they visit the social media platform several times a day
  • Facebook usage is an even split between Democrats and Republicans
  • Facebook is the favorite social platform of the 35-44 demographic
  • 7% of Gen Z users plan to quit Facebook in 2023

Instagram

Being owned by Meta (Facebook’s dd company), Instagram shares a lot of similarities to Facebook. In fact, if you’re using one platform, you should consider using both as the platforms allow for cross posting of posts, stories and reels. Both platforms also allow advertising through Meta Business Suite.

However, they have a fair amount of differences. Instagram is considered to be more visual, with a greater emphasis on photos’ graphics and reels. While running paid ads is still an option, this algorithm caters more to organic content than Facebook. 

Instagram also has a different expected user base than Facebook, and tends to appeal to a younger audience. With that, one can expect the use of social media trends to play a significant role in content performance. Below is some more information about Instagram’s users:

  • 47% of American adults use Instagram.
  • 52.2% of Instagram’s audience identifies as male
  • Instagram is Gen Z’s second favorite social platform
  • 61% of 12-to-17-year-olds use Instagram weekly
  • Instagram accounted for 17% of the time U.S. adults spent on social media in 2022

Twitter

Twitter is a microblogging site that boasts more than 300 million users; however, it functions differently than any other major platform. Twitter highlights trends and shows users tweets based on what the accounts they follow are engaging with.

There are several strategies to improve post performance on Twitter. Some accounts maintain their brand voice while focusing on engaging content, while others, such as Wendy’s, use a completely different approach, using humor to build relatability. Below are some different ways to market using tweets:

  • Have an engaging profile, unique bio and eye-catching header image
  • Show personality when engaging with your audience
  • Run a Twitter poll
  • Retweet relevant content, and add a personal touch
  • Develop and use creative hashtags

Content isn’t the only way Twitter stands out as a platform. Twitter also has a different user base than other platforms. A breakdown of Twitter’s user demographics is below:

  • Most Twitter users are between the ages of 25 and 34
  • 56.4% of Twitter users identify as male
  • 1/4 of all American men use Twitter
  • The number of teens who use Twitter has decreased

TikTok

TikTok has taken off in recent years due to its algorithm, which allows any video to be promoted and “go viral.” It’s because of this that, while paid TikTok ads are a great option, a business can find organic success with no ad spend. 

Additionally, TikTok is a powerful app for social media marketing. Here’s why your brand could benefit from creating TikTok content:

  • TikTok is the top app for consumer spending
  • 67% of users say TikTok inspires them to shop
  • TikTok ads reach 17.9% of all internet users aged 18+
  • TikTok boasts the highest engagement rate of any platform, with an average user session of 10.85 minutes

Lastly, as the user base for TikTok continues to grow, so does the demographics of its users. With more than 3 billion downloads, here is the rundown on TikTok Users:

  • TikTok has over one billion active users
  • TikTok is now more popular than Instagram among Gen Z users in the US
  • In the U.S., 61% of TikTok users are women

As you can see, social media is a powerful tool for marketing brands of all sizes and industries. Social media could be just the resource you’re looking for to grow your business’s audience and get more sales than ever before.

If you want to learn more about using social media for print on demand or ecommerce, check out learn.goquadra.com for hours of video training.

*Statistics Provided By HootSuite