Get Social On Your E-commerce Website

What is social media? 
Social media is the means by which one communicates, collaborates, shares with others via technology. It is usually thought of as a personal profiles used to communicate with friends, but it can also be used for many other purposes. One can create professional profiles on LinkedIn or a brand can use this it in a strategic way to gain buzz about their brand and communicate with their customers through many social media mediums.

Why use social media?
Businesses can now use applications to improve their social media web pages. One app can made a Facebook page work as an e-commerce site, where people can purchase items right off of Facebook. Another app lets businesses add promotions, sales materials, and product presentations right to the page. You can create e-newsletter campaigns, give promotions using social media, and allow for customers to communicate with friends while shopping online. It is important that business using social media match their social media campaigns to their overall marketing plan.

This graph represents the shares in which social-generated e-commerce sales has contributed to. The data is from tracking sales that were referred to by a social media site. As you can see, Facebook takes up the largest share. Now I will provide some examples of what social media can do for you.

1. Increase Customers
Your online presence will help you reach people that you would have never been able to reach before. It opens up your audience and the people that you will be able to make an influence on.

2. Decrease Advertising Costs
Compared to traditional media such as TV commercials and print advertisements, social media is a cheap alternative that will generate sales if you use it correctly.

3. Measurable Results
With social media, you are able to see what people are interacting with by seeing what they are clicking on and how many people clicked on it. You are able to see these results quickly, and then adjust to those results so you are able to make a better impact.

4. Generate Content
Your content can consists of special promotions or testimonials from employees or customers. This is increase trust and the raise the value in which people see your brand.

5. Increased InvolvementSocial media allows for communication with customers. You are able to hear about what is working for them, what is not working, hear their complains, and their praises. You can use this information to decrease problems. When people talk about your brand it increases brand buzz and word-of-mouth communication, which is an important factor in generating sales.

6. Narrow Targets
You are able to target your audience by more specific demographics than before with social media. You are able to find these people quickly and get your message out their.





Sources:

http://ecommerce-software-review.toptenreviews.com/5-ways-social-media-will-increase-your-ecommerce-business.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-and-pinterest-in-social-commerce-2013-9