Social Media & Ecommerce: Which Platforms Should You Be Using?

There are so many social media platforms available online today. As an ecommerce entrepreneur, it can be challenging to identify which platforms to use to meet your goals. If you are looking for a way to generate traffic and sales, you definitely need to learn which social media platforms can most effectively reach your target audience.

Each social media platform offers a different user experience and therefore requires a different approach by ecommerce businesses to best utilize the service. Everyone knows of Facebook and Twitter, but don’t forget about other social media channels that can be just as effective, or even more effective, at directing users to your website.

Here are the social media platforms your ecommerce business should be using and a few tips on how to best use their features:

Facebook

Considering its massive size and popularity, it should come as no surprise that Facebook is a major player when it comes to ecommerce social media marketing. It remains one of the most significant sources of social media traffic for ecommerce websites across a variety of industries.

Facebook offers many different ways for ecommerce businesses to engage and interact with users. You can run giveaways, create contests, conducts polls, and much more. Such a playful level of interaction leads to a stronger brand and warm relationships with customers.

Don’t forget, Facebook also has one of the most targeted paid advertising platforms out there. With all the personal information Facebook has about its users, you can target Facebook ads to a very, very specific audience. They also have robust retargeting capabilities as well to target previous website visitors and cart abandoners.

Instagram

Instagram is quickly rising in popularity for users and businesses alike. Since it’s a primarily image-based platform, it’s a great environment to visually convey your brand’s style and overall image.

Like many other social media channels, hashtags are king on Instagram. Make sure you use plenty of relevant hashtags on your posts to connect with targeted users and communities using the platform. You can also create a unique brand hashtag of your own to encourage users to post images featuring your products. With permission, you can use their images on your own social channels and website pages to establish social credibility.

Twitter

Twitter is less about sales and more about connecting with customers and influencers in your industry. You simply have to have a presence on Twitter, if only for responding to tweets in which you are mentioned.

In fact, a lot of customers are speaking to brands directly on Twitter instead of contacting them via email or phone. This provides an opportunity for you to provide customer service in a very public way. If you can interact with customers in a friendly and engaging way, your brand reputation and credibility will soar.

Pinterest

Believe it or not, Pinterest has become the third most popular social media network in the world. If you sell products geared towards moms or women in general, this is the social media channel you can’t afford to skip. It’s also an image-based platform, as users collect pins for their boards from a seemingly endless scroll of posts.

The best way to use Pinterest for your ecommerce business is as part of a top-of-funnel marketing strategy. Pinterest users tend to browse the website for ideas and inspiration, so make sure your brand is providing what they’re looking for. The platform also recently introduced “buyable pins” users can click to instantly purchase your product without leaving the website.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the social media networks, don’t worry. Many social media platforms integrate smoothly with enterprise ecommerce software and other ecommerce platforms. The more strategically you use social media, the more traffic and sales you will see for your business.