Reasons to use social-shopping sites and social retail apps

by Andy Wooley in Retail Marketing

Social retail has been here with us for a while now. Businesses and brands are working tirelessly trying to come up with ways to convert social media platforms into sales networks.

Consumers are increasingly buying from social media even though most are quite sceptical about taking social shopping up. The good news is that the trends are taking a different direction and most consumers are now open to buying from major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. For this and other reasons listed below; it is the best time to take your retail business to social media.

Social-shopping sites and social retail apps are becoming more interactive every day - OnSpot Social — Social-shopping sites and social retail apps are becoming more interactive every day – OnSpot Social

What is social retail?

Social retail simply refers to the art of streamlining the purchasing process for customers and increases the efficiency of social media ads for businesses.

Social retail is implemented differently across different platforms. One similarity is that the purchase can be made partially or wholly within the social media website or app.

One thing you have to remember is that social media companies are not the ones behind social retails. The companies are simply giving retailers and consumers the best options for buying and selling.

There are other retail apps such as WhatsApp that can be used to order a service rather than a physical product.

Why should you use social- shopping sites and social retail apps

Much has been happening in the social media world and businesses cannot ignore the fact that these platforms are now the new market place. That being said, here is why you should take advantage of the social- shopping sites and social retail apps to grow your business.

1. High customer retention and loyalty

Social media selling does not only aim at selling and promoting products or services. You should also aim to build good and better relationships with people. Social media simply allows you to engage with prospects and turn them into your loyal customers. You can only gain customer loyalty when you offer what the consumers are looking for. Repeat purchases are not easy to come by, treat your first-time buyers with the same respect as the repeated buyers, these two groups of customers are very important.

2. Increases engagement

Growing your social media following is the first step towards making conversations. Social commerce makes it easier for you to reach out by sharing content, products or any other material that is relevant to the consumers. A brand on social media is built by frequently posting and participating in conversations.

Do not forget that consumers who have regular contact with a brand are likely to recommend the same brand to their friends, family, colleagues and followers.

Social media encourages people to start and join conversations. It also gives them a good chance for brands to use it as a customer service platform. Problems can be solved here and audience building can be done at the same time.

3. Offers convenience

Consumers are always in search of the easiest ways to shop. Several apps have simplified their online transactions for everyday purchases. Social retail is soon going the same way because it has the potential to do so.

Add a button to your social channels to make buying more convenient for customers. By keeping all transactions contained in one world, you can get immediate feedback from the products and services that you sell.

We can promise you that people will keep on purchasing from social media and as a brand you will be able to evaluate your marketing strategy in real-time.

4. Higher search ranking

Social media can be used to send traffic to your business website. This, in the end, influences your business ranking on search engines. The best way to drive traffic to your website is by sharing content with links. It allows your consumers to engage more deeply with your content.

5. Steady growth in audience

Numerous people are joining social media each day. Not forgetting that millions are already active on it daily. Let’s agree that the main concern for any business is how to reach out to their audience and make sales. Fortunately for you, you will not have to worry about this; you will notice that your following will continue to increase steadily as you continue to use social media.

OnSpot Social app is one of the best social retail apps being used nowadays

Tips for using social media platforms for your retail business

Here are some useful tips for using social media for your business.

1. Understand that you need a social media marketing strategy

An excellent social media strategy involves building relationships with customers, creating content with value, engaging users and more. Therefore, a workable strategy is not just product-focused.

2. Test often

There are several shopping-related features across all social media platforms. As a retail brand, you should never get tired of testing new features. Facebook recently launched the messenger advertising while Instagram boost pins and story tags. Each of the features works best to bring you the highest level of return on investment when optimized.

3. Use automation

Automation lets you do tasks at your preferred time. If possible leverage on technology to automate tasks. You need Omnichannel software to get this done

4. Partner

Collaboration is meaningful in business. There is no doubt that your return on investment can be significantly high when entangled with other buying options. An example is when an influencer posts a product link.

5. Content with Value

Sales content is easy to create. Consumers are looking for content that will is honest and compelling. Remember to always include practical value, entertainment and recommendation in your content. It is the only way for consumers to trust your brand.

6. Be relevant

Retail businesses have several products and services to showcase. Even though, it is crucial to understand that social media comes with limited space to show products. It is, therefore, important to focus on what is more relevant to the customers you target.

Social retail apps are on the rise to engage with your audience - OnSpot Social App — Social retail apps are on the rise to engage with your audience – OnSpot Social App

Conclusion

It is still dawn for social retail. It is growing fast and is likely to boost your business conversion rate. You need to be ready to experiment with several platforms and features to identify what best works for your business. And that’s why the OnSpot Social app accommodates so many ways you can excel in social retail engagement.

The social media platforms give access to a huge market and for this reason, it is wise for businesses to come up with an effective social media strategy soon than later.