Social commerce in 2021 is bigger than ever. Facebook’s 2020 launch of Instagram Shops blends eCommerce with the world’s major social media platform. Since the pandemic, the social commerce market has increased at a rate of more than 30%. Social commerce will continue to grow this year as digital habits persist among shoppers. The growth is also sparked by retailers quickly adapting to the post-pandemic environment. Social media is an opportunity for brands and retailers to create interactive, shareable campaigns that help market new product. Maybe the marketing content goes viral with luck. Online mini-games and interactive challenges can enrich the customer experience.
Chinese dominance
Some eCommerce companies experience significant boost after a viral TikTok challenge for example. Its Chinese counterparts, WeChat and Little Red Book also show how social commerce, as well as eCommerce is changing how retailers and customers interact. In future, eCommerce will be a more interactive and pervasive aspect of Chinese social media while the U.S. and global retailers continue to struggle. Infusing social elements into eCommerce strategy is an important avenue to revive an online business. Retailers globally have much to learn from the way WeChat and Little Red Book have done this in China.
Marketing
Direct response marketing is probably the most effective marketing strategy for eCommerce. It is created to elicit an immediate response from customers that is measurable with a call to action. The Internet is the premier medium for direct response marketing, primarily because of its interactive nature. The immediate effects of direct response marketing can be quantified in many ways. Ad viewers can often respond to ads by clicking on a link, sharing, or clicking on “Like.” The whole process of direct response marketing is now more streamlined thanks to social media. Industry observers predict direct response marketing will become more open to integrating the many platforms of social media, such as Twitter, Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, social media messaging apps, where prospective users can interact with brands in conversational commerce.
In conclusion what can businesses take from all this. Global social commerce is going to become not just an emerging trend but a necessity. It is already prevalent in China. For example WeChat launched a new livestream feature that helps mini-program stores for brands. The brands can then sell directly to its more than a billion strong user base. Elsewhere, Louis Vuitton’s debut livestream campaign on social ecommerce platform Little Red Book. Importantly social eCommerce provides an efficient, online product discovery venue for prospective customers. It connects users with products, and merchants can access user traffic with discount promotions and adverts. Lastly, live streaming commerce is the big part of social media eCommerce brands must keep in mind. Live Streaming gives brands direct, real-time communications with target customers who are native online. Social commerce in 2021 will be exciting to observe.