4 Social Commerce Trends to Look Out for This Year 

As social media usage continues to rise, marketers need to know that one of the only constants in social media is change. From the start of Facebook tailored to college students to what it has amassed to today, we can be certain that it will look completely different in the years to come. But one more thing remains constant: the upward growth of social media and its vitality to successful marketing tactics in today’s world.

It’s predicted that in 2023, more than 50 percent of United States social media users will make purchases via social platforms. This will be the first year that social commerce is used by more than half of social media users. With an increasing need for social media marketing strategies, check out these four best practices to help your brand successfully navigate the rise of social commerce. 

1. Tailor Shopping for Social Media

Insider Intelligence has predicted that by 2025, over 114 million users will spend an average of nearly $1,000 a year on purchases via social media. There is no doubt that in 2023 and years to come, social commerce will erupt into a multibillion dollar business, if not more. Forbes speculates that at the rate social commerce is growing, it will become a $1.2 trillion opportunity for businesses by 2025. 

US Retail Social Commerce Sales, 2019-2025 (billions, % change, and % of total US ecommerce sales)

With these statistics in mind, businesses’ marketing budgets need to reflect the importance of this opportunity. Leading the social commerce pack is Meta, formally known as Facebook, and following closely behind is TikTok. Focus your marketing strategies to reach your audiences on these social platforms as well as other social channels like Instagram and Pinterest. It’s also essential to be aware of what audience you’re trying to reach. In the chart below, it shows that Gen Z and Millennials are the primary social media buyers. 

US Social Media Buyers, by Generation, June 2022 (% of respondents in each group)
With the uprise in social media buying comes a change in the way you market. Be sure to have a team to focus solely on the creative side of social media marketing.

2. Take Advantage of User Generated Content

The brilliant thing about social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram is the focus on user generated content. Let content creators guide you in the best marketing practices on social platforms. In 2023 and predictably in the future, authenticity is the name of the game. We see this specifically on TikTok through videos labeled “Story time”. Story time is a phrase often used by a TikTok creator before they explain what happened in their life for their audience. It is often times used as a comment below a video as well if a viewer wants to know more about how something happened. With people being so open about life experiences on social apps like TikTok, social media users expect this same authenticity from brands. They don’t just want you to market a product, they want to see how it fits in with their daily lives. 
 
In an article by Sprout Social, they highlight the fact that consumers use social media to be inspired and to find new ideas rather than to search for products or brands. You need to go to consumers instead. You can do so in a multitude of ways. Consider teaming up with influencers, shout out your social media pages when sending out emails and packages asking people to share their experience, and create social ads that speak authentically. Content creators can also help you achieve your social media goals. Check out this video from Hootsuite regarding the impact social media creators can have on businesses.

3. Employ Micro-influencers for More Social Media Marketing Benefits

Each influencer brings their own audience to the table. Having a couple influencers on your team with their various social audiences will enhance your social media recognition and therefore boost sales. As previously mentioned, social media users are looking for authenticity online today, and for this reason micro or mid tier-influencers are on the rise. Micro-influencers are people who have 5,000 to 20,000 followers and mid-tier is considered having 20,000 to 100,000 followers. More and more companies are turning away from having celebrity partners and turning to micro and mid-tier influencersto shout out theirs brands and products. Turning to influencers that have smaller fan bases is also cost beneficial. The price of influencer rates are spiking due to high demand in recent years. Micro-influencers also bring forward genuine authenticity and a closer-knit community. When they have less followers than macro-influencers, they can better connect with more of their audience. What’s best is the price-per-post is typically less than $100 for smaller content creators. 

4. Use Chatbots to Add Human Experience and Power Social Media Buying

Meta reports that almost half of its users who have shopped on Instagram have have messaged businesses directly. Automated chatbots offer customer service 24/7 for almost any customer need and provide customers with more confidence when buying from a new brand. In fact, Street Fight Magazine states that 40 percent of conversational-commerce users made their first purchase through chat. 
 
Automated chatbots have the means to communicate and solve customer inquiries, without needing much human intervention. This allows for 24/7 customer service without needing to add more human hands on deck, ultimately improving the customer’s overall satisfaction and brand experience. A great example of an automated chatbot is Sephora’s Facebook Messenger experience (via Social Media Marketing): 

Sephora’s chatbot is advanced enough to do a variety of tasks at once for a customer, including scheduling makeover appointments in store, finding products to match customer interests, and virtually trying on makeup. These features help guarantee that a customer will be satisfied with their order and write a positive reviews. 

Step Into the Future of Social Media Marketing

Keep in mind that the only constant in today’s social media landscape is change and growth. To succeed, social media managers and marketing teams alike must remain vigilant and be agile when it comes to adapting to new updates, features, and trends. The most successful brands on social media are the ones that adopt strategies to boost social commerce sales and enter the social media conversations happening organically on social networks. Above all, rememberthat authenticity is key. 

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