Over the past couple of years, developing a solid social media strategy has become a key player in any successful marketing plan.
With the global pandemic forcing the world behind closed doors, time spent online surged, opening the door for timely opportunity.
Smart companies started leveraging this shift to a more digital world, increasing their revenue streams. Solidifying social commerce strategically on platforms like Instagram and TikTok is part of this evolution.
Social Commerce Is A Pretty Big Deal
Long gone are the days when you had to leave your home to go out and buy a new pair of shoes, a frying pan, and a cup of coffee. These days, we don’t even have to walk over to our desktops and shop online, thanks to social commerce.
Social media platforms such as Instagram and Tiktok are becoming increasingly retail-centric, offering a variety of shopping options geared for the utmost convenience.
Instagram Checkout allows users to shop from brands directly on the app.
TikTok continuously rolls out new shopping features, including a tool that allows users to share shopping links and earn commissions from sales. They’ve also embarked on an exciting partnership with Shopify.
See It, Click It, Buy It
The beauty of social commerce is in its simplicity, in how quick and easy it is for the buyer to see a product and buy it. Right then and there.
Most online purchase journeys have too many steps to conversion. With social commerce, however, the entire transaction occurs on the social media platform, involving much fewer steps.
To make it even more effective, each step of the process happens in a space where the shopper is already comfortable.
This familiarity creates a level of trust that makes it easier for shoppers to dish out extra cash.
Let’s delve a little deeper into what Instagram and Tiktok are doing to make shoppers’ lives easier.
‘Instant’ Shopping With Instagram?
With over 1.2 billion users worldwide, Instagram is the 5th most popular social platform in 2021, according to data. Its makeup — the positive vibes and intense focus on visuals — creates an enjoyable experience for billions of users, an experience that can last for hours and hours.
The trick to driving sales and building brand awareness on this popular platform is in developing an engaged community following.
Using Instagram is already intuitive and easy to learn. For you to cash in on this, it’s important to deliver consistently valuable content, especially when you are using it for advertising.
Quick Selling With TikTok
Released in 2017, TikTok has risen in the ranks in recent times, and, with close to 700 million users worldwide, it’s only two spaces behind Instagram when it comes to popularity.
Short-form video has taken the market by storm, especially when considering the impact of social distancing.
TikTok is snowballing so fast, experts predict that it will reach 1.2 billion users by the end of 2021. Just like Instagram, TikTok is user-friendly and uses community engagement to drive sales and create brand awareness.
Because both platforms are visual and use short-form video, they are great for business. With this guide, we’ll show you how to make it work for your company.
How To Leverage Instagram And TikTok
You now know that social commerce is a smart choice for your business in 2023 and that using platforms like Instagram and TikTok marketing is an effective way to go.
Your next step is to create business accounts, if you don’t already have them, and begin posting.
Here are seven tips you can use to skyrocket your business with Instagram and TikTok:
1. Video
Video formats allow brands to convey their messages far more efficiently while keeping users creatively engaged. This type of marketing has grown in leaps and bounds across social streams. It simplifies talking about the product and demonstrating its value.
Short, captivating videos are shared far and wide on social media; many even go viral! When you use this for business purposes, it gives your company a wider reach and bolsters your engagement. The result is increased revenue.
2. Go Live
What’s more popular than video? Live video!
Going live on Instagram or TikTok is an excellent way to connect with your audience authentically. This is super effective in building brand affinity and strengthening trust.
Hosting a live video will also increase your discoverability and increase reach because live stories are placed ahead of regular stories.
3. Targeted Ads
You can target your social media ads based on demographics like location, gender, and occupation. Instead of using something generic across a traditional advertising platform, social media allows you to be specific.
New mothers will see ads for baby products. People who are searching for travel deals will see specials on flights.
4. Influencers And Content Creators
Influencers and content creators have large followings, and teaming up with them can:
- Expose your brand to a larger audience.
- Provide credibility through endorsement by someone trusted.
- Prove that you’re a major player in your industry.
However, as with any collaboration, you must have a mutual understanding of goals and objectives. Before choosing an Instagram or TikTok influencer to partner with, think about whether their audience aligns with yours and how authentic their company’s endorsement would be.
If you find a suitable influencer or content creator for your brand, they could help you to increase brand awareness and product sales.
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for TikTok influencers to partner with, try using a TikTok search engine tool like Influence Grid.
5. User-Generated Content (UGC)
Marketers are beginning to take more notice of content generated by customers and users. It is cost-effective and, because regular people create it, UGC fortifies trust. More and more, marketing guides are recommending UGC as an integral part of building social proof.
Since studies have shown that UGC is five times more likely to drive sales than brand-sponsored posts, it’s a trend that you cannot afford to ignore.
6. Branded Hashtag Challenges
Branded hashtag challenges are when companies create a hashtag and ask their followers to submit posts or videos related to the hashtag.
Take, for example, this highly-effective challenge by Coca Cola:
Remember, your business doesn’t have to be one of the industry giants to reap the benefits of a branded hashtag challenge.
Elf Cosmetics surpassed 1 billion views in only three days with its #eyeslipsface challenge on TikTok.
The fun challenge encouraged people to submit videos of them performing to the song, “Eyes, Lips, Face.” By creating entertainment, and inviting everyday folks into it, this campaign gained incredible traction.
7. Competitions
Who doesn’t love getting something for nothing? When you run competitions and giveaways, your business will benefit from the likes, tags, and follows it will usher in. This grows your page — you not only reach more followers, but you also create a positive atmosphere around your brand.
Tips And Tricks To Grow Your Instagram & TikTok
Whether you want to launch your brand on Instagram and TikTok, or begin growing your following, these tips will help you to get going:
1. Understand Your Audience
What makes you follow a company’s social media account? It could be because you’re interested in new products or special offers, what’s happening with the business, or it could be as simple as enjoying the content on their page.
Whatever it is, you’ll be more likely to return to the page or continue following that account if you experience a positive atmosphere there. To do this with your business, you have to understand your audience’s needs and wants. Here are a few ways to get that needed insight:
- Interact and engage with followers. Answer questions and comment on comments.
- Show interest and care by asking questions and creating polls or surveys.
- Make it clear that there are real people behind the scenes, and your followers will be more inclined to communicate.
Making an online experience more personal by understanding your followers is a great way to boost business.
2. Produce Valuable Content
How will you make sure that followers choose to engage with your content in an ocean of information? It has to be:
- Understandable – Whether it’s text, an image, or video, your content must be clear and concise. If your followers can’t read or understand your content, it won’t be of any value.
- Engaging – It’s essential to foster good relationships with followers. To do this, you have to create an emotional connection with them. Content created in the first person is a great way to begin. Instead of saying, “Company ABC wants to assure you that…,” you could say, “We want to assure you that…”
- Consistent – People are creatures of habit. If you keep your content regular and relatively similar, but still interesting, it will be more valuable to followers. They’ll know what to look forward to because your brand is consistent.
- Authentic – To create a positive image for your brand, be honest and be yourself. This will make followers feel welcome, building up two crucial factors: trust and loyalty.
- Meaningful – Whether entertaining or informative, your content should be meaningful to anyone who experiences it.
3. Keep Learning
Keep on top of every single post you make. Keep an eye out for responses, comments, tags, and shares.
As you interact with your followers, you’ll increase engagement and learn what works and what doesn’t. Use this knowledge to drum up future content strategies.
Ready, Steady, Post!
To skyrocket your business, you need sales. To get sales, you have to satisfy your followers, which can be surprisingly simple to do with this guide.
Stop overthinking things. The truth is, you only need a few things to drive online sales:
- A product that solves a problem.
- An online presence that is trustworthy and valuable.
- A simple way for shoppers to buy the product from you.
The more likable your business is online, and the easier you make your followers process of purchasing, the more sales you’ll generate. And, what can be easier than using something your shoppers are already familiar and comfortable with, like their favorite social media platforms?
Global lockdowns have only catered to this timely opportunity in developing an online presence, creating a massive upsurge in social media use that we’ve already been experiencing in the past few years.
Instagram and TikTok are presenting tantalizing prospects for your business in the coming years, especially when it comes to incorporating video.
Author Bio
Author
Sam is an Instagram consultant who specializes in helping small businesses use the platform to grow their customer base. With a background in entrepreneurship, Sam understands the challenges that businesses face and loves providing practical solutions through social media. When she’s not advising clients, you can find Sam exploring new hiking trails or working on his next big idea.
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