Why social commerce can improve sales

In 2011 social commerce was valued at $ 5 billion. It is expected to increase exponentially to $ 30 billion in 2015. Social commerce is here to stay and this why:

• 71% of consumers say that the opinion and recommendations of friends influences their decisions to choose one brand over another.
• Word-of-mouth recommendations are most often positive.
• 90% of online consumers trust the referrals made by friends and 70% trust opinions of strangers too.
• 86% of online consumers in the US have a facebook account.

The number of social media users across the world is constantly increasing. For years people have used the internet to find information on topics and products. Now, more than ever they use the internet to research everything from the cereal they eat to the house they wish to buy. Social media offers businesses the unique opportunity to interact with their target audiences. Everyday millions of users log into their facebook account to interact with their friends and to check out the best deals their favorite brands offer.

How can social media and commerce help

People like to do buy the brands that they like. Social media gives them the chance to interact with these brands. Social commerce does more than just offer your business a chance to showcase your products and allow customers to buy online. It increases your visibility on the internet. When a fan shops at your facebook store they are likely to recommend it to their friends. Some applications allow shoppers to share their shopping and wish list with their friends. Others allow friends to shop together in real time.

Social commerce allows you to focus your marketing efforts on a specific target audience. You can create exclusive offers and deals for your facebook shop or your offline store. Everyone loves a great bargain and they enjoy knowing that they have access to an exclusive offer. Shopping on facebook is about sales and also about increasing brand visibility.

It is important that you create a facebook storefront that is customized to meet the requirements of your business. An application such as Storefront Social can help you create a facebook shop that is perfect for your brand. You can select from several templates and offer content in several languages. You can also accept transactions in multiple currencies. In this way you open your business to global customers.

Social commerce can improve your online sales and it can also promote offline sales too. This is great for businesses that sell online and offline. For instance, you can order your favorite Papa John’s pizza while you are chatting with friends online.

Social media can be used to maintain your loyal customers and to win over more customers with super deals. It is an important medium of communication and can be used to improve customer service. Consumers need to know that they are appreciated and that their opinion matters. Social media gives your business a chance to achieve this. Keep your target audiences informed about the latest events and information regarding your business. The average internet user talks of several brands every day. To improve sales make sure that your brand is included in this list.