#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt: The Future of Social Commerce

Driven by Gen Z and Millennials, social commerce is projected to grow three times faster than traditional e-commerce, to a projected $1.2 trillion by 2025.

This comes as no surprise to experts. The hashtag and viral phenomenon #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has 28.6 billion views, including ads, influencer content and reviews. That involvement has skyrocketed brands like CeraVe, The Pink Stuff and elf Cosmetics and created full sales on items like the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and the Lululemon Waist Bag.

Brands scrambled to tap into new social platforms like BeReal, “a photo-sharing app that allows users to post a photo a day to show their followers what they are up to in real time,” used primarily by Gen Z. For example, Chipotle experimented with sharing coupon codes, and elf Cosmetics used BeReal to showcase the “inside” look of their offices.

In short, social commerce is no longer a suggestion but a critical element of eCommerce sales planning. A great social program can make or break a brand’s image or engagement; there is a difference between doing and doing right.

Here are three best practices for your social commerce strategy.

Know your audience and engage

Use the power of data to find out who your audience is. By knowing your audience (gender, age, location, preferences) you can create content that will not only grab attention but also drive sales.

You may know your audience, but your work isn’t done. You should keep an eye on trends, influencers, and popular culture. For example, the rebranding of beauty company Pleasing, owned by singer Harry Styles, gained attention because it targeted Gen Z consumers and shifted towards more “genuine” and trend-driven content. Users suspect TikTok viral influencer (and friend of Meghan Trainor) Chris Olsen is running the brand page, driving even more engagement.

This example explains the importance of not only knowing your audience, but properly engaging with them to continue building loyalty and awareness. Messaging tools allow a brand to engage with consumers’ concerns, comments and criticisms.

Quick, smart, humorous or exciting responses show the consumer that the company is present and focused on the customer experience. Additionally, social media can be an excellent way to provide customer service for concerns or issues. Being quick to respond to resolve can bring a customer back to your brand.

Stay up to date with new features

Social media constantly updates and releases new features to adapt to user behaviors and desires. Updated Instagram to focus on more video content with Reels. Facebook-tuned shopping functionality. TikTok changed video length to allow for long-form content and took over YouTube’s sponsorship of VidCon this year. That’s how these apps remain popular. So your social presence and commerce should follow suit by embracing change.

Buy the look and visual discovery are good examples of new technologies that can drive customers to your site. With visual discovery, customers can see new ideas, which complements Instagram’s 2022 swipe up feature for brands to inspire and convert sales. Testing which features work best for your brand can drive customers to your e-commerce site and increase your brand presence.

Offer quality content

The secret sauce to perfect content can be surprising. On paper it looks easy – good product, high resolution footage and off you go! Realistically, it’s the content that needs to add value to the customer and encourage a click through to your website or product.

Successful content varies for different brands. For example, language learning app Duolingo has increased brand awareness by including its mascot in short trending videos and by collaborating with other famous (and surprising) brands like Scrub Daddy.

They took their follower count from 500,000 to 2 million in less than six months. Other brands focus on storytelling and emotionally connecting with customers. Ulta openly supports social issues like trans rights, proudly sponsoring influencer Dylan Mulvaney. This led to a show of brand loyalty, where users declared that they will be shopping exclusively at Ulta this past holiday season.

Social commerce is also a great way to create quality content that shows your customers how to use, style, or experience your products. A 2021 Nielsen study stated that people find advertising on TikTok more fun, real, honest, credible, and authentic. The study also found that 60% of users feel a sense of community on TikTok.

By partnering with influencers, you can make your content more genuine and drive click-through interest. Social commerce is an indispensable addition to any marketing strategy. It can increase sales, drive traffic, improve brand image and increase customer engagement. Opening up your brand to current and new audiences and trends can help completely transform your business.

Zohar Gilad is co-founder and CEO of Fast Simon.