How to Improve Your Online
Store Sales Using Social Media

Having a social media strategy nowadays is a necessity to improve sales and extend your reach. 1 in 10 online purchases are spurred by social media through advertisements or profiles, so you can’t afford to overlook the power these platforms can bring to your business. Use the following tips to spark real growth in your online sales in a matter of weeks.

Hire a Social Media Expert

After taking a brief look at this article, you may think that improving your online store sales through social media is a task you’re ill-equipped for, and that’s okay. Instead of fussing with influencers and brand recognition, hire a social media expert that has the experience and knowledge needed to improve your social media reach.

Before hiring a social media manager, create a contract for social media that includes the scope of their marketing project. By using a contract template, your business will stay legally compliant and avoid high lawyer fees associated with drafting a legal document or advice.

How to Improve Online Sales Using Social Media

Focus on the Platforms Your Audience Uses

The first rule of social media is to know your audience. If you don’t understand what kind of customer shops at your store, you won’t be able to market to them effectively. Find out where your customers prefer to hang out and narrow your marketing reach to three platforms. You’ll wear yourself out if you try the shotgun approach and post on every popular application.

There are some social platforms that are more tuned towards specific niches. For example, fashion and food performs really well on Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and TikTok. Others like B2B manufacturing, heavy engineering, people businesses, etc. can do well on LinkedIn. While these are not completely exclusive distinctions, working with the best social media agency can help you tailor make content to your niche and platform. This can go a long way in ensuring complete sustainability and performance.

You’ll likely narrow your search down to three platforms, plus one:

  • Facebook: The most popular platform with a large buyers market.
  • Instagram: Plenty of ways to market a product and link to a website.
  • Pinterest: Users use Pinterest to research before buying.

Add LinkedIn if you want to establish yourself as a business entity.

Use Influencer Marketing

You don’t have to break the bank and ask Kylie Jenner or Britney Spears to market your product. There are plenty of micro-influencers with less than 10K followers who could benefit your business. Give them a unique promotional code that they can strategically feature to their followers and watch your brand’s revenue skyrocket.

Influencers have already established trust in their audience and are therefore more likely to purchase from them. In fact, influencers can drive sales to the point that they’ve delivered an ROI as high as 600% in some cases.

Invest in Social Media Advertising

Social media platforms have millions of users, so it can be difficult to entice them to click on your pages or buy your products. You may need to bite the bullet earlier on and engage in relevant marketing that speaks to your niche audience. It’s possible to increase brand awareness by over 50% just by using traditional advertisements.

Capitalize on User Generated Content

When a customer connects with your brand, they’re more likely to post about it. When consumers do this, they’re sending the message that your business is trustworthy and relatable. An Olapic study showed that 70% of U.S.-based respondents were more likely to buy from a brand if they shared user-generated content because it reflected on them positively.

Some businesses go the extra mile and create entire web pages dedicated to user-generated photos. If people are using your products and are happy as a result, it will drive customers to come to your website and purchase. Always share user-generated content!

Create Exciting/Valuable Content

Sharing user-generated content is one thing, but if you’re a new start-up, you won’t be able to survive on word-of-mouth alone. Social media is the perfect place to create bite-sized, engaging content that will compel others to purchase your product. Here are some ideas you can use:

  • Provide guides that show how to do a complicated task.
  • Create how-to content, like recipes or matching a bag to shoes.
  • Make a listicle of the best television characters that relate to your brand.

As long as you make something informational and valuable, your audience will engage.