You can browse, compare, ask questions and make purchases without ever leaving your favorite site. More than just a place to learn about brands, it is also a place to shop for them.This has led to the emergence of social commerce where content, community and conversion are mixed together.With intelligent UGC program in place, social commerce will turn unenthusiastic browsers into assured shoppers.
What Social Commerce Is All About These Days.
Social commerce is not merely placing links of products in posts.
It’s the ability to:
- Educate and inspire in the feed.
- Create credibility based on experience.
- Eliminate tension between interest and purchase.
Social commerce will not drive traffic away to another destination, but rather get where users are and bring them mildly towards action.
The reason Browsers Hesitate Before Buying.
Majority of the population does not scroll with a purchase-plan.
They hesitate because:
- They don’t trust the brand yet
- They have not witnessed evidence that it is effective.
- They are afraid of taking the wrong decision.
Social commerce content is meant to eliminate uncertainties and not hurry up and sell.
The Content Shopping Mall.
In social business, your content takes the place of the brick and mortar store.
Each of the posts responds to such questions as:
- What problem does this solve?
- Who is this for?
- Why should I trust it?
UGC-based content is especially effective since it does not appear to be a large-scale advertisement but word-of-mouth.
The UGC: The Backbone of Social Commerce.
The user-generated content is very instrumental in making the purchasing process shorter.
UGC helps by:
- Demostrating actual individuals taking the product.
- Presenting actual results.
- Immediate effect of skepticism reduction.
A properly designed UGC program system will provide great and regular content that will not sound forced or promotional.
Win Hearts and then demand the Sale.
Effective social business is governed by a simple set of rules:
- Trust – Interest – Action
- Instead of “Buy now,” lead with:
- How-to content
- Tips and tutorials
- Problem-solving posts
In the event that education precedes conversion, conversion becomes natural.
Make Shopping Like a Native, Not like a Coerced Person.
Social commerce is the most effective when the process of purchase is a part of the process.
Ways to do this:
- Helpful post tags of products.
- Links inside tutorials
- Touchy CTAs in comments or captions.
The creators of UGC are especially good in this regard since their recommendations are not promotional but organic.
Short Video Content Generates Purchase Desire.
Video is the most effective social commerce format.
Why it works:
- Shows the product in action
- Elicits emotional attachment.
- Responds to questions in a visual manner.
Even short videos with the rationale and the ways on how a product would fit in every-day life are better than posts about products.
DMs: The Hidden Sales Channel
A large number of the social commerce conversions occur behind the scenes.
DMs allow:
- Personalized answers
- Objection handling
- Trust-building conversations
UGC content tends to provoke such discussions since it does not push but raises curiosity.
Planning a UGC Program Framework to Commerce.
In order to facilitate sales, your UGC content pipeline arrangement must incorporate:
- Understandable content topics according to the phases of purchase.
- Principles on how to associate or label products.
- Repurposing rights of usage.
- Rewards of regular creators.
This produces an unending source of conversion-ready content.
Minimise Stepping in Process.
Anything can halt a sale even a little setback.
Optimize for:
- Simple checkout flows
- Mobile-friendly pages
- Clear pricing and policies
The more convenient it is to purchase it, the more likely browsers become buyers.
Measure What Moves Revenue
Vanity values are not the entire picture.
Track:
- Click-through rates
- DM conversions
- Saves and shares
- Helped conversions of UGC.
These indicators indicate the effect of social content on revenue.
Make Comments Conversion Catalysts.
The underestimated aspect of social commerce is comments.
When creators and brands engage in responsiveness:
- Questions are answered in the open.
- Complaints are addressed instantly.
- Indecisive consumers become confident.
Pinned comments containing links, frequently asked questions or clarifications can easily produce conversions without disturbing the actual content. The comment sections provided by UGCs are particularly credible since they are similar to peer discussion, instead of sales thread.
Make Social Commerce a Feedback Loop.
Social commerce does not stop at the sale.
Post-purchase UGC:
- Validates buying decisions
- Promotes customer loyalty.
- Replays new content into the system.
When your UGC program structure utters customer comments and transforms them into content, each consumer comes out as a potential engine of growth- a cycle in which commerce and neighborhood selflessly sustains itself.
The bottom line
Social commerce does not represent a fashion but a behavior change. Companies sell products under brands that they experience, believe, and identify with in their daily lives. When properly crafted content and considered UGC program are implemented, social platforms can be more than a promotion channel, they can be a community-driven storefront. The winning brands do not need to sell more, but make purchasing effortless.
