Tag: social commerce

Social Media Marketing

How Social Platforms Have Evolved into E-Commerce Giants

By ARM Administrator
May 8, 2025

In an era where endless scrolling has become second nature and digital attention spans are shorter than ever, social commerce is changing shopping norms. What began as casual product discovery on platforms like Instagram and TikTok shifted significantly around 2018, when Instagram and Facebook integrated shopping features, allowing brands to create shoppable posts. This change has evolved into a fully integrated shopping experience, where users can discover and purchase products without leaving the app. The real transformation, however, came post-2020, when Pinterest and TikTok introduced more sophisticated e-commerce tools, blurring the lines between social interaction and shopping. Additionally, a recent study estimates that the global social commerce market could hit $1.2 trillion by 2025, outpacing traditional e-commerce growth by nearly three times. This shift isn't just about where purchases occur; it's about how purchasing decisions are shaped. Platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp enable users to discover and purchase products directly within the app, creating a seamless, quick experience. For businesses, embracing this change is crucial for connecting with customers in real time, driving engagement, and boosting sales.

Shopping without leaving the feed: TikTok and WhatsApp

While traditional e-commerce leans on websites or third-party platforms, consumers today are shopping directly where they scroll. Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok now double as digital shopfronts, offering in-app shopping tools that let users browse, buy, and interact with brands in real time. For example, Made by Mitchell, a makeup brand, launched an exclusive product on TikTok using the platform's live shopping feature. Collaborating with creator Melissa Jade, the brand hosted a dual livestream that drew 50,000 live viewers and amassed 2.4 million product views, achieving a 100% sell-out rate. Beyond TikTok, social commerce is gaining significant traction on other platforms such as WhatsApp. With over 50 million businesses worldwide using WhatsApp Business, brands can engage directly with customers through personalised recommendations, real-time communication, and even complete transactions all within the app. This level of direct interaction has proven effective, as 66% of users report a higher likelihood of purchasing from brands they can communicate with via WhatsApp, showing how direct communication can drive sales.

Lessons from real brands on scroll-to-shop success

As the lines between social media and e-commerce continue to blur, brands are finding newer ways to enhance customer engagement and drive sales. Take Myntra, for example. In India, the brand has successfully merged social commerce with its platform through “Myntra Studio,” where both influencers and users can share live style inspiration and authentic product reviews. This feature boosts engagement and enables users to make purchases directly from posts, offering a seamless and interactive shopping experience. Myntra-studio

On the other hand, JioMart in India allows users to complete an entire shopping journey within a single chat window. From browsing to payment, everything happens inside the app. There's no need to switch tabs or download anything extra. It’s fast, personal, and particularly effective in regions where people may be less familiar with traditional e-commerce setups but are completely at ease with messaging apps. Jio-mart

Turning influence into action and strengthening brand trust

Social commerce is growing fast, and much of that growth can be attributed to how people now spend their time. What sets social commerce apart from traditional online shopping is the trust factor. For instance, influencer content often feels more like a personal recommendation than a conventional sales pitch, creating a sense of authenticity that resonates with users. When followers see products being used by creators they admire, the connection feels more genuine, often leading to higher conversion rates and stronger brand loyalty. For businesses, the advantages extend beyond just increasing sales. Social commerce platforms provide real-time insights into consumer preferences, shopping habits, and key drivers of engagement, allowing businesses to understand what truly influences purchasing decisions.

5 social commerce tactics that drive sales

1. Sell where people discover:

Instead of driving traffic away to external sites, let customers shop directly where they already engage. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram allow you to showcase products with product tags and in-feed shopping options, making it easier for users to purchase on the spot.

2. Let customers be the voice:

People trust people more than they trust brands. Ask your customers to share photos or reviews on their social media. Real stories sell better than polished ads, so partner with creators who genuinely like your products.

3. Use insights to keep them coming back:

Tools like TikTok Pixel or Meta tracking show what content drives action. Find out what gets clicks or where users drop off. Use that data to bring them back with offers that feel personal and timely.

4. Think mobile first every time

Most people shop from their phones. Make sure your product pages load fast and look good on small screens. If something feels slow or clunky, potential buyers may lose interest quickly.

5. Make it worth their attention

Flash sales that last a few hours. Create exclusive launch areas that are only available on social platforms. Rewards for followers who show up early. These small moves create urgency and make people feel part of something special.

What’s Next for Social Commerce?

Looking ahead, social commerce is set for continued growth, with advancements shaping its future. As checkout features, messaging tools, and ad integrations become more intuitive across social apps, the distance between discovery and purchase will keep shrinking. Brands are no longer just advertising; they’re having real-time conversations, resolving queries, and closing sales in one continuous flow. This transformation pushes shopping beyond traditional boundaries by enabling brands to engage directly with consumers through real-time conversations, answering queries, and completing transactions on the spot. With momentum building, the future of social commerce is set to be more connected, personal, and instantaneous than ever.

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Your Business Needs Social Commerce Now and Here’s Why!

By Shrishti Jain
October 8, 2021

Through the advancement and adoption of technology, we can now access a plethora of products and services at the click of a button, from anywhere around the world, at any time of the day. It's now entirely achievable for businesses to sell products and services natively within social media sites. With the arrival of game-changing Social Commerce, both small and big brands can easily compete within crowded marketplaces. It's not just about posts to advertise and drive awareness anymore; the social commerce world has shifted, perhaps due to the pandemic, even faster than anticipated! Here's how integrating Social Commerce can automate your marketing as well as advertising processes and bring your user experience to the next level:

What is Social Commerce?

Social commerce is an excellent advertising opportunity for businesses. The entire shopping experience, from product discovery and research to the check-out process, takes place right on the native social media platform. Social Commerce has the power to eliminate friction in a user's online shopping experience and catch users' at moments when their excitement over your products is highest. It differs from social media marketing since you're not redirecting people to an online store but offering them the ability to check-out directly within the native website that they're using at the moment. This model takes social media beyond its traditional role in the discovery process by creating a digital storefront and encouraging people to complete the entire purchase process without leaving their preferred apps.

Why do you need it?

For businesses that sell physical products online, leveraging social commerce on platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, etc., whichever gives the highest ROI, is a great way to drive sales and generate revenue. In essence, social commerce can mean fewer interruptions and frictions for the user while shopping, allowing them to transact at the moment, with fewer clicks, and utilising features like autofill payments, addresses, etc. With a large amount of customer data available on social media, marketers have got a prime opportunity to tweak and target their advertising. It offers the chance to show ready-to-buy products in front of specific people. It makes the shopping experience much more personalised and interactive for customers. Brands get precise data about exactly who their customers are and an opportunity to chat with them via comments and/or DMs.

Enhanced CX for Superior Brand Loyalty

When it comes to brand awareness and reputation, the buying experience is just as necessary as the product. A solid social commerce strategy streamlines the first purchase, creating a winning CX that people want more of. All you need to do is identify the suitable social media channel to make sure that the platform aligns with your brand offerings seamlessly. Then, use those channels where your target audience spends most of their time. The most beneficial way is to provide them with high-quality content so that they can connect better with your vision. Furthermore, share relevant and helpful information about current events, new launches, etc., to keep them engaged. Having an automated check-out feature on your social media platform is critical as cutting out the added number of steps that customers have to take to make a purchase can help boost sales.

Social Commerce Tactics

Brands are working harder than ever to capitalise on the inflection point between commerce and social media. Planning out the right strategy and tactics can give your brand more visibility and increase sales. Remember that low-cost products sell better, and they are the very reason for impulse buying. Social media shoppers are online to enjoy themselves and not to regret buying expensive products. Build trust and nurture the relationship with your customers before you can ask them to make a big purchase. Then, once you've made that sale, you grab their email address to utilise an email marketing strategy in the immediate follow-up. Additionally, leverage social proof like reviews, testimonials, UGC visuals, customer stories, etc. Customers are six times more likely to make a purchase — especially if the social proof includes pictures from social media.

Popular Social Commerce Trends

With this new attention that social commerce is receiving comes new trends and new methods of engagement. Businesses also need to understand how the trends are shifting so they can stay one step ahead. By joining forces with relevant social media influencers in their niche, brands can tap into those audiences to increase reach and generate more sales as people value and trust in what the influencers have to say. Capitalising on growing purchase behaviour by amending your advertising tactics can help your brand align with users' expectations which means highly engaging, eye-catching social promotions. Customer experience is anchored around browsing and interactions. Users want to feel special and have their online shopping processes made easier for them through personalised recommendations by brands.

Final Words

In today's world, technology is constantly evolving and modernising, and it's up to business marketers to keep up with these trends and stay ahead of the pack. A study reveals that the number of hours spent by people per day on social media is growing progressively. In addition, buyers are shopping online more and more because now it's become straightforward and convenient instead of going to the market physically. But they still seek new ways to make their experiences even more seamless. It's a fact that the achievements of a social commerce campaign are determined by the degree at which users interact with the company's marketing through likes, shares, and retweets. So, for an online marketer, social commerce represents a huge opportunity. And the marketers set to benefit greatest are the ones enthusiastic about getting ahead of the curve right now. The keyword is experimenting. If you're not already exploring all the latest social commerce features, then there's no time for you to waste. Essentially, now is the perfect time for all marketers to develop a manageable, solid, and cost-effective social commerce strategy.

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