Social media commerce can help capture customers and generate sales

Social media commerce is a booming industry. By using social networks companies are able to make their products more readily available and more convenient for customers. Social media is a public venue which allows people and potential customers to: Connect, browse, blog, search, chat, shop, download, and listen. With that in mind, more and more companies recognize the need to develop and expand their customer base to generate revenue through social media, and are thereby building upon their online web personae. Selling online has become a great addition to the traditional brick and mortar sales, and social media has become one of the major cores in today’s e-commerce. Through social sites such as Facebook, Google +, Pinterest, and Twitter, companies have the opportunity to gain a deeper connection with their customer.

According to research and author, Marsha Collier – a recognized authority on social media marketing – there are four e-commerce strategies that should not be forgotten:

• Keep your website fresh – Create a web presence that reflects your business and your company culture -make it accessible and engaging.
• Include instructional videos – Link to videos that pertain to your business from your website and add a YouTube app to post them on your Facebook business page.
• Friend and tag other businesses on Facebook – Be social — and help spread the word — by including other businesses in your posts.
• Make social media fun – Keep the social conversation going – The most desirable social media personas are those who interact regularly.

Additional key factors to keep in mind in order to be successful and generate revenue through social media, can be based around three principles: Describe the company, how people can benefit from it, and why they’re different.

There is a large customer base to be utilized, potential customers communicate with each other by way of social media; a company that makes their products and services available on social media sites provides the convenience that most customers value and at the same time, unlocks future sales opportunities – because when customers recommend products and services to others on their social networks they are in fact promoting that company.

Although Social media is not a business model, it can definitely help capture customers and generate revenue if a company clearly has something to offer.