Many retail companies have moved their sales activities from traditional stores to the Internet in response to the effects of the pandemic. This shift towards the digital world was accompanied by the emergence of strong opportunities in the field of e-marketing, especially marketing through social media.
The past few years have seen the increasing importance of the role of social media in the retail sector. In fact, it is estimated that one in ten purchases today is made via social media, demonstrating the decline of the traditional retail site in front of the modern digital point of purchase, reports a local Arabic daily.
The results of the “Connected Consumer” report revealed that 55% of consumers prefer digital channels in order to interact with brands, and this percentage has jumpe to 65% among young consumers of Generation Z.
Social media has allowed companies of all sizes to reach new audiences, increase their following and increase their online revenue. This trend will maintain its momentum, as 61% of dealers and consumers plan to shop more via social media over the next three years, according to the results of the fifth report from ‘Salesforce’ on the status of the “connected consumer.”
Moreover, the report showed that 56 percent of consumers shop more today on social media than last year. This shift in shopping habits highlights the importance of social media as a growing source of shopper traffic and revenue for online businesses, as these media have become widely used as tools to increase profits.
Terry Nicholl, Vice President, Middle East, Africa and Europe at Salesforce, believes that forward-looking retail companies should make sure to boost their investments in social media to ensure that their businesses can keep pace with the future, but about 45% of trade managers feel unprepared. To move forward on the path of leveraging emerging digital channels such as metaverse, tik tok and modern online social storefronts. The question for many is, where does the road begin?
In order to target the right audience, companies first need to know where they are located. Determining the location of the audience that is shopping through digital channels is only the first step, as companies then need to identify the platforms used by the target audience and the places they are likely to buy from, while making sure that the company’s brand, its communication messages and services are consistent across other digital channels.
AI tools that allow companies to identify where and how audiences shop is indispensable to ensuring that money isn’t wasted on marketing efforts in the wrong places. Data can be a powerful tool for understanding which channels can deliver the best returns on investment, allowing retailers to develop a commerce strategy. Successful on social media.
Targeting the audience with customized content that meets their tastes and requirements is essential. In a world where millions of social media users come out with content every day, companies need to grab consumer attention, fast. Here, content customization ensures that brands remain relevant to their target audiences and is an effective way to differentiate themselves from competitors.
In order to achieve this goal, companies have access to AI tools that analyze ad performance and enhance product discovery campaigns better, so that companies can attract customers more easily than ever before with the use of advanced AI systems that can learn quickly and match ads more Efficiency and better identification of appropriate audiences for retargeting.
The process of capturing and maintaining audience interest requires a lot of work and innovation in light of the spread of millions of clips of content every day on social media. A successful commerce strategy through social media is based on the principle of enhancing interaction with the audience. Social media began as platforms for communication and conversation, not to annoy the audience with sales content.
Therefore, communicating by creating a two-way conversation with the audience is essential that brands need to build trust and establish their image online. Some examples of how brands have succeeded in attracting and growing followers include innovative tactics such as launching surveys, giving gifts, displaying user-generated content, conducting question-and-answer sessions, and interacting with customer feedback.
In the digital world, brands need to be present wherever their customers are. The boundaries of commerce should therefore extend beyond any one digital channel, and data should flow into all other channels in a way that enables companies to effectively deliver connected experiences.
Investing in social media is not only a successful strategy to reach existing audiences, it is also an excellent way for retail businesses to stay ahead of the curve, attract a wider customer base and stay relevant in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Businesses have to keep their distance from their target audiences and follow the channels they always use, because social media platforms can quickly gain and lose popularity, and a platform that is popular today may become obsolete tomorrow.
Businesses have to keep their distance from their target audiences and follow the channels they always use, because social media platforms can quickly gain and lose popularity, and a platform that is popular today may become obsolete tomorrow. Like any strategy, flexibility and responsiveness to change are essential in order for companies to maintain their leading edge.
