Part 2 – How Social Media is Shaping
E-Commerce
In our last post, we talked about social platforms and how content and the platforms themselves have evolved over time. Now let’s dive into some of the newer aspects of social media that include brand ambassadors, shopping, and search that are shaping how we live and do business.
Brand Ambassadors
As we continue to see user-generated content (UGC) drive authenticity and brand loyalty, we can say without a doubt that influencers and influencer content are not going away any time soon. In fact, brands are expected to spend over $7 billion on influencer marketing in the U.S. alone this year.1 However, when it comes to building partnerships with brand ambassadors, it’s still a bit like the Wild West. Influencer fees and experience levels are all over the spectrum, contract terms are often undefined, and many businesses don’t know how or where to incorporate influencer campaigns into their marketing plans. As brands and content creators navigate this new territory together, we expect longer-term partnerships over one-off posts. Consider collaborating on multiple touchpoints over time to help with brand awareness and drive engagement, and think about working with a mix of small to large-scale influencers as they each have their benefits. We may also start to see businesses hiring and training in-house influencers as a cost-effective solution. Remember, your employees can be the most authentic and affordable resource for ambassadors; start looking from within!
Shopping and Search
One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen with social media in recent years is that it is quickly becoming more of an e-commerce platform than just entertainment or networking. As consumer purchases are being more and more heavily influenced by content creators, retailers are turning to social media to make the shopping experience more seamless and convenient. Marketers are turning to paid social ads and influencer marketing to encourage purchases; however, what is more interesting is that consumers are now using social media platforms as search engines. In fact, 40% of Gen Z’ers prefer using Instagram and TikTok to Google for search. They are turning to social channels to discover new products, brands, and services and then sharing them with their followers, who no longer need to leave the app to purchase or browse products, creating a one-stop shop for consumers. E-commerce brands will want to consider this this year as they build their marketing plans.
All of these changes can be overwhelming for brands who are new to social media marketing or don’t have the right resources to handle it on their own. Working with a marketing agency is a great solution! Are you looking for help navigating this new era of social media and setting your brand or company up for success? Are you looking to increase your brand awareness or ROI through paid and organic social media platforms? Our digital marketing team can help you manage all aspects of your social media channels with our customized, research-based process that delivers measurable results. We will collaborate with you to develop curated content for your social media channels that is unique to your brand and conveys a cohesive message, along with posting and scheduling content, community management, and engagement. Lastly, we can help drive your overall success on social media with recommendations for pay-per-click advertising, paid campaign implementation, monitoring, and digital analytics reporting for both paid and organic social media marketing.
Be social! Contact us to learn how Rizco can support your brand’s digital marketing needs! Contact us today!
122 influencer marketing statistics to guide your brand’s strategy in 2023. Sproutsocial.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024 from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/influencer-marketing-statistics/
