Social Media: A Powerful Tool for Ecommerce Growth
Social media has significantly reshaped how businesses engage with customers. If you’re running an ecommerce business, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are more than just marketing channels—they’re growth drivers.
Social commerce is gaining momentum globally:
- In the US, social commerce is expected to reach close to USD 80 billion by 2025.
- Over 17% of total online sales may come through social networks by then.
- The number of social shoppers is projected to grow from 96 million in 2023 to 104 million by 2025.
Clearly, now is the right time to focus on building your social media presence. With a thoughtful strategy, you can foster a loyal following and drive sustainable business growth.
Building a Strong Social Presence for Your Store
Social Media Growth Strategies for Ecommerce Success
1. Optimise Your Profile
Your social media profile is the first impression of your brand. Make it count. Use a clear, recognisable image (your logo is ideal), write a short bio explaining what your business does, and add a link to your online store.
Why this matters:
- Increases your brand visibility.
- Makes it easier for customers to engage with you.
- Builds trust and credibility.
Brands like REI and Glossier have seen measurable results up to 167% higher engagement by refining their profiles and using content customers relate to.
2. Post Consistently
Posting regularly keeps your brand top of mind. Use a content calendar to plan ahead and maintain consistency.
Pro tip: Posts with strong engagement (likes, comments) are 4.5x more likely to lead to purchases. Popular products in high-engagement posts can sell up to 2.7x better.
3. Use High-Quality Visuals
Visuals are key. Use eye-catching photos, on-brand colours, and engaging videos to draw attention and build a cohesive brand image.
Insights to note:
- 90% of people engage more with content that shows brand personality.
- 74% are likely to share product videos they enjoy.
- Instagram is a key discovery platform—60% of users find new products there.
Engaging and Growing Your Audience
4. Use Strategic Hashtags
Hashtags extend your reach beyond your current followers. Avoid generic terms—use targeted hashtags relevant to your niche.
Did you know? Posts with at least one hashtag get 29% more likes (especially for accounts under 1,000 followers). Using 11 or more hashtags can boost engagement by nearly 80%.
5. Collaborate with Influencers
Influencers help you connect with a ready-made audience. A genuine recommendation feels more like advice from a friend than a hard sell.
Tips:
- Choose influencers who align with your brand values.
- Focus on long-term partnerships, not just one-off promos.
- Authenticity builds stronger trust and better returns.
6. Run Contests and Giveaways
Contests drive engagement, grow your following, and generate buzz. Ask participants to like, tag friends, or share your content.
Why it works:
- Creates excitement around your brand.
- Drives organic reach through shares.
- Helps collect useful data like emails for future marketing.
Pro Tip: Keep contests simple and interactive make it fun so people will naturally share.
7. Engage Through Comments and Live Sessions
Replying to comments and running live Q&As helps humanise your brand. It makes customers feel heard and valued.
Live engagement helps you:
- Get instant feedback.
- Understand audience preferences.
- Boost trust and loyalty.
Suggestion: Include polls or ask for feedback during live sessions to increase participation.
Turning Followers into Paying Customers
8. Sell Custom Products with POD (e.g. MatterTee)
Custom products let customers feel personally connected to your brand. With services like MatterTee, you can sell branded items without holding inventory.
How it works: Upload your design → customer orders → MatterTee prints and ships it. Simple.
Bonus Tip: Let your audience vote on new designs. It increases engagement and purchase intent.
9. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC builds credibility. When real people showcase your products, it drives trust and inspires others to buy.
Why it works:
- 92% trust peer recommendations over ads.
- UGC can increase conversions by over 100%.
- It creates a sense of community.
Encourage customers to share their experience using a branded hashtag. Repost this content on your feed to build engagement.
10. Offer Exclusive Deals
Everyone loves a good deal. Time-sensitive offers and loyalty perks create urgency and make followers feel appreciated.
Effective tactics:
- Limited-time offers to trigger fast action.
- Special discount codes for social media followers.
- Flash sales to generate buzz.
Quick Tip: Add countdown timers to reinforce urgency.
11. Use Ecommerce Integrations
Integrations streamline the shopping experience. Link your store to your social platforms, automate checkouts, and simplify order tracking.
Benefits:
- Reduces friction during checkout.
- Provides real-time order updates.
- Improves customer service.
Real example: A customer sees your product on Instagram, taps to shop, and checks out within minutes—without leaving the app.
Measuring Performance and Improving
Track Key Metrics
Stay data-driven. Monitor stats like:
| Metric | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| Engagement Rate | How much people like and interact with your posts. |
| Conversion Rate | The percentage of users who take action (e.g. buy). |
| Click-Through Rate | How often users click on your post links. |
| CAC | Cost to acquire each customer. |
| ROAS | Revenue earned from each ad dollar spent. |
Use this data to refine your strategy continuously.
Use Data and Social Listening
Don’t guess let your data guide you. Spot trends in what works and double down on them.
Example: One sustainable brand improved likes by 25% and sales by 15% after reviewing content performance. Another company boosted sign-ups by 20% after identifying audience preferences through social listening.
Tool Tip: Use word clouds from social listening tools to uncover what topics resonate most with your audience.
Final Thoughts
Growing your ecommerce business via social media doesn’t require big budgets it needs consistency, smart strategies, and genuine engagement.
✅ Keep your profile updated
✅ Post regularly with strong visuals
✅ Engage with your community
✅ Let data and feedback guide your decisions
Start small. Be consistent. Stay customer focused. That’s how you build a thriving ecommerce presence in today’s digital world.
