1. Introducing Social Commerce
New Player on the eCommerce Scene
It’s important to remember from the beginning that purchasing on social media platforms (as opposed to being influenced by content on social media platforms) in in very early stages. Among other things, if you or your students are searching for more information, be sure to check the dates of content. Better yet, use the current year in your search string.
It’s also important to keep in mind that this presentation uses a narrow—but I think correct—definition of social commerce. Confusing “being able to purchase” with ‘influenced by” is just that—confusing.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

2. Cause-Driven Businesses
Social Commerce
Social Business
Cause-Driven Businesses
An explanation of what social business means from the Nobel Prize winner who popularized the term.
Calling sales make on social media platforms “social business” introduces more unnecessary and undesirable confusion.
Social commerce makes sense and is in line with the more general ‘ecommerce” and the even newer field of ‘conversational commerce.’ see the first Related Link
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

3. HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT A PRODUCT ON A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter for example?
Why did you buy that product/service
On that platform?
At that particular time?
Given the state of social commerce at the moment few are likely to have purchased directly on a SM platform. If some have, what, when and why will be interesting. If not, have they noticed opportunities to buy? Why didn’t they purchase?
If some students say “yes,” will they change their minds after they learn the definitions?
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

4. What is Social Commerce?
A form of electronic commerce which uses social networks to assist in the buying or selling of products. This type of commerce utilizes user ratings, referrals, online communities and social advertising to facilitate online shopping.
Add to that: social commerce applications use specialized software to create the social commerce opportunity.
What is important is that--while social uses third-party shopping services to allow visitors to make purchases,--the purchases are made without leaving the social media environment—to visit a brand website, for example. That leads to a simple definition (next slide).
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

5. What is Social Commerce—A Simple Definition
[the] ability to make a product purchase from a third- party company within the native social media experience.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

6. This Is A Narrow Definition
Not Influence. Actual Sales Without Leaving the Social Media Platform.
Altimeter State of Social Business 2016
Many writers do include influence (as in how many sales are made from Facebook referrals) in social commerce. That seems to be a holdover from the early days of social media when there seemed to be little prospect of selling directly on social media platforms, but at this point in the development of SMM it just confuses the issue.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

7. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
Relatively few are willing to consider buying on social media platforms. Why is that?
Does this reflect your students’ opinions?
March
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

8. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
Do you agree with this post that buying on social media doesn’t fit typical consumer behavior? I’m not sure that I do. I’ve also learned never to say never when it comes to the internet!
I’m more in sync with ‘if they see it and like it they may decide to buy it.’
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

9. The Growing Prominence of Pinterest Illustrates the Power of
VISUAL MARKETING.
Did your students really expect Pinterest to be the favored platform—not Faceook?
And Pinterest is Moving to Capitalize on It.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

10. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
A Buyable Pin
There is a Pinterest case study on Sephora so I looked at their page. If you Google ‘Sephona pinterest’ you just get the case study. You could include the case study as part of an assignment.
I went to my Pinterest page and searched for Sephora. The next (hidden) slide shows the bar at the top of this business page.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

11. Pinterest Discovery Options - Lens
Took a Picture of My Little Dog
With the Camera Beside
the Search Bar
Came Back with Images of Other
Fuzzy Little Dogs but Didn’t
Have the Correct Breed Option
Entertaining—But Not Social Commerce
I had no idea how to use these Pinterest services, so I left my first venture in. He won’t be upset if you hide the slide.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

12. Pinterest Discovery Options - Lens
Took a Picture of a Lamp
Pinterest Says Household Products
Work Best at Present
Chose the Table Lamp Filter and
Got Many Table Lamps
Can’t See Any Buy Buttons
You have to chose the category carefully right now to be able to see buyable pins.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

13. Pinterest Discovery Options - Lens
So I Kept Looking for
Table Lamps for Living Room
Tried Promoted by Target
Took me to Target Web Site
There is One Buyable Pin
Identified by Price
Clicking Takes User to Image
With Shopping Cart Button
It took a bit of scrolling, but I found on.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

14. Pinterest Discovery Options – Shop the Look
Clicking on the Dot on the Shirt
Gives Images of Similar Shirts
All of Which Are Shoppable
This is Social Commerce!
How Long Before a Brand Can
Pay for Position on the
Image Bar?
This post contains a short consumer-oriented video.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

15. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
2015 – Shops on Pages
2014 – Ad in Newsfeed
This post was made when Facebook introduced shops in 2015.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

16. There Are Various Ways to Set Up Facebook Shopping
CTA Buttons
Many Buttons to Meet the Needs of Different Businesses
A One-Product-at-a-Time Approach
Native FB Store
Using Tools Provided by Facebook
Can Put Entire Product Catalog Online
Uses Shopify
FB Store Using eCommerce Software
Set Up on Software Site
Automatically Connect to Facebook
May Require Less Technical Skill
This is a bit confusing, so the graphic should help.
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

17. Basics of Setting Up Facebook Shopping - I
A Facebook Business Page is Required
Facebook has good help on how to set up a business page.
Fall 2017
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18. Basics of Setting Up Facebook Shopping - II
Choose the Appropriate Template for the Business
Services
Shopping
Business
Politicians
Venues
Nonprofits
Restaurants and Cafes
This is the list at present. There might be more in time.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

19. Basics of Setting Up Facebook Shopping – III
Choose the Best CTA for the Business
Or Customize One Like This
Button For a Travel Destination
The customized buy button came from a Hubspot post which has a lot of creative examples
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

20. Basics of Setting Up Facebook Shopping – IV For A Facebook Shop
Set Up a Facebook Storefront
Choose the Checkout Option – Facebook or Another Site
Add Products, Price Them and Describe Them
Tag Products with Photos and Videos From the Facebook Page
Enable Customer Reviews
The user can do this right on he Facebook page. However, it involves creating an app and may be a bit technical for many users. The option is to set up a store on a shopping service and connect it to the Facebook page.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

21. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
Basics of Setting Up Facebook Shopping – V Using eCommerce Builder Software
Use One of the eCommerce Sites That Can Automatically Connect the Site to the Facebook Store
They Have an Array of Templates That Make the Process Easy
When the Site is Updated, the Facebook Store is Automatically Updated Also
Choose One With Apps that Contain Needed Features
Take Advantage of a Free Trial
Pay Attention to User Reviews
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

22. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
The numbers are links to explanation of that feature.
Note that Wix and Weebly are the DIY website platforms we recommend for students who want to create a website as part of their personal brand.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

23. What Should Marketers Do?
Test a Shop
Test One Platform Against Another
Pinterest against Instagram (owned by Facebook), for example
Follow Analytics Closely
Both Analytics Supplied by Platform and Service Like Google Analytics
Use Insights from Analytics to Improve Performance
You will recognize this as standard advice.
It’s too early in the game to have more information on optimization than the Social Media Examiner post gives or to be able to create a meaningful list of best practices.
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach

24. To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach
Where is This Going? It’s Still Early Days Altimeter State of Social Business 2016
Is ‘Conversational Commerce’ the Way Forward?
Will Make Use of AI-Assisted Chatbots, Perhaps Other Tech.
This May be Closer to the Spirit of Social Media Than Simply Attaching an eCommerce Option to the Platform.
My crystal ball is always a little cloudy—how’s yours?
Fall 2017
To support Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Approach