‘One stop Instagram shop’ – goodbye google, hello social media

In the last 5 years, social media has transformed from being a platform largely used to connect with family and friends into a go-to place to find ideas, inspiration and new products. 

 And with the launch of Instagram shops in May 2020, Instagram has elevated once again their users' experience whilst on the platform. 

 As Forbes predicts for 2021, social media will become a top channel for purchase, instead of just discovery. So why has it become so much reliable to find what we are looking for on social media instead of doing a trust old google search? 

Without trust, we have nothing...

It seems obvious but as consumers, we are much more likely to buy from a brand we trust and when trying to build trust with new buyers, social media has a combination of strong selling points. 

 Social media can help you to build authority, helpfulness, intimacy and self promotion. The perfect ingredients to building brand trust. 

We are seeing SMB’s more frequently post about their personal lives, what goals and inspirations are, educational material and behind-the-scenes shots, which all help to humanize their business. 

Because it is so much easier to keep your audience updated on social media with frequent posting, websites are losing the ability to build trust with your consumers and therefore, we are now more likely to find someone to buy from by doing an Instagram search rather than a google search. 

It’s all so convenient

With over 200 million instagram (Source: Hootsuite) users visiting at least on business profile daily, it only makes sense for your business to invest in social commerce. 

Your buyers are passively consuming your content already, and platforms like Instagram Shops are creating a simple and seamless path to purchase, meaning consumers go from discovery to purchase without ever having to leave the platform.

As well as that, we are very visual buyers which has only grown with the birth of Instagram and Pinterest. Not only is there a really high standard for product images and overall look and feel on instagram, but being able to shop on a platform that is consistent with it’s layout only increases our likeness to follow through the sales funnel. 

Whilst we know it is important to invest in Instagram Shops to stay relevant and front of mind for your customers, it is equally important to still ensure your website is there to support this buying process. Let your social media drive your audience down the sales funnel, but ensure your website is there to close the deal. 

Hootsuite: https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-statistics/

Forbes:https://www.forbes.com/sites/henrydevries/2020/12/16/seven-digital-marketing-trends-for-2021/?sh=1e948fda6d56