Generative AI and large language models are making customer experience platforms more accessible and humanized. These advances in recent months build on years of AI development that customer service and experience company NICE has put into their experience software.

The company unveiled generative AI use cases at this week’s NICE Interactions event in New York. Enlighten Actions and Enlighten Copilot use OpenAI generative models added to NICE’s AI-for-CX Enlighten platform.

“It makes applications broader and more easy to get to,” said Barry Cooper, president of NICE CX Division.

Using AI for customer service calls helps agents serve customers more efficiently. It also makes customer data available to inform experiences and actions across the customer journey.

“We started in service, but once you go to digital, you quickly go into ‘async’ (asynchronous communication),” said Cooper. “The moment you go to digital, async — WhatsApp and those kinds of things — the likelihood for an interaction to last for days, weeks, years is much greater. And then the likelihood of something that started as service to move to sales or other things is much greater because you have this open channel of communication [with the customer].”

Varför vi bryr oss. In the wave of new generative AI products and features for martech applications unleashed since OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT, it’s easy to forget the history of chatbots in customer service. Marketers now look to use generative AI and large language models to help them navigate a CRM or ramp up production of marketing content across the entire marketing org. However, CX and customer service remain critical sources for getting to know customers better and retaining them with better experiences.

Enlighten Actions and Copilot features. NICE’s Enlighten AI offerings have already been on the market for three years; NICE’s CXone for eight years. By implementing these platforms, organizations move from having to manually spot-check customer service calls for quality and training to having 100% of customer interactions ready to be analyzed and acted on across the organization.

As a result of adding generative AI, Enlighten gives consumers access to self-service as effective as the best agents, Cooper said. And it gives call agents “super powers” by solving more customer issues quickly with easy-to-use dashboards that help generate solutions.

For instance, if a travel customer has a canceled flight (as many attendees in New York had with the Canadian wildfire smoke that fogged up the city), an agent would have hotels generated in their dashboard which they could then offer to book for the customer. And at the supervisor level, managers can easily spot trends and see that many customers in New York were having the same problem.

Generative web content. Enlighten Actions will also identify common problems and generate web articles and publicera them automatically. They will be search engine optimized so that they come up as a top search in a search engine. These articles then serve as another self-help tool for customers who search on Google first instead of searching for clues on the company’s homepage or messaging a live agent or chatbot.

The end goal for these automatically-created articles is to help customers and cut down on call volume, but they have potential for broader content marketing uses.

Data payload. Generative AI helps make interactions more conversational, but the deep knowledge about customers comes from interactions with them through Enlighten and through knowledge within the organization.

“The payload is knowledge,” said Cooper. “We didn’t go to the Internet to get that knowledge, it doesn’t exist on the Internet. If you’re H&R Block, and [you create an article] ‘How to solve this tax issue’ it’s very specific and doesn’t exist on the Internet.”

The Enlighten platform applies AI to hundreds of stages in the customer journey that are mapped out in their previous and ongoing platform CXone. This means that marketers have an effective way to identify opportunities across the customer journey, based on what a customer shares during a conversation with an agent.

Additionally, marketers can draw on customer data elsewhere within their stack — from a CRM for instance — to add more context when a customer calls or messages.

Gräv djupare: How CMOs should respond to ChatGPT’s marketing impact

Disney ups sales. Disney uses a number of NICE CX solutions and was among the number of companies present at the New York conference.

Disney was able to identify and measure trends in agent calls and improve strategies that led to sales. Craig Nordengren, a system integration and development manager at Disney, was tasked with using the technology to improve the sales of “Magic Moments” photo sessions that visitors to Disney World can purchase for an extra cost.

A full analysis of calls showed that when agents mentioned “Magic Moments” to a customer during a call, this was more likely to lead to a sale. Nordengren implemented an incentive structure not just for more sales, but for more mentions of “Magic Moments” by the agents. Disney could then see the improvement of individual agents by having a running count of how many more times the agents said “Magic Moments.”

“We make sure that these are actions agents should be able to accomplish, but it’s a little bit of a stretch, so they can do it,” said Nordengren in a session at the conference. “And then we go into analyzing the performance and making adjustments, and this process keeps going over and over again.”

The advantage of using AI is that as processes repeat, the models get smarter and more insightful about the specific business that uses it.

Social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses in today’s digital age. You need it to connect with your target audience, boost your brand’s visibility, and drive sales.

But most businesses and even beginner marketers don’t fully understand how to use social media for e-handel.

If you’re one of them, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re new to social media or looking to enhance your existing social media strategy for ecommerce, this blog is here to help.

We’ve compiled ten effective social media ecommerce strategies that can propel your brand to new heights. So, grab your favorite snack, sit back, and get ready to unlock the potential of social media for your ecommerce business.

Let’s get started!

What is Ecommerce Social Media Marketing?

E-handel marknadsföring i sociala medier refers to the strategic use of social media platforms to promote, sell, engage, and support customers in the context of ecommerce.

Some of the most common ways brands use social media for ecommerce marketing include:

• Setting up online shops and selling products directly on social platforms (this is known as social commerce)
• Promoting brands on social media accounts and driving traffic to online stores (ecommerce websites)
• Replying to customer queries and engaging with potential customers to build trust
• Offering customer support before and after sales
• Using customer insights and data to revamp marketing strategies

But why do brands do all of this? What’s the benefit of having a social media presence? Let’s try to understand.

What Are the Benefits of Using Social Media for Ecommerce?

Social media is a game-changer for ecommerce businesses, offering a wide array of benefits, such as:

1. Increasing Website Traffic & Generating Leads
2. To Build Brand Awareness
3. Building Customer Loyalty & Trust
4. Acquiring New Customers
5. Creating Opportunities for User-Generated Content (UGC)
6. Improving Customer Service
7. Engaging with Target Audiences in Real-Time
8. Enhancing SEO Efforts & Search Rankings

Fact: Did you know that online stores leveraging social media networks drive 32% more sales than those that don’t? (WPForms)

This stat alone should get you excited about crafting an effective social media strategy for your ecommerce business!

So, now that you know what ecommerce social media marketing is and the benefits it offers let’s look at how to use it.

10 Powerful Social Media Ecommerce Strategies

Here are ten powerful social media ecommerce strategies you can employ to drive sales for your brand:

1. Set Clear Goals

Setting clear and measurable goals should be the first step in your social media ecommerce strategy. Goals will provide you with direction, help measure success, and hold you accountable.

But what kind of goals should you set?

The most common ones can be:

• Drive Sales on Your Social Profile
• Drive Traffic to Your E-handelsbutik
• Get More Customer Queries/Leads

Other than these, you might want people to subscribe to your newsletter or loyalty programs.

These and other similar targets could all be part of your e-commerce social media goals.

But the important thing here is to decide whether you want to do social selling, social commerce, or social media ecommerce marketing.

Social Selling vs. Social Commerce vs. Social Media Ecommerce: What’s the Difference?

Social selling is the practice of using social media to attract your target audience, engage with them, and nurture your relationship with them.

You don’t actually sell them anything but make them remember and trust your brand or business. So, when they’re in the buying mode, they know who they’d be calling – that’s social selling!

Social handel involves marketing and selling your product (or service) directly on social media platforms.

Social media users can stay on their social profiles, read about the product/service, and buy it — all of this without leaving the platform.

Facebook, TikTok, Instagram Shops and Pinterest Product Pins are typical examples of social commerce being executed.

Social media ecommerce marketing is what we’re studying in the blog right now: marketing your product, generating leads, and helping future prospects on social media but then driving them to your online stores.

So, first, decide what it’s gonna be for you and then move forward.

2. Build Your Social Media Strategy for Ecommerce

After you’ve set your goals, build a comprehensive ecommerce social media marketing strategy that helps you achieve them.

Your strategy should include the following:

Define Your Target Audiences

• Who are your potential customers?
• Are they millennials or Gen Z?
• What do they like and dislike?
• What interests them?

These insights will help you create relevant content, campaigns, and offers.

Become A Certified E-Commerce Marketing Master

The Industry’s Most Comprehensive E-Commerce Marketing Certification For The Modern Marketer. Turn Products Into Profit, Browsers Into Buyers, & Past Purchasers Into Life-Long Customers. 

Klicka här

Create Relevant Content

• Research the type of content that resonates best with your target audiences — blogs, videos, images?
• Study your target market and see what kind of content attracts them.
• Use this knowledge to create content that will help you engage with them.

But before you can do any of this, there’s an even more important decision to make: “What platforms should you choose?”

3. Choose Your Preferred Social Media Channels

Which social media platforms should your business have an active presence on?

This largely depends on who you’re targeting. For example, Gen Zee tends to be more active on TikTok and Instagram, while millennials prefer Facebook and Twitter.

But don’t depend on our or somebody else’s opinion. Study your target audience and see what the data suggests.

For instance, if your target audience primarily comprises women, it might be a good idea to have a Pinterest profile. Why? Because women make up 60% of all Pinterest users!

Similarly, you can study age demographic stats and see where your audience spends the most time and choose a platform accordingly.

Besides your target audience, also consider each platform’s features and ROI. It doesn’t make sense to invest heavily in a channel that won’t give you the desired results.

So, think carefully and choose wisely!

4. Optimize Your Profiles

Once you’ve chosen the platform(s), it’s time to optimize your profile.

Make sure that all your social media profiles have the necessary information about your brand and products, such as its logo, contact details, website URL, etc.

This will help customers get to know your business better and trust you more.

Also, don’t forget to do proper keyword research. It will help you figure out the best words to use in your descriptions and hashtags to use in your posts to get more people interested.

5. Have a “Mobile-First” Approach

Out of 4.48 billion social media users, 99% access the websites or apps through a mobile device – backlinko.

What does it tell you?

You must adapt your ecommerce strategy accordingly and make sure that all content looks great on small screens too.

Here are some tips to optimize your social media accounts:

• Invest in creating high-quality visuals that look great on small screens.
• Make sure your website is mobile responsive, and the checkout process is easy to complete.
• Utilize mobile advertising tools like Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, etc.
• Use shorter hashtags and URLs to make them easier to tap or type on mobile keyboards.
• Use a clear call-to-action in your posts so that users can take action right away.

Important: Having a responsive and easy-to-navigate ecommerce website is super important – don’t sleep on it!

6. Employ Chatbots

Chatbots are like your brand’s trusty sidekick in the world of social media ecommerce!

Did you know that around 50% of people are totally on board with making a purchase through a website’s chatbot using conversational marketing? That’s right! These friendly virtual assistants can offer personalized and real-time assistance to your customers, making their shopping experience a breeze.

Need product recommendations? Chatbot’s got you covered!

Have a question about shipping? Chatbot’s got the answer!

By having chatbots as part of your social media ecommerce strategy, you can provide instant support, boost engagement, and, most importantly, drive those all-important sales.

So, why not harness the power of chatbots and make your customers’ journey even more enjoyable?

7. Leverage UGC (User-Generated Content)

UGC refers to content created by your customers, such as reviews, testimonials, photos, and videos featuring your products.

It’s one of the most powerful tools for driving engagement and boosting sales.

Varför?

• It’s like having an army of brand advocates who are eager to spread the word about your offerings.
• UGC showcases real-life experiences and authentic customer interactions with your brand.
• It builds trust and credibility among your target audience as it comes from real customers.

Plus, it’s not just about showing off your products – it’s about making customers feel part of a community. It shows that you value their input and recognize their contribution to the brand.

So, why not include UGC in your social media ecommerce strategy?

Encourage your followers to post pictures with their purchases, use relevant hashtags, and provide incentives for doing so.

8. Publish Short-Form Content

Today, short-form content reigns supreme! With dwindling attention spans, social media users prefer watching short, 30sec-1min videos instead of reading text.

This is exactly what brands need to capitalize on and capture their audience’s interest quickly and effectively.

But what kind of short-form content can you create to engage your social media followers? Here are some ideas for short-form content:

1. Tips & Tricks: Share bite-sized advice and hacks relevant to your industry.
2. How-Tos: Break down complex processes into step-by-step guides.
3. Behind the Scenes: Offer glimpses into your brand’s inner workings.
4. Quick Product Demos: Showcase your products’ features and benefits in short videos.
5. Inspiring Stories: Share stories that evoke emotions and inspire action.

Remember to keep your content visually appealing, concise, and shareable.

Try different formats like Reels, Stories, or TikTok-style videos to maximize engagement and captivate your audience instantly!

9. Collaborate with Influencers

Did you know that a whopping 72% of Gen Z and Millennials are avid followers of influencers on social media? That’s right!

Influencer marketing has taken the digital world by storm, and it’s an incredible opportunity for ecommerce brands like yours to connect with your target audience in a meaningful way.

Here’s how you can incorporate influencer marketing into your ecommerce marketing plan:

• Find Relevant Influencers: Look for influencers who align with your brand values and target audience.
• Set Clear Objectives: Define your goals for the influencer campaign to guide your strategy.
• Prioritize Authenticity: Encourage influencers to create genuine content that resonates with their audience.
• Foster Creative Collaboration: Involve influencers in the creative process to showcase your products in their unique style.
• Track Performance: Measure the success of your campaigns using tracking tools and unique discount codes.
• Consider Long-term Partnerships: Build strong relationships with influencers for ongoing brand integration and audience connection.

By collaborating with influencers, you can amplify your brand’s reach, enhance credibility, and drive meaningful results in the competitive ecommerce landscape.

10 . Track Progress & Evolve

Tracking and analyzing the results of your social media ecommerce strategies is vital for ongoing success.

Analytics tools can give you valuable insights into audience demographics, reach, and engagement.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter provide built-in analytics dashboards to assess post performance. Use them to understand audience behavior and analyze what’s working for you.

Similarly, monitoring ad performance is especially important if you’re selling directly on social media. Tracking metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and sales will help you assess the effectiveness of your ads and make data-driven decisions.

Besides analyzing your social media posts, keep a close on your website analytics (Google Analytics) to measure the impact of your social media campaigns. See which platform gets you the most traffic and which one’s not doing the job.

Become A Certified E-Commerce Marketing Master

The Industry’s Most Comprehensive E-Commerce Marketing Certification For The Modern Marketer. Turn Products Into Profit, Browsers Into Buyers, & Past Purchasers Into Life-Long Customers. 

Klicka här

But remember, tracking progress isn’t just about numbers; it’s about understanding your audience and their preferences.

Use the data to identify patterns, trends, and customer behaviors that can shape your future strategies. Adapt and evolve your approach based on these insights to ensure continued success in the dynamic world of social media.

Supercharge Your Ecommerce Journey with Social Media

So, this is it — use this 10-step strategy to build an effective ecommerce marketing plan on social media and drive real results for your brand.

If you find tracking progress and analyzing data challenging, consider completing Digital Marketer’s Social Media Certificate.

This short but in-depth program can help you master the art of creating an effective social media strategy for ecommerce to drive engagement and revenue for your business.

Sounds like too much work? Mongoose Media is an award-winning, modern digital marketing agency. They can develop & execute effective strategies to maximize your brand’s online presence and drive sales.

Don’t hesitate to reach out and take your ecommerce business to new heights!

Social media is now a crucial part of how consumers discover new CPG products. From brand accounts to online influencers, huge shares of the more than 3,000 CPG shoppers we surveyed in February 2023 said they turn to social along the path to purchase for day-to-day essentials.

Here we’ll unpack just some of the in-depth insights related to social media available in 2023 CPG Customer Journey.

45% of Beauty Shoppers Say Social Media Has Introduced Them to New Products

When asked where they had seen or heard about new beauty products that they later went on to purchase, 45% of beauty shoppers chose social media, a higher percentage than television! Television was the top channel for OTC health as well as food and beverage shoppers, but social media still came in second for each.

Social media topped television for product discovery across all three product categories studied for both Gen Z and millennials, highlighting the importance of the channel to younger generations. Incredibly, 65% of Gen Z beauty shoppers recalled seeing or hearing about beauty products on social media that they later went on to purchase.

Turning our attention to which social platforms are most influential to product discovery, Facebook won out in every product category studied when looking at all respondents. This is unsurprising given its status as the most used social app in the US.

However, zooming in on Gen Z, TikTok and Instagram outpaced Facebook across all three product categories.

Thus, reaching CPG shoppers effectively is hugely different from one generation to the next when it comes to which platforms are likely to drive product awareness. This is also the case when evaluating the effectiveness of online influencers and brand social accounts.

Influencers and Brand Socials are Far More Important to Younger Shoppers

Across beauty, food and beverage, and OTC health products, Gen Z saw the highest share of shoppers who said they had bought a product in the last year based on the recommendation of an online influencer. At least 75% of Gen Zers in each product category bought a product recommended by an influencer. By comparison, less than 60% of Boomer respondents in each category had purchased a product recommended by an online influencer.

Similarly, younger generations are much more likely to follow brand accounts on social media. Boomers were less than half as likely as Gen Zers to follow brand accounts in each of the product categories studied.

In terms of what brand followers are most looking for from such accounts, the most popular answers were to hear about new products, to hear about promotions/discounts, and for details about the products those brands sell. While entertainment was a reason that many shoppers selected for following brand accounts, it was less important than all other possible reasons presented to respondents across all three surveys.

Most Consumers Aren’t Turning to Social Media for Product Search Just Yet

Google data has indicated that about 40% of younger people would go to TikTok or Instagram, rather than Google, when looking for a place for lunch. When it comes to CPGs, however, social media is far down the list of where young people search first, trailing search engines, and particularly large retail sites.

Looking at the share of respondents who first turn to a search engine like Bing or Google for product searches compared to those who would first search on social media, search engines far outpace social platforms across product categories, even for Gen Z respondents. Both social platforms and search engines lag far behind retail sites like Walmart and Amazon when it comes to initial product searches in these categories.

In the case of OTC health products, Gen Z respondents were more than four times as likely to start a search on a search engine than on a social media platform. This will be a trend to keep an eye on as social platforms increasingly provide search advertising capabilities.

Slutsats

Social media is now the most important digital channel for first hearing about or seeing new CPG products across the beauty, food and beverage, and OTC health categories. However, the importance of influencers, brand social accounts, and specific platforms varies significantly by the age of shoppers.

As such, CPG brands need a strong understanding of who they’re aiming to reach through social media, and should create targeted campaigns that provide well-tailored messaging. This is particularly true given that a majority of respondents in each of the three surveys expressed a desire to see ads that are either personalized to them based on past actions or that appeal to groups that share their demographics or general interests. A minority of respondents preferred ads that appeal to the most people.

The importance of social media is likely to grow moving forward. Marketers should make sure they’re putting their best foot forward as its influence balloons across key CPG categories.