5 Social Commerce Must-haves for 2022

Social media is upending global ecommerce. In China, the world’s largest ecommerce market, online buying is a social experience, with live-streaming, in-app purchases, and content. Elsewhere, Facebook’s impact will only increase given its massive size, native data collection, and growing set of ecommerce tools.

In short, now is the time to leverage your social following and change how you engage with consumers.

Here are five social commerce must-haves for 2022.

TikTok

In September the short-form video-sharing app passed 1 billion users and will likely reach 1.5 billion by the end of 2022, according to App Annie, an analytics platform. If it hits that milestone, TikTok will overtake Instagram as the most popular video platform at a time when videos comprise much of the overall internet traffic.

In 2022, merchants should create content on TikTok. There are many ways to do it. For ideas, consider Jared Andersen’s TikTok channel, stuffyouactuallyneed. He’s an Amazon affiliate who promotes products from that site and earns commissions when folks buy them. Use the hashtags on his videos to explore other successful content creators.

TikTok channel Stuffyouactuallyneed creatively positions products available on Amazon.

Short Form Videos

TikTok’s success with short-form, user-generated videos changed how audiences interact with social media. Other companies have introduced their own competing versions. YouTube has Shorts, Instagram has Reels, and Twitter has Moments. Your success on social media is now based mainly on the effectiveness of those videos.

For 2022, focus your video strategy on user-generated content, product teasers, influencer ads, branding, and explainers. All are simple, powerful ways to engage audiences with your products.

SoyYo Candle’s explainer video on Instagram is a brilliant example, introducing audiences to its new “soul marble dish.”

SoyYo Candle’s explainer video introduces audiences to its new “soul marble dish.”

Augmented Reality

Snapchat was an early adopter of augmented reality. Facebook and Pinterest have added it to their shopping experiences, as have many progressive retailers. AR solves an ecommerce problem: allowing shoppers to try a product before purchasing.

In 2022, find a way to incorporate AR experiences into your social media feeds, even by posting short-form AR stories or using Spark AR Studio to develop Instagram filters based on your products. AR can help separate you from the competition and increase your audience’s engagement.

Live-stream Shopping

Live-stream shopping repurposes and reinvents a proven television sales model. Facebook, Instagram, and others are quickly becoming the new version of The Shopping Channel. But the modern form includes influencers and interactive tools that allow shoppers to engage with products in real-time.

Add live-streaming to your social media strategy in 2022. It’s an authentic way to interact with consumers while demonstrating products in a less-scripted manner.

A good example is Petco’s recent Facebook Live Christmas event.

Petco’s recent Facebook Live Christmas event was inspiring (and engaging).

Influencer Marketing

Despite occasional jokes, influencer marketing is effective — and growing. Consumers trust the views of colleagues, experts, and celebrities.

Thus partnering with an influencer in 2022 can drive sales. Our 8-part influencer marketing series can help you get started.

One of my favorite campaigns is Glossier’s “Every woman is an influencer” on Instagram. The company combined lesser-known influencers with user-generated content for authenticity — and a cult following.

Glossier’s “Every woman is an influencer” on Instagram has produced a cult-like following.