A recent study conducted by AmeriComerce found that Facebook is accountable for an incredible 60% of all social media traffic that goes to retail sites. However, Facebook is a site that people use to make connections with friends and acquaintances, not for making retail sales. So, there must be a way for people on Facebook for traditional reasons to connect with the content and products from a retail site. The trick is finding out what that is and how to use it to your advantage.
Here is the answer: You can use Facebook to sell your e-commerce products through a simple yet effective online sales platform! Its effectiveness is largely due to the 1.7 billion users the site sees monthly.
First things first, create a Facebook Business Page…
If you think using Facebook to sell your products is a good idea, it is not hard to get started. First, you simply need to develop a Facebook page for your business. Business Facebook pages are set up slightly different than individual pages, as their purpose is different. The biggest difference on a business page is the ability for visitors to “Like” the page, which can become quite an asset. To create your business’s Facebook page, click here, https://www.facebook.com/pages/create/ and follow the instructions.
Next, consider the right Apps…
Once your Facebook page is created, you can sell your products by using one of more than a dozen compatible apps, which have been created for this purpose. Once the app has been installed, it will pull product listings from your company’s website and post them on your Facebook page. Your Facebook page will always mirror your website, so you will only need to make changes to your website when you have changed to your product line. The changes will automatically be made on your Facebook page.
Shopify is one of the most popular apps that businesses use for e-commerce purposes on Facebook. It can support a fully-integrated store on your page. It is also easy to install and mobile-friendly.
Another option for business owners is BigCommerce. This app supports direct purchasing, allows you to showcase new products, and provides a customizable banner graphic among other features. If you use this app, you can also integrate MailChimp, Constant Contact, Survey Monkey and other platforms into your store.
Both Shopify and BigCommerce are paid apps. However, you can test them with a free trial before making the purchase.
Although having a Facebook page for your business is great, it is not enough on its own. It will not generate any sales for your company unless prospective customers are following it.
Get Followers! Here are some tips…
- Offer “Facebook Exclusive” promotions and offers. Include a discount code for “Liking” your page.
- Post links to your Facebook page from your website, other social media sites, and blog.
- Become involved in discussions with other users and Pages
- Using your own business page, begin “Liking” other businesses
- Use hashtags (#) to curate your social media content
- Drive traffic to your page by buying Facebook ads
- Use Facebook Custom Audiences to target a specific audience for your ads
- Post about trending topics and phrases
- Post images
- “Like” other pages that are connected to your industry
When you use Facebook to sell your products, the best way to do it effectively is to make sure you are selling to a relevant audience and keep experimenting with new strategies.
Think you could do with some help? Want a slice of the huge sales potential Facebook can bring to your business? Contact the team at Grow Digital Marketing! We will manage the entire process for you. Check out our Facebook Advertising Packages.
Get In Touch