How to Use Social Media for Ecommerce
- Measure Studio
- Aug 5
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 19
Not so long ago, a brand’s social media strategy essentially boiled down to boosting ads and hoping prospective buyers would jump through hoops to reach your website.
Today? While ads still play ball, social media is a whole new game. You're not just pushing out ads, but you're also:
Consistently showing off your products in everyday ways that actually relate to people
Actively listening to what people are saying and growing a loyal community around your brand
Collaborating with influencers and creators to tap into new markets/audiences
So, even if the final purchase happens on your website, the power social media has in influencing that purchase has grown exponentially.
And in this guide, we’ll tell you exactly how to leverage social media for your e-commerce business.
What is social media ecommerce?
Social media e-commerce refers to using social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc., to promote and sell products directly or indirectly to customers.
Now, don’t mix it up with social commerce, where the “buy now” button lives right there in the social media app. While that’s a killer feature, social media e-commerce is broader.
Either way, the shopping experience begins, and is heavily shaped within the social media ecosystem.
We're talking about building buzz around a product, answering customer queries in DMs or comments manually or integrating chatbots, and nudging folks towards your brand until that purchase becomes inevitable.
5 Key benefits of social media for Ecommerce
Now, let’s take a look at why social media is one of the smartest bets you can make:
Explosive brand awareness
Around 5.42 billion people use social media worldwide. So, when you promote your brand on social media, you put your products in front of eyeballs at a scale traditional advertising can only dream of. Your content gets shared, saved, and talked about, pushing your brand’s visibility through the stratosphere.
Real-time engagement and community building
Social media opens up a direct line for two-way conversations. This means you can respond to questions almost instantly, gather quick (and honest) feedback, solve problems on the fly, and humanize your brand with a personal touch. The payoff? Your customers become your loudest advocates.
Shorter time to purchase
With many platforms introducing direct shopping features like in-app storefronts and shoppable posts, social media collapses the time it takes to move from “I'm interested” to “I bought it.” Customers can discover a product, get excited about it, and grab it right there without ever leaving the platform.
Scalable social proof in motion
Reviews are great, but dynamic social proof is the greatest. We’re talking user-generated content (UGC), creator shoutouts, comment threads, reaction videos, etc. Why? Because when people see others like them using and loving your products, the validation hits differently. So much so that around 55% of customers think twice before making a purchase when there’s no UGC.
Focused targeting and audience insights
One of the biggest wins with social media is the sheer power of its data. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc., offer you tools to zero in on your ideal customer with surgical accuracy. This helps you refine your content so that it reaches people most likely to convert.
How to Create an Effective Social Media Strategy for Your E-Commerce Business
A half-baked approach gets you half-baked results. So, let’s see how to create a relevant and successful social media strategy for e-commerce:
Understand what you want to achieve using social media
Just being on social media doesn’t help. You need to have crystal-clear goals for why you’re even there.
Are you trying to boost awareness around your brand? Increase your website traffic? Or are you laser-focused on crushing conversion rates?
Whatever the mission, define it. Next, figure out the key performance indicators (KPIs) that actually tell you if you’re winning.
Pick social media platforms based on intent
Don’t fall for the “be everywhere” trap. That’s a surefire way to spread yourself thin and get zero results. Instead, we suggest you choose a platform(s) that would actually help you achieve your goal.
So, if you want to target a younger demographic, a GenZ crowd specifically, go for TikTok. If you want to show off your products and encourage purchases, Instagram is your best bet.
Optimize your social media profiles
Your social media profile is that incredibly important window display that you do not want to look messy.
Every single element needs to be on point: a logo that pops, a bio that hooks, links that actually work and lead somewhere useful, keywords for discoverability, and an overall visual appeal.
Map your audience’s behavior on each platform
Your IG audience may love your short Reels, while those same users on YouTube are likely craving longer, detailed “how-to” videos for your product or SaaS explainer videos to understand your tech offerings.
Ignoring these crucial nuances is a rookie mistake. Understanding them dictates everything: your content format, prime posting times, brand tone, essentially, your entire engagement strategy.
Create an organic & paid social media strategy
There’s nothing wrong with going all organic on social media, but it is definitely going to be a slow burn.
A balanced approach that combines organic content and paid ads can do wonders for your social presence.
For instance, if an organic post about a new product launch gets high engagement, pour some gas on that fire and use it for a paid ad campaign. This way, you’re strategically spending money on content that will amplify your reach.
Design content that covers each layer of the funnel
If your social media content isn’t compelling enough, your presence doesn’t make a difference. Your content needs to check off multiple funnel layers in one go:
A 15-sec TikTok shows someone struggling with a messy desk. Within the first few seconds, the video cuts to your clever organization product that easily solves the problem. (Awareness + Consideration)
Take the above video and slap a clear CTA at the end, nudging viewers to shop for the product. (Awareness + Consideration + Conversion)
Try social commerce
Features like Instagram Shops, TikTok Shop, Facebook Marketplace, Pinterest Buyable Pins, etc., are fully integrated storefronts that offer the same shopping experiences your website does, only faster and way more seamless.
Use them so that your customers can browse your products, check prices, and hit buy all while still scrolling their feed.
Include user-generated content
UGC is your authenticity goldmine. This is content created by your actual customers, showcasing your products in real-world scenarios.
You can encourage customers to share their experiences (maybe with a branded hashtag or contest), then curate and repurpose that content across your channels.
For example, OtterBox (known for their rugged phone cases) encourages users to share epic, real-life durability tests- think phones surviving drops from ridiculous heights or being submerged in water.
Tap into influencer marketing & collabs
Influencers are trusted voices within their niche, and their recommendations carry serious weight. By partnering with the right influencer, you can tap into pre-built communities that are already receptive to your products.
Take, for example, Glossier, who practically wrote the book on community-driven influencer marketing. They teamed up with micro-influencers (everyday beauty enthusiasts who genuinely loved Glossier’s products) to create personalized, authentic content that built trust.
Track your performance using social media analytics
Vanity metrics such as likes are nice, but they don’t pay the bills. You need to go beyond surface-level data to understand deeper trends: which content type drives highest engagement or which audience segments respond best to your ads.
Most social media platforms come with basic built-in analytics but with AI integration, you can create content strategically in order to achieve your goals.
Top social media platforms for ecommerce to use in 2025 and beyond
Despite maturing as an industry, the social media landscape is still the wild west. You’ve got platforms popping up and fading faster than last season’s trends.
But for e-commerce brands looking to dominate online, a few titans consistently deliver:
Instagram
More than 40% of social media users have bought at least once from Instagram. Let that sink in.
The platform dominates because of how easy it is to promote your product (and for customers to find it). Users can go from admiring a product to purchasing it with minimal friction. Shoppable posts, product tags, and dedicated Instagram Shops are some social commerce features available.
Facebook
Sure, Facebook might not be the “coolest” kid on the block anymore, but dismissing it for e-commerce would be a massive blunder. It’s a powerhouse for targeted advertising and community building.
Beyond ads, Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Shops offer robust in-platform selling opportunities with conversational commerce features such as Messenger bots.
Snapchat
Snapchat provides you a direct line to reach GenZs and younger millennials (yes, 90% of them are on Snapchat!) in an unfiltered way.
We’re talking about AR try-ons that allow a Snapchatter to visually test a lipstick or see how new sneakers look on their feet. These aren’t traditional ads; these are immersive experiences that fast-track decision and purchase.
The data backs it up too: AR campaigns deliver 2.4x ad awareness lift and 1.8 brand awareness lift when compared to non-AR campaigns.
Bonus: Pinterest
Shoppers on Pinterest spend twice as much as on other platforms. They come to discover, they come to plan, and they come ready to buy.
In fact, 1 in 3 Pinterest shoppers pulls in over $100k annually, meaning they’ve got cash to burn. So, while Pinterest may have an inspiration-board vibe, don’t be fooled. It’s an absolute powerhouse for e-commerce, especially if your ideal customers are women, who make up nearly 70% of its users.
Wrapping up
The days of using social media as a place for a stray ad or two are dead and buried. In 2025, and for the foreseeable future, social media should be the beating heart of your e-commerce strategy.
The brands that will win are the ones who shed the old ad-centric playbook and embrace this shift smartly. That means understanding what truly works for your e-commerce business instead of running after the hottest trends.
This is precisely where Measure Studio helps. It pulls in all your key social media metrics from every platform you use to provide actionable insights into where your efforts are best utilized. So that you can ditch the duds and double-down on high-performing content.
Author Bio
Sapna Singhal is a Freelance Content Writer who specializes in writing data-driven blog posts around B2B Marketing and SaaS. She has over 5 years of experience in content writing and marketing. When she's not writing, you can find her chit-chatting with her sisters or reading books!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is social media crucial for ecommerce business?
Today, social media is a full-blown sales engine. It enhances your e-commerce brand’s presence, builds trust, and shortens the path to purchase (thanks to native checkout, UGC, and live selling).
Which social media platform is best for ecommerce?
There’s no single “best.” The right platform is where your ideal customer hangs out and where your product’s story shines the most. But in terms of engagement and social commerce features, these three platforms are highly recommended for e-commerce businesses: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
How to engage with an audience on social media?
The only way to engage correctly with your audience is by actually being social. Respond to comments, run polls, ask questions, go Live, and use DMs for real conversations with customers. Showcase user-generated content and jump into relevant trends.
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