Welcome to the recap of our recent webinar hosted by Shopline, StoryStream, and Unsociable. Our discussion focused on how social commerce can empower your eCommerce strategy, featuring insights from Alex from Shopline, Charlotte from StoryStream, and Ben from Unsociable.
WHAT WE LEARNT
🔍 The Power of Authenticity: Authentic content is essential for building trust and loyalty. Consumers are increasingly seeking out UGC before making purchase decisions.
📈 Growth of Social Commerce: Social commerce is growing much faster than traditional eCommerce, highlighting the importance of integrating social content into your eCommerce strategy.
🎥 Live Shopping: Live shopping is becoming a significant channel for engagement and sales, offering a dynamic and interactive shopping experience.
🤖 AI Integration: While AI can enhance eCommerce by optimising processes and personalising content, it should complement, not replace, human creativity.
📱 TikTok’s Unique Voice: Finding a unique and engaging voice on TikTok can significantly boost brand visibility and engagement.
🌍 Omni-channel Approach: Ensuring a seamless and consistent customer experience across all touchpoints, from social media to in-store, is crucial for success.
Shopline kicked off the webinar, providing an overview of Shopline, a disruptive eCommerce platform with retailers at the forefront. Shopline originated in Asia and has expanded globally, now with 15 offices worldwide. The platform offers 60 core functionalities including SEO, chatbots, and rewards, to amplify an omni-channel approach. With integrations across TikTok, Instagram, and Meta, Shopline ensures seamless data flow and enhanced social commerce capabilities.
THE BATTLE FOR SHOPPER ATTENTION
StoryStream emphasised the need for eCommerce sites to take inspiration from attention-grabbing social media platforms. Brands must capture interest quickly, with consumer attention spans averaging just 8.25 seconds. Social commerce is growing 380% faster than traditional eCommerce, fuelled by engaging, authentic, and community-focused content on social media. Charlotte introduced the “StorySelling” concept, where eCommerce sites integrate ‘social-like’ experiences with shoppable content enriched by UGC and influencer content, tailored to each shopper to enhance engagement and drive sales. By adopting these dynamic, socially-inspired strategies, eCommerce sites can bridge the attention gap and thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
THE RISE OF LIVE SHOPPING
Unsociable emphasised the growing importance of live shopping, especially on TikTok. Live shopping allows brands to interact with customers in real time, replicating the experience of a physical store online. This approach has proven successful, with significant engagement and sales driven by live content. Ben shared insights on how Unsociable helps brands navigate TikTok, from technical integrations to content creation, making it easier for merchants to thrive on the platform.
LEVERAGING USER-GENERATED CONTENT (UGC)
StoryStream elaborated on the power of UGC in building trust and authenticity. Our recent study shows that 62% of consumers find UGC more trustworthy than traditional brand content, and 90% seek out UGC before making a purchase decision. This trust translates to loyalty, with 89% of consumers likely to stay loyal to trustworthy and authentic brands.
INTEGRATING AI INTO eCOMMERCE
The panel discussed the role of AI in enhancing eCommerce experiences. Charlotte explained how StoryStream uses AI, named Aura, to automatically tag images and provide personalised content recommendations. While AI can optimise processes, Ben emphasised that it should not replace human creativity and originality, which are crucial for creating engaging and authentic content.
KEY STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
1. 📷 Content Integration: StoryStream stressed the importance of integrating engaging, dynamic, short-form content (which could be from social media) into eCommerce sites to create a seamless and engaging shopping experience. StoryStream’s API allows brands to embed engaging content modules on their websites, keeping influencer campaigns alive for longer.
2. 📣 Finding Your Voice on TikTok: Unsociable highlighted the need for brands to find their unique voice on TikTok. Successful TikTok content can entertain, educate, inspire, or inform. He advised experimenting with different content types and not being afraid to try new things.
3. 🤝 Customer Loyalty: Authenticity and relevance are key to building customer loyalty. StoryStream and Unsociable both emphasised the role of UGC and personalised content in keeping customers engaged and loyal.
FUTURE TRENDS IN SOCIAL COMMERCE
1. 🛍️ Live Shopping: Ben reiterated the growing trend of live shopping, predicting its continued rise in popularity. Brands should consider incorporating live shopping across multiple platforms to reach a wider audience.
2. 🤖 Augmented Reality (AR): Alex mentioned the potential of AR in enhancing the shopping experience. Snapchat’s AR features, such as virtual try-ons for shoes and rings, are examples of how brands can leverage this technology for brand awareness and engagement.
In this webinar hosted by Shopline, StoryStream, and Unsociable, we explored how social commerce is reshaping e-commerce strategies. By harnessing AI and user-generated content (UGC), brands can create captivating and authentic experiences that boost engagement and drive conversions. Key takeaways included the power of live shopping, the critical role of authentic content, and the seamless integration of social media and e-commerce. The insights shared offer a roadmap for maintaining brand authenticity while leveraging AI, ensuring technology enhances the human touch in marketing. These strategies are essential for brands aiming to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital marketplace.
USEFUL LINKS
🔗 Learn more about how StoryStream can help integrate social content into your eCommerce site here.
🔗 Explore Shopline’s advanced eCommerce platform and its features here.
🔗 Discover how Unsociable can assist with your TikTok and social commerce strategies here.
