Marketing Strategy: Engage Gen Z & Millennials with Social Shopping

Social media has solidified its role as an information, entertainment and connection source for much of the population. It also gives companies and brands new and creative ways to engage with their customers. Advertising to Gen Z and millennial audiences? Add social shopping to your marketing strategy today!

What is social shopping?

Social shopping refers to the buying and selling of products directly on social media. In many cases, complete transactions can take place without customers having to leave the social app at all. This advertising tactic is steadily growing in popularity. According to Statista, social commerce generated approximately 724 billion dollars in revenue in 2022 and that number will only continue to grow.

The most prominent social shopping platforms are Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok. Depending on the platform, retailers can implement a variety of social shopping features as part of their marketing strategy.

• Create a customizable storefront on your social media profile page.
• Curate product collections.
• Set up product detail pages. 
• Create social media ads from your shoppable posts. 
• Create custom audiences for your ad campaigns to reach people who are already interested in your shop.
• Announce pending product launches. 
• Use data on your shop’s performance to optimize product offerings.
• Interact with potential customers through the platform’s direct message chat system.
• Set up third-party partner integration (like Shopify, Square, Ecwid, and PrestaShop).
• Include your product links on shared videos.

“Emerging media gives companies and brands ways to engage with their customers in new and creative ways.” 

– LOYOLA UNIVERSITY

Why add social shopping to your marketing strategy?

Social media marketing reaches young adults where they are.

Social shopping has become essential for businesses and brands advertising to Gen Z and millennial audiences. After all, young people spend a lot of time on their smartphones, much of it on social media platforms. In fact, members of Gen Z spend almost 4.5 hours a day on social!

+ Discover the most effective ways of advertising to Gen Z. 

A recent Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults found the following: 

• 84% of adults ages 18 to 29  use social media.
• 70% of adults ages 18 to 29 use Facebook.
• The majority of 18- to 29-year-olds use Instagram and/or Snapchat, while roughly half use TikTok.
• 70% of Facebook users access the site daily, including 49% who visit several times a day. 
• 71% of Snapchat users ages 18 to 29 access the app daily, including 60% who visit multiple times a day. 
• 73% of 18- to 29-year-old Instagram users visit the site every day, with 53% accessing the platform several times per day.

Social commerce allows for easy, accessible and convenient shopping, especially on mobile devices. 

Social media marketing influences young adults in meaningful ways.

Many young people prefer insights from their peers (people whose lives are like theirs) rather than from the rich and famous people we typically consider influential. Far more effective in the modern marketplace than celebrity endorsements, peer-to-peer or influencer marketing is a collaboration between a business/brand and a popular social media content creator. The influencer promotes the company’s product, service or event to their digital audience, using their online platform. 

Social shopping streamlines the promotion to purchase process. And, whether a prominent social media influencer features your product or a satisfied customer shares your social shopping post with friends, you will increase your reach and influence purchasing decisions. Certain social media platforms offer additional ways to improve brand exposure. For example, your products may appear on Facebook Marketplace or be featured on a Pinterest Spotlight.

How can I maximize return on this marketing strategy?

To succeed in the world of social shopping, follow the same advice we give to anyone advertising to Gen Z and millennials. 

• Clarify your marketing goals.
• Develop your target market persona.
• Be authentic.
• Embrace diversity.
• Use high-quality images.
• Create engaging and informative descriptions.
• Include product features and benefits.
• Use video for maximum effect.
• Offer discounts, deals and promotions where appropriate.
• Stay active on social media. 
• Share positive reviews and product testimonials.
• Track your results and refine as necessary.

Here at MSS Media, Inc., we’ve been providing Education, Government, Real Estate & Lifestyle clients with succinct, optimized, and successful marketing solutions for more than 15 years. Consider MSS Media, Inc. a full-service, one-stop shop for all your Media and Public Relations needs. Your goals are our motivation. And our mission is to propel your message, further and faster, to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for. If you found this blog post helpful, please share!