Facebook and Instagram are now powerful tools that integrate the entire Customer Journey into one location. And they have very little competition (for now). But is it right for your business?

Social Media Apps are Now Holistic Business Ecosystems

One of the first surprises we had, transitioning from corporate to the small business world, involved social media. Every small business owner constantly talked about social media. Those two words evoked a visceral reaction, a love-hate relationship that forms their biggest business challenge.

At first, we were genuinely confused why local small businesses, with local customer footprint, would mention social media as their biggest opportunity. No one was talking about goal-setting, strategic planning, customer service, marketing, or profit margins. Only… social media. Sigh.

In the big companies, the corporate world uses social media primarily as a way of brand recognition and to engage with customers in a new medium. It functions at its best as a marketing tool.

For a small business owner though, we came to learn that social media has the opportunity to represent an entire business ecosystem. If done appropriately, social media can now offer a complete customer journey that goes beyond your geographic location and connects you with people who are interested in the goods you offer. This is why Facebook and Instagram invested heavily in business functionality. The end result? You can service your entire business in one little app.

THAT IS POWERFUL.

New Facebook Shop & Instagram Shop Covers Entire Customer Journey.

Each customer follows a path, pre through post-purchase. We call that the Customer Journey. Our job is to reduce pain points and improve that journey.

So how does social media enable a complete journey from start to finish? One of Brent’s recent projects was to connect a Woocommerce online shop to Facebook Shop, allowing his client to reach beyond his followers and find new audiences.

With Facebook Shop, the client now has step 1 through step 5 of the journey in a SINGLE channel. The physical store and Etsy shop cover only 2-3 of the steps.

Think about it, no where else in the world can you make customers 1) aware of your store, 2) give them the tools to consider your offer (through building social equity and trust), 3) allow them to purchase your products, 4) keep them up to date, and then 5) collect feedback and advocate for your brand.

How Social Media, Facebook Shop & Instagram Shop Integrate into Your Customer Experience.

Awareness

With Facebook & Instagram Shop: People can search for your products without ever knowing your shop exists through algorithms that show “similar products” when visiting other Facebook Shops. This feature can organically increase awareness and geographic reach with people who are already interested in your products.

Consideration

With Facebook & Instagram Shop: You not only build trust and social equity with your social media presence but are now giving potential customers insight into specific products, like price and quality.

Purchase

With Facebook & Instagram Shop: Enabling social media shops make it undoubtedly easier for customers to purchase without having to go the extra mile to your online store and then search for the specific product you highlighted.

Retention

With Facebook & Instagram Shop: Keep customers up to date through your typical social media posts, while easily collecting the email address and profile of your customers. Follow up with email marketing campaigns or contact them directly!

Advocacy

With Facebook & Instagram Shop: people can additionally review your products directly on social media, while easily sharing stories.

Who Should Connect to Facebook Shop or Instagram Shop

Before everyone connects their websites, let’s level-set. First, Facebook and Instagram are only allowing certain products to be sold on their platforms. Not services and no “high risk products” (like CBD).

If you are a product-based business however, it could be a good fit. Connecting your website to Facebook Shop may not open an immediate floodgate, but it’s a low-risk, high-reward action for your business. It makes it easier for new customers to find you; and, it takes away the geographic restrictions of a physical shop and matches you with people who have a common interest in your offering.

So is Connecting your Website to Facebook Shop / Instagram Shop Right for your Biz?

Answer these questions:

Do you have unique products that can’t be found elsewhere?
Do you already offer shipping capabilities?
Do you sell through an online store?
Is growing online sales a strategic importance for your busines?

If you said yes to all four, than you should seriously consider offering products directly on social media. Once you get a sale, the next step would be to shifting them over to your direct channel to remove commissions, but that’s another lesson for another day.

How We Can Help You Connect to Facebook Shop or Instagram Shop

Most websites have integration apps allowing you to directly connect your site to Facebook and Instagram. It’s free to connect your products, though Facebook and Instagram take ~5% commission on your sales.

If you have any questions or need help connecting your online shop to Facebook or Instagram, reach out to us here.

Connecting your Website to Facebook Shop to Grow your Business.