By Aiden Simpkiss
Did you know that trillions of dollars are made through online sales? In today’s world of ever-growing technology and constant social media activity, it’s now easier than ever to turn a profit online through social media. So while people can post, comment, and share their lives with millions in the click of a button, it is now just as easy to turn a profit. Through places like TikTok Shop or Instagram Reels, anyone can sell anything without ever seeing the product or leaving the comforts of their own home.
The rise of E-commerce
On a typical month, over 130 million social media users tap on shoppable posts, engaging in the trend of social media marketing. So what caused this sudden boom in social media shopping? Well, the answer lies in the algorithms. Traditional forms of marketing involve finding your target audience, tailoring your product or services to their needs, and putting in some legwork to close the sale. Social media, however, does all that for you. Every scroll, like, or comment a person makes is data that platforms like Instagram or TikTok use in their algorithm to bring viewers a post directly inspired by their interests.
So instead of spending thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on marketing, why not let the billion-dollar corporations do it for you and bring your product to the perfect customer with minimal effort?
Why Shoppers Trust Social Media Sellers
Posting and making a sale on social media almost seems too easy, so why do people trust it? You wouldn’t trust any old stranger on the street to sell you something with no prior knowledge of the seller or the product, so why does social media work?
The answer comes down to platform security and familiarity. Many of these platforms have built-in customer guarantees and protect the buyer from any potential scams. There is also the added benefit that the products being purchased aren’t typically being sold by the person on your screen selling it. Rather, these posts act as sales associates and are just making commissions off a product that is backed and protected by Instagram or TikTok.
Another key reason for this blind trust is that these people aren’t always strangers. Your favorite influencer, sports player, or local page isn’t a stranger to you but rather someone you “see” every day through their social media presence. This constant presence builds trust, and when there is a connection between the viewer and seller, a purchase feels more like a friendly recommendation rather than a sale.
How To Do It
If making money through social media is so easy, then why doesn’t everyone do it, and what are the steps to earning a passive income through a social media outlet? Well, the how is the simple part. For apps like TikTok, all one has to do is find a product they like or think will sell well and make a video that promotes that product, with a link to it in the description. From there, if the post gets good engagement and draws in sales, a percentage of sales revenue would go to the creator of that post without ever having to deal with handling, shipping, or management of the product.
On the other side, if a company wants to add their product to these social media shops, all they have to do is upload their product and information to the social media’s website, fill out the application, and wait for the link to be added to the store. From there, posts can be made either by the company or by hundreds of strangers, providing advertising and engagement of a product for only a small percentage of sales revenue generated by a stranger. So while this process seems easy and provides enormous upsides for companies and sellers, it’s only half the battle, as there’s a lot that goes into getting proper engagement.
Driving sales through social media isn’t a guarantee and isn’t exactly free money. The algorithms in these platforms are a huge help, but aren’t exactly magic. So while it’s true anyone can make posts, advertise their product, and earn revenue, there is still some skill and strategy involved in seeing profits. Driving social media sales requires consistent effort by staying active, creating engaging posts, and building a long-term audience to give you and your brand some familiarity and recognition.
The Future Of Sales
The future of social media sales is only getting bigger. As more and more people join social media and these companies keep getting bigger, there is only going to be more room for advertising. People are no longer just scrolling to catch up with old friends, but with the intention to research and buy. Bridging the gap between entertainment and shopping has never been so present, as all it takes is one click to order a product in between seeing what your old friends are up to and checking in on what your favorite sports team did the night before.
Social media is the future, and it could be the key to growing a business to the next level.
References
https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/01/11/most-popular-social-media-platforms
AMA University of New Hampshire 
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