By Daljeet Sidhu

Ecommerce – How Social Media Networking Can help Online Business

Social media websites are becoming increasingly popular. These networking sites bring together like-minded people from across societies, even geographies, to share views, interact and exchange information. E-commerce website marketing executives recognize the potential of marketing on these portals to increase brand awareness. Currently, over 25% of display advertisements are posted on social media websites.

Strategies used by e-commerce developers on social media websites

E-commerce developers use the following strategies on social media websites to develop and promote their internet business:

Display Advertising

Display ads can be developed for a target audience, include information on offers, discounts, coupons and deadlines to make the customer act urgently. Display ads can clutter up a website’s landscape, so make sure they are targeted to make them relevant to the website’s context.

Increasing Brand Awareness

Since these sites are interactive, e-commerce developers can engage users in discussions of the brand. They can demonstrate quality and expertise to the potential customers and build the brand’s image.

Spread the Word

A lot of customers post their opinion of brands on social networking sites. E-commerce websites should encourage their satisfied customers to spread the word by sharing their feedback on these sites.

Building a User Community Through the E-Commerce Site

The e-commerce business can begin building a user community on its own website. The web site should be designed to link their user community to various social media sites. User forums are an excellent source of feedback on the e-commerce business’ products and services.

Monitoring Discussions of Brands

Just as positive feedback of an e-commerce business’ products and services can enhance the brand image, negative feedback can damage it. E-commerce developers should closely follow any mention of their products on social networking sites and address misconceptions and complaints. This builds a customer friendly image of the brand.

Advantages of using social media websites to promote e-commerce business

There are many potential benefits of using social media websites for e-commerce development:

Widened Customer Scope

Social networking websites are popular and their membership is rapidly growing. By placing ads on such sites, e-commerce businesses expand their customer outreach. Display ads should attract the attention of interested members. A click on the display ad should immediately take the customer to the page on the e-commerce website where they can finalize the sale.

Increasing Brand Awareness

Social media websites allow e-commerce display ads to be viewed by a large section of people who share some common interests. Display ads that target this customer segment will have better chances of getting through to this community, increasing awareness of the brand.

Influencing Brand Reputation

Social media website members will share their opinion of brands. This influences the brand’s reputation, and improves sales if the customers have something good to say. Even bad opinions can be altered or at least improved by following up with the dissatisfied customers.

Social media websites are opportunities for e-commerce businesses to expand their clientele and improve their brand image. By their very nature, social networking sites have a strong impact on the reputation of a brand. E-commerce developers should understand the merits and demerits of marketing through social media websites and make the most of this advertising opportunity.

About the Author: Daljeet Sidhu is at TradeSeam. Read our

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