Social Commerce: Turning Information Discovery into Information Search

Before modern social media arrived in the late noughties, browsing the Internet was a largely intentional, active experience. We search for information, visit a website to complete a task, and browse content to conduct research; these are intentional activities to fulfill a need. As a result, consumers have a task at hand and are primed to solve it.

On the other hand, social media shows us content based on our connections with others, trends, or interests (or a combination of all); these are labeled as passive discovery experiences. So what can marketers do to turn passive experiences into need-fulfilling active experiences?

Word of Mouth on Steroids

TikTok North America General Manager Sandie Hawkins said that social commerce is word of mouth on steroids. The pandemic fueled social media commerce substantially, with 2020 adding 80 million buyers, 19% more than the prior year, according to data from Statista. This growth is expected to reach 96.1 million buyers this year (2022), according to eMarketer.

Social media platforms have embedded e-commence onto their platforms. Gone are the days when you had to click out of social media to complete a purchase. So what makes consumers pivot from passive discovery to an intentional shopping experience? Users are paying attention to influencers, content creators, and brands/businesses that connect at a deeper level. These deeper connections mirror consumer behaviors or psychographics (earth-friendly, buy local, minority-owned businesses, etc.)

As an avid TikTok user, I’ve seen many short tutorials or hacks to simplify household chores. Once I understand the tool or product that makes it happen, I search for it, evaluate an alternative or two, and purchase. A need I did not know I had, was effectively created and fulfilled just because I’ve placed trust in the person who showed me how to do something better.

I’m curious about the sale of crystals and stones on TikTok Lives. Consumers believe these are imbued with properties to find love, a new job, mental clarity, and other beliefs. The ideal state is that consumers want their lives to be better and willing to gamble and buy a “scoop” or two of these products. The host will then take a plastic basket onto an agitator that continues to move the product, and the consumer gets what came out of it. This same model is applied to small products such as makeup and charms. The consumer is enticed by the probability of getting more than what they paid because it is left up to chance, but there is always a risk factor as it is unknown what will come out of it until the host fulfills the orders on the live streams.

The Evolution of Social Shopping

Marketers must understand how to leverage word of mouth to fuel social commerce and sway consumers. Linking to an external site from social media is not the solution, as consumers don’t want to leave their social experience. Instead, providing the best in-channel experience presents a lower barrier to purchase. Other growth opportunities fueled by word of mouth are games, metaverse, and group buying.

Turning the passive social experience into a purposeful discovery lies in using relatable voices that create or help ease a consumer’s need. In the comments, let me know what purchase you recently made through social media. For great examples, follow the hashtag #tiktokmademebuyit. 

Joking aside…

I’m obsessed with Cogey on TikTok. Her crystals video seems a fitting closing to this article.