The pandemic accelerated the adoption of technology and how people think, feel, behave, and spend their money by many years.
With Instagram and Facebook becoming the leaders of eCommerce outlets, many people will start to shop on these platforms. In 2020 social commerce was forecast upward, from 19.8% to 37.9% growth. Social selling will continue to rise as more US consumers shop online, and feel more comfortable using the "buy" button on social media (18%) or by clicking a shoppable post or story on a social network (16%) instead of purchasing directly through a website.
According to a survey conducted in early 2021, nearly eight out of ten US businesses anticipated selling on social media (not just online) in the next three years.
At the height of the pandemic, many nonprofit organizations were forced to rethink their gala dinners and fundraising events. Leading charities and nonprofits to go virtual with their annual fundraisers, and in 2022, as things tend to reopen, many will begin to keep events hybrid.
Meanwhile, in 2019, according to the Giving Report, 29% of people consider social media the communication tool that most inspires giving. For nonprofits specifically, Instagram was a crucial piece of the marketing pie.
Although technology, social media/selling, and e-commerce have excellent benefits, small to medium-sized businesses and nonprofits that are not household names can easily get lost in the noise of the content and advertising that's published every second without a big budget.
The good news is that supporting local businesses is a trend, and your customers and employees can help increase your presence. Here are some ways you can ask your customers to help you with your website, signage, eblasts, and more.
Write An Online Review
Online reviews help increase your SEO and build trust among potential customers. We don't see businesses and nonprofits asking for reviews enough. A great place to ask for reviews is in a post-purchase eblast, email confirmations, and receipts.
Keep Hitting Like
Any engagement with content helps increase visibility to other netizens everywhere, and liking a post takes minimal effort.
Comment Comment Comment
Ask if they'll give feedback via comments. Not only will your comment motivate them, but it can also be helpful. Your comment may also help businesses identify gaps in products/services. Pro tip: Once you start receiving comments, be sure to respond to them.
Sharing Is Caring
Create content that is fun to share, and ask your customers to share it. This helps the brand connect with people who may enjoy the brand's product and service.
Save Content You Enjoy
Many netizens prefer not to like content because they want to keep some of their views private from other people. The save feature is another way to increase the chances of content being seen online, while not making your views available for all to see.
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