In the last decade, shopping has changed for the better. Social commerce with features like shoppable content is nearly a thousand times more fun than crammed department stores – so we expect shoppable content to continue to grow in popularity.
E-commerce as a whole is expected to account for close to a quarter of total global retail sales by 2026. So if you’re not creating shoppable content on social media platforms, we’re here to say you should be.
In this article, we’ll walk you through what shoppable content is and why retailers are. and shoppers love it and why you will too. We’ll then show you some IRL examples and highlight our recommended shoppable content tools.
Ready? Let’s go!
What is shoppable content?
Shoppable content is any digital content that you can click to purchase. Popular types of shoppable content include social posts, videos, blogs, and ads.
Some shoppable content allows you to make purchases without leaving the platform on which it is hosted. This is called social shopping. Instagram and TikTok are among the most popular social shopping platforms. Sometimes, however, clicking on shoppable content will cause you to leave the platform to complete your purchase offsite, on a website or in an online store.
5 benefits of shoppable content
There are many reasons to love shoppable content. The main benefit is that it helps you monetize your social media, site or blog by giving readers the opportunity to easily purchase your products or the products you recommend.
Shoppable content also save your audience time and hassle. Shoppable content is a smart tactic for brands looking to improve the customer experience and build a solid supporter base. Give people what they want, make it easy to get, and they’ll love you for it!
Here are a few reasons why you should use Shoppable content.
1. Close sales quickly
Shoppable content has a shorter sales cycle and allows for a more fluid customer journey than traditional e-commerce tactics. You can give buyers what they want, when they want.
The longer and more complex the path from discovery to conversion, the more likely you are to lose your sale. Therefore, keeping it short and simple is one of the surefire ways to increase sales.
Plus, apps designed for shoppable content practically do this for you. For example, the Instagram Store tab is dedicated to getting brands and products discovered by target audiences.
2. Target consumers in scan mode
When people browse platforms like Instagram, they are usually in an open, receptive mood.
Also, many people are happy to have it advertised on these platforms. In a survey by Instagram, nearly 50% of people said they shop on the platform on a weekly basis.
3. Get in-depth data
With shoppable posts, you have the advantage of getting data from the platform where your post is located. For example, if you have a shoppable Instagram post, you can view how that post is shaping up alongside your organic posts in terms of reach and engagement.
Want to learn more about your audience insights and performance on social media? Check out Moyens I/O. With Moyens I/O, you can view your results on all social networks in 360 degrees from one place.
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4. Better content = better conversion rates
In many ways, content is the king of the e-commerce world. The better your product image, the more attractive it will be to buy.
This is partly because you can demonstrate the ideal life that consumers would live if they bought your product. Of course, a surefire way to do this is with beautiful images and stylish video. Pair it with a song that inspires the vibe and explosion you’re after! Transformation gold.
5. Gather social proof
If you use shoppable content on social media, you have the option of using an influencer, affiliate or brand ambassador program to showcase your products. When people see real people using and recommending a product, they trust it much more.
Plus, shoppable content on social media has the added benefit of a comment section. Encourage users to leave comments so others can see that your product is legit.
Learn more about using social media for affiliate marketing.
Examples of shoppable content
Now that you believe shoppable content should be the cornerstone of your social commerce strategy, it’s time to figure out how to create shoppable content. Here are some examples of shoppable content on what other brands are doing.
Shoppable content on Instagram: Asos
On Instagram, the ASOS brand took advantage of the tagged product feature in many of its posts. This clever marketing strategy not only increases sales, but I also help Instagram users see how products look in style and use.
While the payment feature within the app is only available to certain merchants in the US, you can allow users to browse your shoppable content on Instagram.
Source: Asos on Instagram
Here’s how to dramatically improve your Instagram shopping tactics.
Facebook shoppable content: Lululemon
Lululemon took advantage of Facebook Stores that let you browse their products in the app.
But with Lulu’s Facebook Store, you have to leave the platform to check it out. However, you can see directly on Facebook if items come in the size and color you want.
Source: Lululemon on Facebook
Here’s how to set up your own Facebook Store.
Shoppable video content: Aerie
Fashion brand Aerie used shoppable YouTube video content to boost Spring sales. They saw a 25% increase in ROI over the previous year. And they achieved nine times more conversions than their past tactics.
Source: Google’s Ads and Commerce Blog
Shopable articles: Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer has an editorial-style blog where they write integrated articles with shoppable content.
This has the added benefit of keyword integration. Marks & Spencer publishes SEO-rich content alongside their shoppable content, making it easy for their products to be discovered through search engines like Google.
Source: Marks and Spencer’s Style Blog
Shoppable content on Pinterest: Levi’s
One of the great things about Pinterest is that people often use it to search for products and get inspiration. For fashion brands like Levi’s, Pinterest gives an opportunity to showcase their in-use products to an audience that is actively looking to buy.
Source: Levi’s on Pinterest
Check out all the great Pinterest shopping features you can access.
8 tools to create shoppable content
What distinguishes good shoppable business from big business? A stacked toolbox. Here are 8 shoppable content tools we know, love and trust.
1. Hoot Suite
Yes, it’s clear we love Moyens I/O, but for good reason. You can use Moyens I/O to schedule and publish shoppable Instagram posts, saving time and headaches.
Try it free for 30 days
Plus, every Moyens I/O plan comes with access to Moyens I/O Analytics and the Best Time to Publish feature to help you monitor and improve your strategy.
Learn how to add products to Instagram posts using Moyens I/O.
2. Brand watch
Brandwatch provides data that can help you better understand what your audience is searching for. When you know your audience’s interests, you can better tailor your shoppable content to grab their attention.
Brandwatch can also integrate with Moyens I/O.
Source: brand watch
3. Hello
If you’re selling on social media, you’ll likely receive customer service requests and need to answer FAQs. You can automate all the heavy lifting of answering customer questions and at the same time improve your shopping experience. You just need a great social media chatbot.
Heyday is our top pick for a conversational AI chatbot for retailers. It integrates with retail-specific tools like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Shopify. You can see all your customer requests from each channel in the same place. Heyday’s single control panel makes management easy.
4. Adobe Express
Adobe Express can take your shoppable media to the next level. The app has social custom templates that make it easy to design your shoppable social media posts. When you prioritize images, your audience will notice. Adobe Express also has great photo and video editing features.
Source: Adobe Express
5. Brands Collaboration Manager
Great news for brands and creators collaborating with influencers for shoppable content! You can access Facebook’s Brand Collaboration Manager with your Instagram business or creator account.
Brand Collaboration Manager makes it easy to find influencers who are compatible with your brand and vice versa. The platform makes it easy for both of you to collaborate on campaigns.
Save time managing your Instagram presence using Moyens I/O. From a single control panel, you can: integrate your social networks with your Shopify store, add products to social posts and respond to comments with product recommendations. Try it for free today.
