Social Shopping Immediate Future

Social Shopping

What’s in your bag? It better be a mini digicam… extra points if it’s a fun colour! Over the last year we can see that Gen Z have taken a liking to vintage digital cameras. Between our cult obsession with Mean Girls, low rise jeans and paparazzi style content, creating…

It’s time to dust off those crystal balls and take a sneak peek into the future of social media marketing. Get ready to discover how AI, engaging content, and innovative features will play a pivotal role in your social media next year. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just dipping…

Welcome to social snapshot, your go-to source for staying updated on the fast-paced world of everything related to social media. We’ve got you covered with the most recent highlights over the past week. Let’s get going and dive right in: Social Summit This exclusive event will challenge your perceptions of…

Crunching the data and turning it into insight is what we’re all about – BUT… you’ll be failing if that’s all you focus on. Proving the value of social back to your organisation can be challenging – we’ve got some ideas about how you can best do this.

Everyone loves social media, and China is no exception. With over 931 million active monthly users, it is the largest social media market in the world! However, in China, social is nothing like what you and I are used to. The platforms are different, with advertising, algorithms, and influencers…

Over the last few months Twitter have been testing out their “Super Follow” option with select creators being able to charge a monthly fee for exclusive content – think similar to Patreon or OnlyFans. “Today we’re excited to introduce Super…

Another week has passed and it’s time for a new Social Snapshot. We know it can be hard to stay up to date with the social media news popping up every day. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Have a look at the latest happenings in the…

It may not be the new kid on the block, but please, no ageism here! The Facebook platform is still VERY important to the digital ecosystem, in fact, it’s top 3 according to Comscore. So we’re here to give you the checklist of your…

Another week has passed and it’s time for a new Social Snapshot. We know it can be hard to stay up to date with the social media news popping up every day. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Have a look at the latest happening in the…

Brands, we hear your plea… you want better engagement and higher conversions, right? What’s the secret [BBQ] sauce? It’s the consumer data. In social, there are billions of consumers chatting about everything under the sun, so you just need to listen, interpret the data and use it to…

That’s right, Pinterest are out here celebrating and showcasing independent shops owned by women for International Women’s Day. “Working women were disproportionately hit by the COVID economic fallout. Last December, women accounted for 100% of U.S. jobs lost that month. There are even talks of a “Shecession””. Now,…

Let’s face it Covid restrictions have transformed trends, behaviours and shaped the way we live our everyday lives. And when it comes to shopping, things are very different from what they were seven months ago. Ever-changing consumer habits have forced many companies to re-think their retail and distribution models,…

Sounds mad doesn’t it? Who’d of thought that now is the time to start your Christmas campaigns. Usually you are finalising plans in July for Q4, but not advertising. Things are indeed strange. A look at the social conversations and latest insight from Facebook and Pinterest makes it…

We all must know that at some point Google will take a formula that’s been well received and try to emulate it, which is exactly what’s happening with Keen – Googles latest offering, “a place to grow and share your interests with loved ones, and…

Both TikTok and Pinterest have experienced huge gains during the last few months. Engagement on Pinterest is up 75%, and TikTok users grew by 34% in April. If you’re not sure how to get started with either platform, here are a few ideas. Pointers for Pinterest With 367…

This won’t come as a surprise to anyone, but the big players in social media are finding new ways to monetise their platforms. The shift towards full eCommerce platforms has been particularly apparent in recent weeks, with the introduction of new storefront features. So, what’s new? And more…

As the online population grows, so does the pool of consumers – some with time, and money on their hands. In recent weeks, e-commerce businesses in sectors like crafting, beauty and home accessories – as well as gifting – have started to boom. If you’re starting out in…

The very strong chance exists that you enjoy a BBQ! After all BBQ & at-home eating & entertaining is now the UK’s No1 summer home leisure activity, with three out of four households now owning some type of BBQ grill. So you probably aren’t missing out in hosting,…

Another week has passed, which means one thing… time for another Social Snapshot! This week we’re bringing you a variety of content; channel reports, platform updates and ways to help you improve your social strategy. We’re always here to help! Facebook’s working on a new ‘preview’ option for…

Many of us now turn to online shopping to avoid the queues, the tired feet, the unhappy children you find on a traipse up and down the high street – especially at this time of year. One of the other things we love to avoid is that annoyingly…

When was the last time you said yes to the WHSmith or Robert Dyas staff who always say “would you like to try this [product you’ve not picked up, or expressed any interest in] for a pound?” Personally, I always decline. And why is it invariably Cadburys Caramel, or sink…

Snapchat has announced new functionality it’s calling Visual Search. This is a way for its users to search for products on Amazon from the Snapchat camera. It’s not a feature that will be immediately available to everyone, as there’ll be a slow roll out, but Snap…

Sure, sure… high street economy is a bit on the low side with big franchises announcing closures of big flagship stores, but not everything is lost. The economy, though, is not sinking worldwide. Markets are just shifting towards the easier (at least for the consumer) e-commerce.

At first glance, the news of the Facebook Messenger assistant M being able to translate French could be a little underwhelming. French translation isn’t a feature that most users are crying out for. But what makes this announcement a little more interesting is how this translation functionality is being…

In this week’s Serious Social, we’re updating you on the Instagram changes and the latest on Facebook’s fallout! Shoppable posts. What can they do for you? Online retailers won’t want to miss this – you can tag and link products in your Instagram photos! This is really streamlining the…

If you still haven’t considered including Instagram as part of your Paid Ad spend, I’m hoping by the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll change your mind. From its launch in October 2010, Instagram has become one of the most popular Social media channels with …

In the first few years of this decade, it seemed that social commerce would transform the way we shop online. Yet whereas buying via social channels may have gained traction among the popular Asian social platforms like WeChat and LINE, in the West the online shopping experience is still…

With social commerce proving a major revenue generator for WeChat and Line in Asia, there’s no surprise that the big social networks are more enthusiastic than ever to get their slice of the action. And look no further than Instagram as a key example here: from the launch…

With Instagram Ads slowly rolling out to engagement-hungry marketers, and Twitter adding advanced coverage of all events as well as upping their game on Windows 10 and iPad Twitter apps – where does that leave the ever-dominant Facebook? With the recent announcement…

The oldest enemy of e-commerce has always been customer drop-off, losing potential customers during various points in your purchase funnel as they slip through the gaps in your carefully crafted user journey. It often left us feeling like Wile E. Coyote trying to catch Roadrunner. In-app commerce could be the…

In honour of their 20th birthday, Amazon have declared today to be Amazon Prime Day and are celebrating in a big way with a 24 hour global sales extravaganza billed as having even more bargains up for grabs than Black Friday. With exclusive member-only deals…

Searching for outfit inspiration on Pinterest? Like what you see? The new ‘Buy button’ will make it yours! Pinterest has announced some very exciting news that in a few short weeks, US consumers will be able to purchase directly from the platform through its ‘buyable’ Pin, without ever having to…

Here at immediate future, we have a mantra that social media is not the be all and end all, but it has fundamentally changed the way we communicate. And having spent some time over the last few months working with a client in the hospitality industry, I think that there…

Yahoo first coined the phrase social commerce back in November 2005. Since then, many platforms and brands have tried to harness the concept. As happens with innovation, some early efforts were unsuccessful. Things are wholly different now. At a time when retailers are fighting tooth and nail to gain an…

Twitter has recently unwittingly dropped hints they may be shifting closer to becoming an Ecommerce channel with the discovery of a ‘payments and shipping’ option in the settings window of their android app. The discovery followed a tweet by a developer in South Africa, the window clearly showing a currently…

For businesses using social media, it’s not about the ‘feel-good factor’ of the odd like here or a couple of retweets there. It’s about one thing: ROI. So which social media platform generates the most ROI? New research from Shopify on social commerce has discovered that out of all social…

The beauty industry has gone through an exciting transition over the past 10 years and with the rise of the internet and knowledge sharing, consumers are now empowered and are demanding ground-breaking technologies, ingredients and products – they know what they want and are more than willing to invest in…

Going shopping with your friends on the weekend is one of the most sociable activities we can do. Shoppers enjoy “making a day of it” or even getting the (sometimes critical) feedback from our friends or family about how an item of clothing looks on. Who would have thought updating…

After casting my eye on the infographic below there was one particular statement that caught my attention… Google+ pages appear in search results for 30% of brand terms searches for brands with G+ pages (up 5% from Feb 2012) In a bid to do some quick and dirty bit of…

Despite being 156 years old, Burberry is proving to be a very progressive brand with its use of innovative social media platforms. It is currently the leading British fashion brand on Pinterest, the image-sharing social network that has gained huge traction around the world since it launched in 2010. Pinterest,…

Have you ever tweeted about wanting a new bag, or the latest bit of gadgetry, or pined over a pretty bit of jewellery? Well now if you tweet about it you may very well be able to own it with Twitter’s new partnership with American Express. Twitter has made a…

The recent demise of even more well known High Street retailers such as HMV, Jessops and Blockbuster should serve as a strong reminder that the world has changed! 80% of shoppers were reported to have researched online before making a purchase this past Christmas and the average shopper…

As the year draws to a close and we all reflect on the vast and rapid developments that have occurred in social media in 2012, it is clear that one of the most prominent progressions has been the growing importance of smartphones to access social networking sites.

Shortly after my last post on Pinterest this insightful infographic circulated giving further evidence that the platform could really become a big player in 2012 – check out “is Pinterest the next social commerce game changer“ After making such a huge splash in the US…

As all eyes focus on the social commerce landscape for 2012, Dimensions Mall, has dropped a veritable bomb less than a month into the year. While 67% of retailers are already planning to use Facebook to drive traffic through to e-commerce in 2012, not to mention Coca-Cola,…

We like this visual representation of how the Swedish and US companies stack up (no flat pack puns intended.)…

Don’t fancy the hassle of overcrowded shopping malls this Christmas? Do your shopping via social media! Here are some top tips: Let someone else try before you buy Worried you might be buying a turkey? Check out product reviews before you buy. Retailers like…

Did you know that… 1 in 3 men wait until Christmas Eve to finish their shopping. 56% of Americans sing holiday carols to their pets. And 17% of people who Christmas shop via mobile, will be doing it on the bus. This is the social shopping Christmas story ……

When Santa Claus comes to town, the rules are simple. You watch out, you don’t cry and you don’t pout. I put to you that in 2009 the social media marketeers ignored every single one of these rules, pedalling Christmas campaigns that involved risks, made people cry and yes,…

Recently, Econsultancy published a piece on ten great e-commerce product pages. Following our research into the social shopping explosion we wanted to find out exactly how ‘social’ some of these retailers are. All of which will be popular destinations for consumers this Christmas. We’ve…

Because we’re slightly geeky and we like to spot a trend, we’ve been keeping an eye on a few key Christmas search terms over on our Christmas dashboard page. Amongst other things (like kids’ presents and favourite Christmas puddings), we’ve been monitoring Google searches for “Christmas presents.” For the…

You may have heard that Google has changed its search algorithm and with that change, instilled the word Abuserank forever into the minds of SEO experts. According to Google they were spurred into action by the story of Clarabelle Rodriguez and the shocking (and by shocking I…

Our social shopping research revealed a high propensity for influencers [and consumers] to want rewards for recommending a brand or reviewing a product/service. There is, unsurprisingly, a high demand for incentives that discount (75%). But the intriguing insight is how this is coupled…

One of the most intriguing trends emerging from the social shopping explosion is the re-positioning of the consumer as product expert; the level of trust we now place on strangers. A recent post on ReadWriteWeb provided some further statistical evidence of this movement with specific reference…

The conversion from “like” to purchase is currently a hot topic for brands seeking to optimise social media opportunities; and recent research from YouTube, supported by the IAB, has highlighted the magnitude of this challenge. 60% of people who “like” or…

You may have noticed that we’ve been had a very retail focused week here! As a leading social media agency we’re particularly interested in how social is changing the way we shop. Given this focus, here’s…

Developing brand loyalty and encouraging repeat sales is a challenge for online retailers, particularly in an increasingly competitive and crowded marketplace. With the ability to move between retailers at the click of a mouse and with a multitude of comparison sites for the savvy shopper, encouraging brand loyalty can…

Today we are launching our report on social shopping and its impact on consumer behaviour. Online retail has traditionally been characterised by price-driven sales and purchase-driven consumers. The focus, for retailers, has been on engaging the…

“The key to social commerce is understanding the roles of the social consumer and the parts they play in the grand production of your marketplace.”[1] By 2012, online retail sales in the UK are predicted to hit £44.9bn. And social is changing the way we shop. In 2007,…