It might seem logical that social media and eCommerce would make an ideal partnership. But until recently, very few social platforms actively sought out shopping functionality.
The reason is simple. Social media is not retail. It may be a medium that’s ideal for marketing; but at heart, it’s about forging connections, not sales.
Shoppability is applicable to virtually any digital channel. Consumers who have grown up under the shadow of eCommerce want the ability to make purchases immediately, without having to click from site to site. That’s particularly true of millennials—by and large, the highest percentage of social media users in the US.
Social media trends never remain stagnant. Twitter is a perfect example. At one point, it was largely seen as a competitor to Facebook. But as the number of social networks proliferate, it now has to compete with the likes of Facebook’s sister Instagram and TikTok. All three of which recently announced the integration of shoppable features.
As has Twitter. During its Analyst Day presentation, the network confirmed it’s testing a new format which would link out to shoppable product pages through a new Twitter card type that adds product details alongside a Call to Action button, linking through to a transaction page.
Twitter has already begun to view their content creators as an increasingly viable revenue source; so much so, that they recently announced the launch of a “super follow” feature which would monetize tweets from creators by allowing followers access to exclusive content and promotions via paid subscriptions.
“We’re…starting to explore ways to better support commerce on Twitter,” indicated Twitter Revenue Lead, Bruce Falck, during the presentation. “We know people come to Twitter to interact with brands and discuss their favorite products. In fact, you may have even noticed some businesses already developing creative ways to enable sales on our platform.”
“This demand gives us confidence in the power of combining real-time conversation with an engaged and intentional audience. Imagine easily discovering, and quickly purchasing, a new skincare product or trendy sneaker from a brand you follow with only a few clicks.”
While Twitter has indicated that the proposed shoppable post feature is only in the early stage of development, it wouldn’t be the first time the network delved into social commerce. In 2015, Twitter rolled out a curated ‘Product and Place’ collection feature which enabled users to promote products directly within a dedicated profile section alongside a shoppable link.
While the company later abandoned the Product and Place feature, it remains to be seen just how popular the proposed shoppable feature will be. Much of it will depend on the success of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok’s social commerce integration. While Facebook still remains the world’s most popular social media platform, Twitter’s proposed eCommerce expansion may potentially allow it to become an easily formidable rival.
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