The customer buying journey maps have traditionally followed a tried-and-true path, from problem identification to solution section. However, digital channels have upended this approach by introducing fragmentation and non-linear decision-making. Digital engagement is the process of interacting with potential and existing customers through various digital channels to build a relationship with them.
Google elevated search as a crucial channel in the buyer journey, but social media forever transformed how customers engage with brands and influence others. In today’s fragmented digital landscape, brands must consider two main digital customer engagement strategies: social commerce and search commerce.
For starters, let’s define what each means.
What is Social Commerce?
Social commerce simply means buying and selling things through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. For example, when you come across a product you’re interested in on Instagram, you can access its details, read comments from other users, and make a purchase without having to leave the app.
The ability to comment, share, and tag your friends makes shopping feel like a group activity, where buying becomes a collective experience. It’s like turning our social interactions into opportunities to buy stuff together. You might see something a friend bought or recommended, which sways your decision to get it too.
What is Search Commerce?
Search Commerce is finding and buying things through search engines like Google or Bing. You start by typing in what you’re looking for, and businesses try to show up at the top of the search results through ads or optimized listings. So, when you search for something, you might see sponsored links or shopping results on the page, where you can quickly discover products and make purchases without visiting separate websites.
It’s about connecting buyers with products when they’re actively searching for something.
Key Differences between Social Commerce and Search Commerce
- Platform: Social commerce happens on social media platforms, while search commerce happens on search engines.
- Initiation: In social commerce, buying can be initiated by seeing products in your social feed or through recommendations from friends. In search commerce, the buying process is initiated by actively searching for a product or solution.
- Interactivity: Social commerce often involves more interaction between users and businesses, such as commenting, sharing, or liking products. Search commerce is more straightforward, with users typically clicking on links or ads to make purchases.
- Influence: Social commerce is influenced by social connections and recommendations, while search commerce is influenced by search engine algorithms and advertising strategies.
In simple terms, social commerce is like shopping with your friends on social media, while search commerce is finding what you need through search engines. Both have their unique ways of helping you buy things online.
Which one to use?
Here are some considerations to help you determine which approach may be more suitable for your products:
- Nature of Products: Social commerce works well for visually appealing or lifestyle-oriented products that benefit from social sharing and peer recommendations. On the other hand, search commerce may be more effective for products commonly searched for or in high demand.
- Target Audience: Social commerce may be a good fit if your audience is highly active on social media platforms and engages with brands and influencers. Conversely, search commerce could be more effective if your audience frequently uses search engines to research and compare products.
- Engagement vs. Intent: Social commerce is ideal for generating engagement and building brand awareness through social interactions, whereas search commerce is focused on capturing users with specific purchase intent.
- Budget and Resources: Consider investment in influencer partnerships and social media advertising for social commerce, while you need to allocate resources for search engine advertising and SEO strategies for search commerce.