Selection and application of social networking sites in cross-border e-commerce
In the Internet era, traditional marketing methods can no longer meet consumer needs. Consumers not only want to know product information, but also want better feedback on their needs. As an efficient way, social network marketing is gradually changing this situation. This article will explore the social networking sites that cross-border e-commerce can use and how to choose them.
Available social networking sites
As one of the world’s largest social networking sites, Facebook has a huge active user base. Cross-border e-commerce companies such as Lantingjishi and DX have established official pages here to better interact with potential customers. For businesses that want to increase brand awareness through interactive marketing, Facebook is undoubtedly an ideal choice.
VK
For the Russian and Eastern European markets, VK is a platform that cannot be ignored. The website is known for its strong user stickiness and long browsing experience, especially among young users. For cross-border e-commerce merchants who want to enter these markets, using VK to connect with customers is a very effective strategy.
As a text-based social platform, Twitter is very suitable for posting instant messages or quickly communicating with users. Cross-border e-commerce companies can use well-known figures on Twitter to promote products and use their influence to attract more attention.
YouTube
As the world’s largest video sharing website, YouTube has extremely high traffic. Cross-border e-commerce can conduct marketing activities by setting up channels and uploading videos containing product information. Additionally, inviting opinion leaders to comment on your videos is a great way to increase exposure.
Pinterest provides sellers with opportunities for precise advertising through data analysis of users’ interests and hobbies. Cross-border e-commerce merchants can place ads on Pinterest and use its unique recommendation algorithm to attract more potential customers.
LinkedIn is mainly for professionals. If the target customer group is professionals or those who are new to the workplace, then LinkedIn will be a good marketing platform. It not only helps businesses find the right partners, but also facilitates interactions between brands and professionals.
Tumblr
Tumblr is the world’s largest light blogging website, suitable for companies that want to spread their brand image through storytelling. Cross-border e-commerce should pay attention to creating interesting content to stimulate users’ desire to share.
How to choose the right social platform
Attribute distinction method
Decide which ones are more suitable for your products based on the characteristics of different social platforms. For example:
- Real-name social networking sites: Such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., suitable for brands that need to establish long-term relationships.
- Mainly video content: YouTube is suitable for displaying products with obvious dynamic effects.
- Image content mainly: Pinterest, Instagram, etc. are suitable for products with strong visual effects.
- Text content mainly: Twitter, Blogger, etc. are suitable for brands that need to update content frequently.
- Professional forums: Lifehacker and other products suitable for highly technical or specific areas of interest.
Research old customers
Understanding the preferences of existing customers is also an effective way to choose a social platform:
- Direct inquiry: Ask old customers via email or instant messaging tools what social platforms they commonly use.
- Import data: Use the custom audience function of the Facebook advertising system to see if existing customers are also active on Facebook.
To sum up, choosing the right social networking site is crucial for cross-border e-commerce. Only by correctly analyzing the characteristics of your own products and combining them with the characteristics of the target market can you find the path that best suits your development.