Forrester’s 2022 assessment of the state of US social commerce uncovered widespread consumer mistrust in social media, which fizzled social media platforms’ commerce ambitions. In our latest report, taking a look at The State Of Social Commerce for 2025, we maintain our reservations around social commerce “taking off” in the US, especially compared to emerging markets. The barriers are still high for in-platform purchasing, making it hard to drive significant sales volume for brands.
Creators Seamlessly Weave Entertainment And Commerce In Content
Social media plays an increasingly important role in the shopping journey. The boom of the creator economy layered atop highly personalized algorithms paved the way for TikTok Shop’s successful launch, which boasted $100 million in gross merchandise value on Black Friday last year. As such, we believe creators will drive social commerce into its next evolution. Creators bring entertainment value to the social shopping experience, effortlessly threading this needle between entertainment and commerce in the content they create. In fact, more than one-third of Gen Z and Millennial US online adults report purchasing a product directly from a creator or influencer post on social media.
To fine-tune your social commerce strategy for relevance and effectiveness, we recommend that you:
Test and refine product categories. Social media platforms are best suited for low-stakes, impulse purchases rather than those with involved research or deliberation.
Consider limited-time offers or exclusive drops. Generate buzz and an urgency to transact to engage and entertain consumers.
Implement a system to capture CRM data. Leverage work-arounds to stay connected to customers in the post-purchase journey.
Expand your affiliate program to include creators. Take advantage of creator management platforms’ integrations into established affiliate platforms.
Read the full report to dive deeper into Forrester’s latest findings, insights, and best practices for activating a commerce strategy on social. Forrester clients, schedule a guidance session with me to discuss the best-fit social commerce strategy for your brand.
