Social Commerce
Social commerce is selling products directly inside social platforms, where discovery, product pages, and checkout all happen without leaving the app.
What social commerce is
Social commerce is selling inside the social platform itself: in-app shops, product tags, and checkout on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest.
It’s distinct from social media marketing, which uses social to send traffic out to a store. In social commerce, the store comes to the feed.
Why social commerce matters
It collapses the distance between seeing and buying. A shopper goes from a creator’s video to checkout in a few taps, with no site visit in between.
It also runs on proof. Comments, shares, and creator content do the job a product page’s review section does elsewhere.
What powers social commerce
- In-app shops and product tagging
- Live shopping streams with instant checkout
- Creator and affiliate content
- Customer content reposted as product proof
Frequently asked questions
Is social commerce the same as social selling?
No. Social selling is salespeople building relationships on social networks, mostly in B2B. Social commerce is transactions happening inside the platform.
Do reviews matter in social commerce?
Yes. Comments and creator content act as the review section, and brands reuse product reviews and ratings in social creatives to carry proof into the feed.