Social media sites have been rapidly adding e-commerce functions to help small sellers market their products. As more niche communities grow and connect online, it's becoming easier for small business owners to find their exact target audience to boost sales. Keep reading for our tips on the top social media sites to sell your products.
1) Facebook Marketplace
Facebook is still the number one top-used social media site, and it's a great place to start your journey into social media e-commerce. About one third of US Facebook users make purchases or sales on the site every month, truly making it a bustling marketplace. It's quick and easy to make a product listing--just select Marketplace from the left-side menu of your Facebook home page, click "create new listing" and "item for sale," fill out listing info, and select "publish" to post. That's it! As with all e-commerce sites, there are payment processing fees, ranging from 2.9 to 3.49% of the sale. It's important to note, however, that Facebook is the preferred social media app for users aged 35-44. So if your target audience is Gen Z, Facebook might not be your best bet.
2) Instagram Shop
According to a 2024 commerce study, 70% of active Instagram users make in-app purchases, with 44% doing so on a weekly basis. Considering the app has over 2.4 billion active monthly users, that's a HUGE market. If you're interested in capitalizing on the expansive and niche audiences that the app has to offer, Instagram Shop is the way to go. Not only are you bringing your product right to your audience, you're also allowing them to make purchases at the touch of a button. There is no start-up cost to open your Instagram Shop--you just need a business account. Each sale has a 5% seller fee, or a flat rate of $0.40 for orders less than $8. After providing some basic details about your business (contact info, employer ID, banking info, and your state's tax registration number), you're ready to start selling on Instagram.
3) Pinterest
Selling on Pinterest is a bit different from doing so on Facebook or Instagram. Unlike the other sites, Pinterest does not have an in-app selling platform. Instead, you link your website or storefront to your Pinterest business account page for customers to find. While in some ways this makes Pinterest the less convenient option, it also makes it the cheapest option. Because no e-commerce is actually being carried out through your account, there are no seller or processing fees. Pinterest is also a great place to market your small business because 89% of "pinners" already use the site to find and curate items they plan to purchase. Because of this, product photography is especially important on the site. People curate and purchase based on aesthetic, lifestyle photos. Rather than just posting your product with a white background (like you'd see on an Amazon listing), it's crucial you have creative, beautiful photos to showcase your products in a variety of eye-catching ways.
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