In today’s digital age, the marriage of e-commerce and social media has given birth to a transformative concept known as social commerce.
For Kenyan businesses, this trend is proving to be a game-changer, as social commerce is growing brands in Kenya without the need for hefty investments.
According to a previous joint Survey between the Communications Authority of Kenya and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) National ICT, it was established that 39% of private enterprises are engaged in e-commerce.
The synergy between social media and online shopping is reshaping how brands in Kenya engage with their audience and drive sales.
We had earlier brought to you an article on The Social Commerce Company In Kenya Helping over 120 Brands Scale And Grow in 2023. This time, we will explore further the four powerful ways in which social commerce is growing brands in Kenya, all without incurring significant costs.
Contents
How Social Commerce Is Growing Brands In Kenya At No Cost
1. Amplifying Brand Visibility Through Social Media
The foremost way in which social commerce is growing brands in Kenya is by leveraging the immense potential of social media platforms.
Kenya’s digital landscape is defined by active engagement on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp.
Brands are capitalizing on this by creating captivating and interactive content that not only captures the audience’s attention but also encourages them to become brand advocates.
Kenyan brands, particularly in the fashion industry, are adept at utilizing Instagram to showcase their products.
High-quality images paired with popular fashion hashtags not only expose products to a wider audience but also generate organic interest.
Moreover, user-generated content (UGC) plays a pivotal role in fostering authenticity and trust.
Encouraging customers to post pictures and share their experiences with your products on social media creates a sense of community around your brand, serving as a form of free promotion.
Combining this with branded hashtags enables easy discovery of UGC by a broader audience. Start incorporating this strategy into your business and be part of the experience and see social commerce is growing brands in Kenya.
2. Crafting Engaging Stories and Content
Storytelling is deeply ingrained in Kenyan culture, and brands are capitalizing on this by weaving captivating narratives that resonate with their audience.
Social commerce provides the perfect canvas for brands to share their stories in visually appealing and interactive ways.
Platforms like Facebook, Twiva, and Instagram offer diverse content options, including videos, images, and live streams, to engage customers.
Kenyan brands are increasingly turning to short video content platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok to creatively showcase their products and services.
These platforms provide a cost-effective means of capturing the attention of a younger, tech-savvy audience.
By infusing humor, music, and relatable scenarios into their content, brands can not only promote their products but also entertain and educate their followers.
Furthermore, the transitory nature of Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories lends itself to sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of a brand’s operations, product launches, and authentic customer testimonials.
These fleeting posts create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, compelling followers to engage with the brand and stay updated on its activities.
Working with brand content hubs like Twiva Studios is one of the reasons Social Commerce Is growing brands in Kenya by supporting social commerce efforts by businesses through content creation.
3. Facilitating Peer-to-Peer Selling
Peer-to-peer (P2P) selling is another potent avenue through which social commerce is growing brands in Kenya without requiring substantial financial resources.
Kenya’s far-reaching WhatsApp, for instance, serves as a prime platform for businesses to tap into the personal networks of their customers for sales and brand promotion.
Businesses often create WhatsApp groups or broadcast lists to share product updates, promotions, and exclusive offers directly with their customers.
P2P selling cultivates trust and establishes personal connections between the brand and its customers.
When customers receive product recommendations or exclusive sales invitations from friends or family members, they are more inclined to engage and make purchases.
This form of word-of-mouth marketing can have a ripple effect, as satisfied customers become brand advocates themselves.
Additionally, P2P selling significantly reduces the need for costly advertising campaigns.
Instead of allocating substantial budgets for traditional advertising, brands can concentrate on nurturing relationships with existing customers, who then become the brand’s most influential marketing assets.
An Influencer-powered social commerce platform like Twiva has been one of the instrumental ways social commerce is growing brands in Kenya. By allowing businesses to work with a wide range of resellers/influencers brands are multiplying their access to markets and making sales.
4. Seamless Integration of Payment Solutions
In Kenya, the innovation of mobile money has revolutionized online transactions and shopping and is one of the ways social commerce is growing brands in Kenya.
Brands that embrace digital payment solutions like M-Pesa and PesaLink can facilitate seamless transactions, removing any purchase barriers for customers.
Integrating these payment options into the social commerce strategy enhances convenience, driving sales and brand growth.
Moreover, the integration of payment solutions can provide brands with valuable customer data.
Understanding customer preferences and purchase behavior enables brands to tailor their marketing efforts more effectively, providing personalized recommendations and offers that resonate with individual customers.
This data-driven approach enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty, further propelling brand growth.
Additionally, social commerce platforms like WhatsApp are progressively incorporating payment features, allowing customers to make purchases directly through the app.
This streamlines the purchasing process and minimizes friction between product discovery and finalizing the transaction, resulting in increased conversion rates.
Concluding, social commerce is growing brands in Kenya, and the best part is that it doesn’t require huge investments.
By harnessing the power of social media for visibility, crafting engaging content and stories, embracing peer-to-peer selling, and integrating seamless payment solutions, brands can thrive in the digital age.
To embark on your brand’s journey of growth through social commerce, we invite you to join Twiva, Kenya’s leading social commerce platform.
Register your business today, and let Twiva empower your brand to connect, engage, and thrive in this evolving landscape as you participate in how social commerce is growing brands in Kenya.
Penned by Lydia Mwende
Lydia is the Social Media & Community Manager at Twiva. She enjoys reading, writing, and watching films.