Webinar Recap: 5 Strategies to Maximize Your Brand’s Social Commerce Potential

Isn’t it crazy to think about how social media has evolved over the past five years? What was once a tool for connection and entertainment has become a hub for product discovery, customer engagement, and online shopping, largely due to the digital shift caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Companies have accelerated five years’ worth of digital adoption in just a few months, reshaping the way consumers shop, interact, and engage online,” according to a McKinsey Global Survey. As social media became a sales tool, e-commerce trends like budol buys, live selling, and e-wallet purchasing boomed.

Social commerce is the future, but how should that inform digital marketing strategies?

Near Creative held our second webinar of 2025, entitled “Winning Strategies: Social Media Engagements to Conversions” featuring Mikee de Vega, online brand manager of the professional products division of L’Oreal Philippines.

ICYMI, here’s a recap of the latest insights from the webinar:

Or watch the Webinar Replay here by clicking the thumbnail above!

5 techniques to boost your brand’s social commerce efforts

1. Showcase your social proof.

Social proof is a must to reach customers on social media.

Issy is a brand that does this well on their socials. From comments, to Instagram Stories, to tagged photos, curious consumers will find no shortage of authentic reviews and testimonials on their feed.

“The more validation potential buyers see, the more likely they are to purchase from your brand,” shares Viktor Kapunan, senior brand manager at Near Creative. “You have to leverage social proof to build credibility and stand out from competitors and to turn engagement into actual sales.”

Our guest speaker Mikee de Vega had this to add, “Engagements are somehow a proxy indicator of social proof because if you have a solid community of followers on TikTok or Instagram that sing the praises of your products in all your posts, then that likely has a positive correlation with your conversion as well.”

2. Maximize shopping features on social media.

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have built-in shopping features that make the path from discovery to purchase more straightforward. Tools such as product tagging, shoppable posts, and in-app checkouts can bring better conversions and stronger customer retention.

3. Create brand storytelling that inspires, influences, and converts.

Sometimes, the best way to tell your story is to let customers tell it for you. Good user-generated content (UGC) creates a community, and a visible community encourages trust from consumers.

When real customers share their real experiences on social media, they can do the selling on the brand’s behalf. For instance, tagged UGC posts on the pages of Near clients Cebu Pacific, Adidas, and Tip-Top Chicken offer fellow customers insight into why they love these brands.

“The brands that stay ahead have a robust understanding of their brand story and are able to translate that into content that is relevant to consumers,” says Mikee.

4. Turn social engagements into repeat customers and brand advocates.

Once you’ve engaged your audience, here’s how Viktor says you can keep them paying attention. “The key is building lasting relationships by constantly engaging with them, making them feel part of a community, and by seeing them as humans who truly advocate for your brand.”

A great example of this is AquaFlask, who engages their audience through live sessions that allow them to interact while showcasing their products. Sunnies Studios is another example, as the brand has a broadcast channel to more casually reach their audience.

While these social media features are great, of course, rewards, loyalty programs, and other content that signals exclusivity still work to keep customers interested.

5. Make it effortlessly easy to shop.

As we previously mentioned, simpler discovery makes for easier conversions. On Dyson’s social media pages, they showcase their products and the platforms they are present in, making the (online) window shopping process more seamless.

You also have to make it easy for people to add items to cart. Offer clear instructions and next steps, and the conversions will follow.

Make content that’s right for each platform.

To succeed in social commerce, brands must have social proof, use platform-specific shopping features, tell a solid story that turns customers into advocates, and make shopping easy.

“Make sure your message is tailored to why [your audience is] on that platform,” shares Mikee.

Want to turn consumers into loyal customers? Get unique insights when you download our digital guide here!