Young U.S. Influencers Are Driving Social Commerce

Nearly half of social media users from 18 to 34 years old have participated in social commerce on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, an October study conducted by Bizrate Insights showed.

Though TikTok doesn’t have a feature that allows users to buy products, both Instagram and Snapchat have created methods that make shopping easier. On Instagram, the app gave some popular influencers the ability for their follows to buy products off their page with the Checkout on Instagram feature in March. Snapchat gave A-list influencers a “shop” button so their followers could keep up with their endorsements.

Currently, Instagram is thinking about getting rid of “likes” on the platform. If they do, it could help social commerce and users potentially stray away from vanity and toward shopping. “Ultimately, engagement, actual impressions, downloads, saves and other metrics will prevail as KPIs because likes have never truly been an indicator of success,” Danielle Wiley, founder and CEO of the influencer marketing agency Sway Group told BrandKnewMag.com in November.