Shopping is always on. People browse, compare, and buy between other things on their phones, and more and more of that happens inside the social apps they already use. Social commerce is how brands meet them there.

This guide explains what social commerce is, why it matters, which platforms to consider, and how it works in practice. When you’re ready to build a plan, see our guide to building a social commerce strategy in 7 steps.

What is social commerce?

Social commerce is the buying and selling of products directly on social platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. It covers the whole path from discovery to purchase: a shopper sees a product in a post, a video, or a live stream, and can often complete the purchase without leaving the app.

It goes beyond standard social media marketing, which aims to build awareness and send people to your website. Social commerce adds the selling itself: shoppable posts and videos, product tags, in-app shops, live shopping events, and creator partnerships that drive purchases.

In practice, social commerce usually means one or more of these:

• In-app shopping. Shoppers browse a shop or product tags and check out inside the platform, where the platform supports it.
• Shoppable content. Posts, videos, and live streams with product links or tags that lead to a purchase.
• Creator-led selling. Creators and influencers promote products to their followers, often with affiliate or partnership links.
• Social discovery. Shoppers find and research products on social, then buy on your website or a marketplace.

Why is social commerce important?

Social commerce has grown from an experiment into a real sales channel. eMarketer’s forecasts, reported by Shopify, project that US social commerce sales will pass $100 billion for the first time in 2026, and that over half of US social buyers will shop on TikTok. Platform availability and shopping features vary by country, so check what’s available in your markets.

The appeal for brands comes down to convenience and reach:

• Fewer steps. When discovery and purchase happen in one place, there’s less friction that could make a shopper abandon the purchase.
• Discovery at scale. People find products on social that they weren’t searching for, so you reach buyers who wouldn’t have found you through search.
• Trust and social proof. Reviews, comments, and creator recommendations sit next to your products, which helps new shoppers decide.
• Direct feedback. Comments and messages tell you what customers want, in their own words.

Social commerce also adds channels to your operation. Every one you add makes it more important to keep stock accurate everywhere. See our guides to multichannel inventory management and the common problems and how to fix them.

The best social commerce platforms to use

Platforms change their shopping features often, and some features are available only in certain countries. Treat this as a guide to where each platform fits, and check each platform’s current seller requirements before you invest.

TikTok

TikTok Shop lets brands sell through videos, live streams, and a dedicated shop, with creators and affiliates promoting products. It’s especially strong for products that look good in short video: beauty, fashion, home, gadgets, and impulse purchases. See our guides to TikTok Shop and TikTok social selling.

Instagram

Instagram suits brands with strong visuals and a story to tell, such as fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle. Businesses can tag products in posts, Stories, and Reels so shoppers can view details and move toward purchase. Whether the purchase completes in the app or on your site depends on your region and current platform features.

Facebook

Facebook remains a major place for shoppers to discover products, through Shops, Marketplace, and ads. It’s a good fit for brands with an existing following, a broad or older audience, and products that benefit from community and messaging. Shops can be shared across Facebook and Instagram.

YouTube

YouTube is where many shoppers research purchases through reviews, tutorials, and unboxings. Products from your Google Merchant Center account can appear on YouTube, and creators and brands can tag products in videos and live streams. See our guide to Google Shopping for how Merchant Center works.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a discovery platform where people plan purchases for home, fashion, food, and weddings. Brands upload product catalogs so items appear as shoppable Pins, which typically link through to your website to buy.

Other platforms

Snapchat, X, and LinkedIn all have commerce-related features, but they vary in maturity. LinkedIn is mainly useful for B2B discovery and lead generation. Choose platforms based on where your customers spend time, not on which has the most features.

How does social commerce work?

Platforms keep developing their shopping tools, but the basic model is consistent. You connect a product catalog, tag or list products in your content, and let shoppers buy either in the app or on your website.

• Build a presence. Create content that shoppers want to see, so they discover your products naturally. Paid ads can extend your reach and target by interests and demographics.
• Set up your shop. Connect your product catalog to each platform. Most platforms let you choose where shoppers complete their purchase: in the app, on your website, or through messaging.
• Make products shoppable. Tag products in posts and videos, run live shopping events, and work with creators who link to your products.
• Fulfill the order. Whatever channel the order comes from, it needs accurate stock, quick fulfillment, and clear tracking.

Here’s what the customer journey can look like. A shopper is scrolling through short videos when a creator shows a handmade plant stand. She taps the product tag, sees the price and reviews, and checks out in the app. A few days later it arrives. She wasn’t looking for a plant stand. The platform recommended it based on her activity, and a purchase happened. That’s social commerce.

How to optimize social commerce

To get the most from social commerce, treat it as one part of selling everywhere your customers are. Success increasingly comes from using every channel well, and social is one of them. Here are the habits that matter most.

Produce quality content

Customers follow you for a reason, so keep giving them one. What works depends on your customers, but a few things always help:

• Provide value. Tell people what’s in it for them, whether that’s a tip, an idea, or an offer.
• Tell stories. Share your story and your customers’ stories. The more people feel they know your brand, the more loyal they become.
• Be visual. People are on social to see things, so show your products in use with strong photos and video.
• Work with creators. People trust recommendations from people they follow, which is why creator partnerships work. Follow advertising disclosure rules, such as the FTC’s in the US.

Use data from social selling

Use what you learn from selling on social platforms to improve your content and offers. Platform analytics show views, clicks, conversions, and audience details, and they tell you what customers like. Audiences differ by platform, so look at each one separately and tailor your content to it.

Respond to your audience

Customers can ask questions and leave comments without leaving the app, and they expect quick answers. Reply promptly to questions, comments, and messages, and respond to reviews, good and bad. It shows you’re paying attention.

Try live shopping

Live shopping lets you demonstrate products, answer questions as they come in, and create urgency with limited offers. It’s a core part of TikTok Shop and is available on other platforms too. See our TikTok Shop guide for how it works.

Keep inventory accurate across every channel

A viral post can sell out a product in hours. If your stock isn’t synced across channels, you risk overselling on social while it shows as available elsewhere. Connecting your channels to a central inventory system keeps stock accurate everywhere. Linnworks connects to 100+ native channel integrations and syncs stock across them in under 10 minutes.

FAQs

Ready to put it into practice? Follow our 7-step social commerce strategy.