When it comes to social media, one of the big things is ROI, or how much money am I making through my use of social media.  If you’re using Google Analytics to measure the results of your online marketing campaigns, then you will be able to track the effectiveness of your efforts on social media.  The following are ways to help the bottom line by increasing online sales with social media, 
1. Allow Social Sharing of Product Pages

When it comes to social media, one of the big things is ROI, or how much money am I making through my use of social media.  If you’re using Google Analytics to measure the results of your online marketing campaigns, then you will be able to track the effectiveness of your efforts on social media.  The following are ways to help the bottom line by increasing online sales with social media, 

1. Allow Social Sharing of Product Pages

Help your fans help you.  When someone buys something (or adds it to their wishlist), they just might be inclined to share it with their friends on Twitter, Facebook, or other networks.  Make it easy for them by adding social sharing buttons to your product pages like Buy.com does.  Continue reading to learn how to add social sharing buttons to your content.

2. Write Content That Leads Customers to Products & Share

When it comes to viral social popularity, content is key.  If you want to make sales from social media, create amazing content that leads your visitors to your products.  Then share that content on social media.  Your visitors from social media sites to your content will hopefully lead to more sales!

3. Include Beautiful Images of Products for Pinterest

Speaking of social sharing and making sales, Pinterest is now shown to be driving more traffic and sales than some of the other popular social networks.  The reason is likely to be the fact that Pinterest makes window shopping easy to do from the comfort of your computer, and they cater to retailers by allowing a link directly to the product above the image plus the option to put in a price that overlays the photo.  To capitalize on this, simply make sure you have beautiful images of your products on your product pages.  This should lead to your fans pinning your product pages and their followers shopping from your site!  Adding the Pin It button as shown in the earlier example photo from Buy.com should help encourage pinning too!

4. Share Special Discounts for Social Media Fans

Make your social media audience feel appreciated and boost your sales at the same time!  Every so often, create a discount code customized for a particular social network and share it.  Even something as simple as “Get 20% off of our latest summer fashions by using the code TWEET20” will lead to extra sales that you can track down to your Twitter coupon code.  

5. Take Advantage of Facebook Applications

Want to add a shopping cart, Groupon-like coupon, or other type of custom content to your Facebook page? Check out the line of easy to install applications by developers like North Social and Woobox.  Also, find out if your shopping cart solution provider has apps that will integrate your store on your Facebook page – some do with or without an extra charge!

6. Provide Great Social Media Customer Service

One of the downsides of social media is that chances are, you will catch people complaining about your products or services. Whether people are singing your praises or just the opposite, you have the chance to demonstrate your incredible customer service skills.  The best part (depending on how you look at it) is that you will be demonstrating on a public platform.  Every time you answer a customer service inquiry on your Twitter, Facebook, or other socia platform, be sure to do it with the goal of impressing them and your fans.  People love good customer service and will likely stay loyal to or start working with a brand who shows they have it!

7. Use Google+ for Better Search Rankings

Now that Google Places is going to be replaced by Google+, Google+ will be more important than ever.  But it’s not just for local businesses.  In general, anytime you are connected with someone on Google+, websites and pages that you have shared (including your own) will show up higher in search results for your connections.  This means by connecting with your target audience on Google+ and then sharing your product pages, your connections will have a better chance of finding you in search results when searching for keywords related to your products.  

What do you think? Do you have tips for increasing online sales? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.