Are we on the verge of a new social media revolution?

Late last week, Facebook announced that it had teamed up with Shopify to create a new call-to-action button: buy. This button effectively makes it possible for visitors to your Facebook page to purchase items that you see on the news feed of company profiles. Simply put, it’s huge, and it has the potential to revolutionise the way we see Facebook pages.

Utilising Shopify’s already established buying module, Facebook hopes to court more businesses into not only setting up their own pages, but also investing more into their boost function. The idea is that companies will see the power that comes with spending a few dollars to have their products seen by a wider audience.

At the moment, the function is currently in the beta testing stage, and has been made available for a select few companies based in the United States. Further development is expected to conclude by the end of the year, meaning that we may see “buy” plastered all over our Facebook pages very soon.

What potential does this offer, however, to small and medium sized businesses, whose trade relies on eCommerce websites? Whilst everyone’s expectations of this new buy function, is that it will make existing dedicated eCommerce pages obsolete, it may have instead the reverse effect. To understand this, we must first think about what we look for on an online shop that compels us to purchase something:

• The quality of the photo
• The description of the item
• Customer reviews
• Page shares and likes

All of these points, excluding the last, will not be included in the new Facebook/Shopify function, so does this mean that the buy function itself is going to miss the mark dramatically? Rather than thinking about this new announcement in terms of Facebook/Shopify vs every single eCommerce page on the planet, it’s the integrated approach of both that is making companies giddy with excitement.

By combining the instant purchase power of the Facebook/Shopify function, you will be able to reach impulse buyers with your services. In turn, linking to the respective page of your online shop will attract those looking for more information. Rather than using one or the other, utilising both will expand your product to a much larger audience, one that you may never have imagined ever reaching.

IT Consulting Company is a leading provider of the highest quality of digital marketing services in Australia. We are always at the forefront of the latest trends and innovations in the industry, and we ensure that all of our clients are likewise alongside us. Contact our digital strategy team today on 1300 770 119, and ask us how we can help you increase your market share in your particular field.

What do you think about the new buy button? Share your thoughts with us about whether you think it is good, or whether you think it will minimise the Facebook experience.