One person discovers a product in a short video, reads the comments, visits the brand's profile, and sends a question via Direct Message. Another sees a recommendation from a creator, looks up reviews, and finishes the purchase on the website. The sale might happen outside of the social network, but a large part of the decision happened right there. This behavior helps explain the growth of social commerce.
Social media is no longer just a promotional tool. For many businesses, it also helps present products, answer questions, showcase customer experiences, and guide purchases.
What is social commerce
Social commerce is the use of social media throughout the purchasing process. Customers might discover a product on Instagram, ask a question via WhatsApp, and complete the purchase on the e-commerce store. They might also watch a video on TikTok, visit the brand's profile, and talk directly to a salesperson. The Mercado Pago introduces social commerce as a way to bring content, engagement, and sales closer together within social environments.
The purchase doesn't have to end within the platform. The key is to identify how much the network contributed to discovery, evaluation, or conversion.
Where social commerce appears in practice
A company can use social media for different commercial functions.
On Instagram, a Reels video shows the product in use. Stories answer questions. Comments reveal doubts. Direct Messages receive inquiries.
On TikTok, demonstration videos, creators, and reviews can introduce a brand to people who weren't even looking for it. In other cases, the content leads directly to WhatsApp, a product page, or a catalog. Social commerce happens in this combination of content and the next step.
Commercial content doesn't have to be just offers
Publishing prices and conditions can help close a sale. But much of the content that influences the decision doesn't look like an ad. A video showing size, finish, or usage answers questions. A comparison between two models helps those still making up their minds.
A customer showing the product at home offers a different perspective than the official photo. Even comments can play a role. If multiple people ask about delivery times, shipping, or availability, there is commercial information that needs to be made clearer.
Social proof plays a role in the decision
Someone who doesn't know the brand yet looks for signs of trustworthiness. Ratings, comments, customer photos, and reviews help in this process. The logic is simple.
The brand controls its own communication. Customers also observe what other people say after the purchase. A comment like "liked it" provides little context. On the other hand, a review explaining what problem the person had, why they chose that product, and how they used it offers much more information.
This type of content can appear in the feed, on Stories, on product pages, or in campaigns.
Creators can drive sales, but reach alone is not enough
Follower count is just a data point, not a result. A partnership with a creator needs to consider whether the audience relates to the category, if the format fits the product, and if there is a way to track what happened afterward. Coupons, specific links, and UTMs help isolate part of this traffic.
It is also important to monitor customer service. A creator might generate few direct clicks while still increasing brand name searches or Direct Message inquiries. If the operation only measures the link used in the post, part of that impact may go unnoticed.
Instagram can function as a storefront, proof, and customer service channel
Instagram concentrates different points of the customer journey. The feed organizes the brand's presence. Reels help with discovery. Stories allow you to repeat information, show routines, and promote offers.
Comments act as a source of questions and social proof. Direct Messages open a conversation. This combination can generate sales, but it requires continuity. If a campaign leads someone to Direct Messages and customer service takes hours to reply, the network did its job, but the operation stalled afterward.
Social commerce also relies on customer service.
TikTok can participate before the search stage
On TikTok, much of the discovery happens right inside the feed. People don't need to search for a brand name to find a product. A demonstration video, review, or creator can spark interest. Afterward, the user looks for other videos, reads comments, or visits the profile.
This behavior requires content that works within the platform's native language. Simply copying a traditional media asset and adapting it to 9:16 does not guarantee the same results.
WhatsApp and Direct Messages come in when the purchase depends on a conversation
In many businesses, checkout is not the natural end point of social media. Users need to ask about prices, conditions, availability, timelines, or specific features before buying. In these cases, WhatsApp and Direct Messages directly influence conversion. The origin of the contact must be tracked throughout the conversation.
If someone arrived from a specific ad, this information helps customer service start with more context. It also helps marketing measure which campaigns actually generate sales conversations.
How to shorten the path between content and purchase
A post sparks interest. After that, the person needs to know what to do next. The link can lead to a product page, catalog, WhatsApp, form, or integrated store. There is no single destination that fits every business.
The important thing is to avoid steps that add no value. If someone sees an offer on Instagram, clicks the profile, looks for the bio link, opens a generic page, finds the menu, and only then reaches the product, there are multiple drop-off points. In some cases, a dedicated landing page works best. In others, a pre-filled WhatsApp conversation works better.
How to measure sales through social media
Likes and views help monitor distribution and interest. To analyze commercial impact, other data points must be factored in, such as:
• Website clicks
• Conversations started
• Leads
• Product page visits
• Coupon usage
• Add-to-cart actions
• Sales
• Revenue
• Contact origin
• Response time
Evaluation depends on the purchasing model. A company that sells via e-commerce can track checkout and revenue. Another that closes sales via WhatsApp needs to connect conversations, CRM data, and actual purchases.
What usually hinders a social commerce operation
A profile might have good reach but low commercial results. This happens when content, customer service, and sales operate in silos. Other common issues include:
• Broken or generic links
• Products lacking sufficient information
• Slow customer service
• Lack of social proof
• Creators chosen solely based on follower count
• Identical content across all platforms
• Lack of tracking
• Contacts arriving on WhatsApp without a recorded origin
None of these problems are solved simply by posting more.
How to start a social commerce strategy
The first step is to identify which networks your audience already uses to search for, comment on, and ask questions about your category. Then, define the role of each channel. Instagram can focus on product demonstrations and Direct Messages. TikTok can help with discovery.
WhatsApp can handle inquiries that require customer service. E-commerce can complete the purchase. This structure varies depending on the business. The important part is being able to track what happened between the initial content and the final sale.
ABM Tec connects content, media, customer service, and data to support this approach. Get in touch today and see how to turn your social media into a sales channel.
