Kill It with Social Media

How important is social media to success selling on eBay and Amazon?

That's a loaded questions. 


It’s sort of like asking, are you a glass is half full, or a glass is half empty type of person. If you’re a glass is half full type, you’re going to scream “Damn right! You have to be on social media, because—that’s where the people are.” If you’re a glass is half empty type you’re going to whine and moan “what’s the point? I’m selling my stuff on eBay, not on Facebook and Twitter.” 


You probably see where I’m going with this. 

Online sellers are divided on the need for social media, its uses, and its outcomes. Some sellers will tell you they couldn’t have gotten where they are without it, others will say “Why bother!” or “Hey! I tried it, and it didn’t make any diff. My sales stayed the same.” 


I’m going to try not to take sides here. My goal is to give you the information you need to implement social media in your eBay business should you choose to do so. 


My primary focus is going to be on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest because they are the three powerhouses behind social media today. Facebook and Twitter get more of the space, because they are the social media sites everybody goes to. Pinterest gets a bigger mention because it is the one seller’s say actually works best. 


Does that mean you need to use all three? Or that you should focus exclusively on Pinterest because it’s what works best for most sellers? No. It means you should start out slow. Pick one or two social media platforms and spend ten or fifteen minutes on them two or three days a week. 


A PEW University study on social media usage has one more relevant piece of information for savvy online marketers—over half of the people who visit social media sites are active on more than one site. For marketers the implication is clear, if you want to reach your primary customer base, you need to be active on several social media platforms. Using one social media platform isn’t going to cut it. Think a minimum of two, maybe even three social media platforms if you want to reach your target audience effectively. 


When you are first getting started watch what other sellers in businesses similar to yours are doing on social media sites. Like some of their posts and start building your network. Make a few short posts. Put up a few pictures, or some short videos. Rinse and repeat. 

The key to success with social media is to post regularly, comment when someone likes or comments on one of your posts, and keep a conversation going with your followers. Over time you will develop a following of your own. 


And, one other tip, don’t try to move too quickly, or fast track your way to success. There are a lot of places on and off of eBay where you can buy 500 or 1,000 likes. Don’t be tempted. Phantom fans who don’t comment on your posts, or like them, aren’t going to do your business any good over the long haul. 


Remember, it’s not a contest to see who can get the most followers. It’s all about getting the most followers who will engage with you on a regular basis, and who will share your content with their friends and followers. 


That’s how you build your business using social media. Give more than you get, share content your followers like, enjoy, and can use. If you do this, sales will follow.