Grow Your Online Store With 5 Social Media Strategies for e-commerce Stores

Whether you’re from productive families who create with their handmades, an artistic craftsman, an ambitious young person full of ideas, a new graduate looking for opportunities, or even a university student with a small business idea, we all know that your dream is to reach the largest segment of customers in Saudi Arabia, whether in Riyadh, Jeddah, or Dammam. It’s no longer just a dream, but real profits await you.

Social media is no longer just a place for communication and entertainment; it’s a massive market in itself, a window overlooking millions of potential customers. Imagine that more than 85% of Saudi shoppers buy online , and e-commerce revenues in the Kingdom are expected to reach 260 billion Saudi Riyals by 2025. These huge numbers mean there’s a golden opportunity for your home-based online store to grow and thrive, reaching every home in Saudi Arabia.

And here comes the role of Arfof e-commerce Platform, your partner in success. Arfof is your integrated platform that makes it easy for you to create and manage your online store in Saudi Arabia with ease and professionalism.

But for your online store to win customers and become a household name, reaching customers, you must have a strong and distinctive presence on social media. In this blog, we share with you 5 social media strategies for e-commerce stores that will make your online store win customers and achieve your dreams. Get ready with us to enter the world of digital marketing with full force.

Strategy One: Know Your Customers Well | The Key to Success on Social Media

Before you start publishing any content on social media, you must ask yourself an important question: Who are my customers? And what do they like? What are they looking for? Understanding your audience is the foundation upon which all successful marketing strategies are built.

In Saudi Arabia, studies indicate that the most active age group in e-commerce ranges from 25 to 44 years, and this segment constitutes more than 66% of the total shoppers. These users have high technical awareness and tend to use smartphones extensively in their daily shopping. This means that your online store must be easy to browse and use via mobile, and this is what Arfof e-commerce Platform provides you.

Your customers in Saudi Arabia are looking for an easy and convenient shopping experience, especially through mobile devices. They appreciate transparency and credibility at every stage of the purchase, from clear return policies and shipping costs to the prices of handmade products. Online stores that display all details clearly and deal with their customers with high credibility are highly appreciated. This aspect of consumer behavior emphasizes the importance of building trust and providing clear information in all your interactions on social media and in your online store on Arfof e-commerce Platform.

There’s another important point related to Saudi consumer behavior: interest in local, custom-made products. Consumers in Saudi Arabia are willing to pay more for these handmade products, with more than 20% of them showing willingness to pay 11% to 20% higher than average prices for locally made or custom products. They also trust brand websites greatly, as 65% of participants in a PwC survey purchased products directly from brand e-commerce websites. This shows that your online store, with the unique products it often offers, has a strong competitive advantage. Social media strategies for e-commerce stores make your online store win customers by highlighting this authenticity and local quality.

When you understand your audience well, you can choose the content that attracts them and the platforms where they spend their time. For example, if your target audience is young people, Snapchat and TikTok will be excellent choices to reach them. But if your handmade products rely on visual appeal and require professional photos and videos, then Instagram is the most suitable platform. Your deep understanding of your customers is the first and essential step to designing social media strategies for e-commerce stores that will make your online store win customers.

Strategy Two: Choose the Right Social Media Platforms | Where Do Your Customers Spend Their Time?

The world of social media is full of diverse platforms, and you might feel confused about where you should be present. But the golden rule here is to focus on quality, not quantity. There’s no need to be present on every social media platform; the most important thing is to choose a few platforms where your target audience is heavily present, and focus your marketing efforts there to be effective and achieve real results, instead of spreading your efforts everywhere without achieving the desired impact.

Let’s take a quick look at the most popular social media platforms in Saudi Arabia and their suitability for online stores:

• Instagram: This platform is the queen of photos and short videos (Reels). It’s ideal for handmade products that rely on visual appeal such as handicrafts, clothing, accessories, or food products. You can display your products in an attractive lifestyle that inspires customers and makes them imagine your product in their daily lives. Instagram is used by 16.3 million users in Saudi Arabia , and it offers direct shopping features (Instagram Shopping) that allow customers to buy directly from the app , making the purchasing process easier for them and helping your online store win customers easily.
• TikTok: The short video platform that has achieved tremendous growth and viral spread very quickly. It’s excellent for reaching a wide audience and increasing awareness of your online store, especially among young people. The number of TikTok users in Saudi Arabia reached 35.10 million users at the beginning of 2024. This platform allows you to showcase your products in a creative and entertaining way, attracting attention super fast, making it a powerful tool to attract customers to your online store on Arfof e-commerce Platform.
• Snapchat: This platform is very strong in Saudi Arabia, especially with the young audience; more than 75% of its users in the Middle East are under 30 years old. It’s suitable for real-time and interactive content, and you can use filters and Augmented Reality (AR) tools that create a fun and innovative experience for users. Snapchat is also excellent for local marketing and delivering special offers to a specific geographic area using the (Geofilters) feature.
• YouTube: If you have products that require detailed explanations or instructions, YouTube is the ideal place. You can create tutorial videos, product reviews, or even customer success stories. YouTube is used by 28.30 million users in Saudi Arabia , and it helps build trust and credibility with your audience, ultimately driving them to visit your online store on Arfof and make a purchase.
• X (formerly Twitter): This platform is important for news, quick interaction, and discussions. It can be used for customer service, announcing quick offers, and keeping up with trends and current events. It has 14.13 million users in Saudi Arabia. Although it’s not primarily a visual platform like Instagram or TikTok, it’s valuable for direct communication and building a strong brand presence.

Here’s a quick comparison table of the most prominent social media platforms in Saudi Arabia for home-based businesses to help you make a decision within your social media strategies for e-commerce stores:

Strategy Three: Content That Attracts Eyes and Moves Hearts | The Secret to Engagement and Sales in Social Media Strategies for E-commerce Stores

Now that you know your audience and have chosen the right social media platforms, it’s time to create unforgettable content. Your products, especially if they are handmade or home-produced, deserve to appear in their best light. Professional photography is not just a luxury, but a necessity for building trust and attracting customers. When a customer sees high-quality images, they imagine the product in their home or using it themselves. Use good natural lighting and simple backgrounds, and photograph the product from different angles to show all its details. If you sell clothes, try photographing them on models in beautiful Saudi locations to add an authentic local touch that appeals to the Saudi audience. Our article titled “Comprehensive Guide to Professional Photography for Your Handmade Products of Your Online Store” can help you with this.

The types of attractive content that ensure your store wins customers vary:

• Reels Videos: These short videos are currently the most powerful on Instagram and TikTok. Create fun Reels that show “before and after” using your product, or provide quick tips in a lovable Saudi dialect that attracts the audience. Statistics indicate that Reels achieve 22% higher engagement than regular posts , making them an effective tool for increasing awareness of your store.
• Stories: Use Instagram and Snapchat Stories for daily communication with your followers. Share glimpses behind the scenes of your work, or announce quick, limited-time offers. Stories create a sense of closeness and personal connection, making your customers feel like they are part of your store’s journey.
• Interactive Content: Encourage interaction by asking your followers questions, conducting polls about new products, or organizing simple and fun challenges. This increases audience participation and makes them an active part of your store’s community, strengthening brand loyalty.

Don’t forget the power of User-Generated Content (UGC). Encourage your satisfied customers to share photos or videos of your products in use, and ask them to tag your store’s account or use your special hashtag. This content is highly trusted by new customers and builds a strong community around your brand. You can incentivize their participation by organizing contests or offering free gifts. This not only increases your reach but also enhances the credibility that the Saudi consumer seeks.

Every product you have has a story, and every home-based project has a special soul. Share your journey in building the project, your values, or glimpses of the handmade product creation process. When a customer feels they know the story behind the product, they deepen their relationship with your online store and become more attached to it. These human stories make your online store unique and help it win loyal customers.

Strategy Four: The Power of Influencers and Paid Ads | Expand Your Reach

In the Saudi market, which is characterized by extensive social media use, collaborating with influencers and paid advertising are powerful tools to expand your store’s reach. Influencers are a bridge that connects you to a large audience who trust their opinions and recommendations. When choosing influencers, look for those whose audience aligns with your target customers, even if their follower count isn’t massive. The most important thing is that they are genuine influencers in your niche and have strong engagement with their followers. This ensures your message reaches the right people who have a real interest in your products.

Paid advertisements on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are an invaluable opportunity to reach thousands of potential customers who might not discover your online store through organic marketing. These platforms allow you to target audiences with extreme precision, based on age, gender, interests, and even geographical location. For example, if you sell products specific to a certain region in Saudi Arabia, you can target ads to appear only to people residing in that area, which increases the effectiveness of your campaigns and reduces budget waste.

The types of ads you can use in social media strategies for e-commerce stores vary:

• Snapchat Ads: Snapchat offers various types of ads suitable for small businesses. You can use Snap Ads to showcase your products quickly and attractively, or interactive lenses that allow customers to virtually experience your product, or Geofilter ads that appear to users in specific geographic locations, making them ideal for local marketing.
• TikTok Ads: Focus on creating short, engaging videos that align with the platform’s entertaining and creative nature. When launching your ad campaigns on TikTok in Saudi Arabia, make sure to select the “Search” option in the ads to ensure they reach your target Saudi audience correctly.
• Instagram Ads: Design visually appealing ads using high-quality photos and videos. Target an audience that interacts with similar products to yours or has interests that align with what you offer. These ads can appear in the feed, Stories, or Reels, increasing the chances of your online store reaching a wider audience.

By blending smart collaborations with influencers and effectively using paid ads, you can significantly expand your home-based online store’s reach, and ensure that social media strategies for e-commerce stores make your online store consistently win new customers.

Strategy Five: Analyze and Improve | Your Path to Continuous Growth

Social media marketing is not just about publishing content, launching ads, and then waiting. To ensure your online store continuously wins customers, you must constantly monitor and analyze your campaign performance. Every social media platform provides its own analytics tools (often known as “Insights” or “Statistics”) that give you valuable and important information about the performance of your posts and ads. These tools are your eyes through which you see the success of your marketing efforts.

There are key metrics you should monitor regularly:

• Follower Count: Is your follower count increasing over time? This is an indicator of your content’s attractiveness and your ability to build a community.
• Engagement: How many likes, comments, and shares do your posts get? High engagement means your audience is interested in what you offer.
• Reach: How many unique people have seen your posts or ads? This gives you an idea of how widely your content is spread.
• Conversions: This is the most important metric for your online store. How many customers made a purchase from your online store after seeing your ad or post on social media? Tracking conversions helps you understand the real return on your investment.
• Follower Demographics: Who exactly are your followers? (Age, gender, geographical area). This information helps you ensure you are targeting the right audience and adjust your strategies if necessary.

Use this data to continuously improve your strategies. When you discover that a certain type of content brings more engagement, focus more on it in your future posts. If you find that a particular ad generates higher sales, consider increasing its budget or analyzing its successful elements to replicate them in future campaigns. This continuous analysis and adjustment ensures that social media strategies for e-commerce stores make your online store win customers in the most effective and efficient ways.

Don’t forget that our government in Saudi Arabia strongly supports small and medium-sized enterprises within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. There are government entities that offer you support and guidance to help you succeed. For example, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority provides training programs, consultations, and even discounted services to help you start and grow your project. Also, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization has a center to support small and medium-sized enterprises, offering guidance to ensure your products are of the highest quality and reach new markets with confidence. These government entities are a valuable resource that can help you on your entrepreneurial journey. Our article on “Government Support for Startups in Saudi Arabia” will help you seize this opportunity.

Launch Your Saudi Home-Based Project Towards New Horizons with Arfof e-commerce Platform

You’ve seen how applying 5 simple and smart social media strategies for e-commerce stores can transform your home-based project from just an idea into a real success story on social media. Always remember these basic steps: know your customers well to understand their needs, choose the right platforms where they are present, provide stunning and engaging content that tells the story of your products, leverage the power of influencers and paid ads to expand your reach, and continuously monitor and improve your performance to ensure sustainable growth. These are the social media strategies for e-commerce stores that will make your online store win customers and achieve the widespread recognition it deserves.

And with Arfof e-commerce Platform, your journey in the world of e-commerce will be easier and more professional. We at Arfof are here to support you with all the tools you need to create and manage an online store successfully, and make your handmade products reach every home in Saudi Arabia. Arfof platform is designed to meet your needs as a home business owner, from the ease of creating an online store in Saudi Arabia to managing orders and payments, so you can focus on your creativity.

It’s time to turn your passion and creativity into real profit. Start your online store today with Arfof e-commerce Platform and watch your dreams turn into tangible reality.