The Future of Social Commerce in 2025: What's Coming?

Social media has evolved beyond just connecting people—it's now a vital part of how we shop online. By 2025, social commerce, blending elements of e-commerce with social media platforms, is expected to account for a significant share of e-commerce sales. In this blog, we explore the social commerce trends that are shaping this industry and what businesses need to be aware of in the evolving social commerce market.

How Social Platforms Are Shifting to Commerce

Platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are transforming from mere content-sharing venues to vibrant marketplaces. It’s predicted that by 2025, social commerce sales will account for 17% of global e-commerce transactions. This shift indicates a substantial growth in social media commerce, making it crucial for businesses to understand how to sell on social media effectively.

Trends Driving Social Commerce Growth

Several key trends are dictating the growth of social commerce:

- Shoppable Posts: These features allow consumers to make purchases directly from social media posts and are becoming prevalent across platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. By 2025, shoppable content is expected to become a dominant method for businesses to boost their online sales.

- Live Shopping Events: Brands are increasingly using live shopping to showcase products in real-time and interact with potential buyers. This format is expected to become a staple in social commerce strategies.

- Personalised Shopping with AI: Leveraging AI to create personalised shopping experiences is set to revolutionise e-commerce. This technology caters to individual preferences with precision, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Social Commerce by Numbers

The future of social commerce looks promising with robust data to back it up:

- In the UK, social commerce is projected to reach £7.4 billion in sales by 2024, and grow to nearly £16 billion by 2028, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.2%​(Retail Economics).

- By 2025, UK consumers are expected to spend a significant portion of their disposable income through social commerce platforms, driven by the rising popularity among Gen Z and Millennials.

- 56% of UK consumers have already made purchases directly through a social or entertainment platform, and this is expected to rise as social commerce becomes more ingrained in consumer behaviour​(Retail Economics).

Opportunities and Challenges for Social Commerce

While social commerce offers immense opportunities for businesses to engage with consumers on a more personal level, it also presents challenges, particularly concerning data privacy. Securing all transaction avenues to protect consumer data is paramount to maintaining trust and safety online.

What to Expect in 2025

As we near 2025, social media platforms are likely to further enhance their shopping features. Expect more brands to leverage live-stream shopping, shoppable posts, and AI-driven personalization to provide superior shopping experiences.

For businesses, developing a robust social commerce strategy now is crucial. Those who adapt swiftly will position themselves to successfully connect with customers and significantly boost sales.

Potential Job Roles Emerging from Social Commerce Growth by 2025

1. Social Commerce Strategist
Brands will need specialists who can align their marketing efforts with direct sales objectives on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. The demand for tailored, platform-specific strategies will drive the need for experts in this area.

2. Social Media Merchandiser
With more consumers purchasing directly from social platforms, the role of a merchandiser will expand into digital realms, requiring expertise in creating compelling product displays and driving engagement through visually-led strategies.

3. Social Commerce Data Analyst
As businesses rely more on social commerce, the ability to extract actionable insights from user interactions and sales data will be critical. Data analysts will help refine marketing strategies, track performance, and forecast sales trends based on social commerce metrics.

4. Social Commerce Customer Experience Manager
With customer expectations rising for instant, personalised experiences on social platforms, brands will need experts focused on maintaining and improving every touchpoint of the social commerce buying journey to build loyalty and reduce churn.

5. Platform-Specific Marketing Specialist
As social commerce becomes more complex, brands will need deep, nuanced knowledge of individual platforms to successfully execute campaigns. Specialists who focus on one platform can deliver highly effective, optimised marketing efforts that align with the platform’s ever-evolving functionalities.

These roles highlight the transformative impact of social commerce on the job market, emphasising the need for specialised skills to navigate and leverage digital advancements in this sector.

Conclusion

The rise of social commerce is reshaping how consumers interact with brands online. As this trend continues to grow, staying ahead of the curve will be essential for businesses looking to thrive in the digital marketplace.