Retailers, advertisers, and customers are at odds when it comes to retail search experiences. Retailers are looking to expand ad revenues. Advertisers need the ability to drive product sales by expanding visibility through keyword use and placements. And consumers don’t want the hassle of sifting through sponsored items that aren’t relevant to them.

Social commerce sales are continuing to rise steadily, reaching $82.82 billion in the US next year, per our forecast. But it’s getting harder to convert new buyers. Here’s how retailers can encourage more social media purchases and boost their social commerce sales.

Best Buy, TikTok take diverging approaches to live commerce: But getting viewers to tune in remains a serious challenge, regardless of whether retailers focus on education or entertainment.

Amazon is on track for its first-ever $100 billion holiday season, boosted by its unbeatable delivery speeds, while click and collect gives Walmart an omnichannel edge, and Temu draws in price-conscious consumers. Plus, TikTok and mobile apps help retailers connect with consumers and stand out among the competition.

TikTok’s latest strategy to boost social commerce sales relies on AI: The social platform is testing a feature that automatically links users to TikTok Shop without creator input.

Carnival embraces 'granfluencer' wave: Cruise line teams up with Retirement House and Gronk for a multi-generational TikTok hit.

Gen Z’s attention is split across social media for shopping and search: The cohort’s use of multiple social networks spells opportunity for platforms and advertisers.

Overly complicated ideas don’t go viral on Reels. “Be brutal in the simplicity of your idea,” Rory McClenaghan, group strategy director at Molson Coors’ internal agency, Volt, said at Advertising Week New York 2023. If you can’t explain the Reels idea in four frames or fewer, it’s probably too complicated.

E.l.f. Beauty’s “Make up over Makeup” campaign, which launched in May, was a departure from what many think of as creator marketing. The campaign brought creators Chris Olsen, who boasts 12.1 million followers on TikTok, and Ian Paget, who has 2.5 million followers on TikTok, together after their high-profile breakup for a conversation and makeover.

US annual social commerce sales per buyer will nearly double from $627.8 in 2023 to $1,223.7 in 2027, according to our forecast.

TikTok wants to court sports advertisers: The app recently held sessions to teach advertisers how to build effective campaigns around major sports events.

Social commerce still has plenty of room to expand in the US. With discovery and inspiration as the key characteristics of social commerce, TikTok won’t be Amazon—but it will bring in new Gen Z shoppers.

ByteDance's CapCut dives into the business sector: The popular app is introducing AI-driven tools to help content marketers.

TikTok is extending its video content to an array of public screens, including those at airports, gas stations, and movie rental machines. The expansion into out-of-home (OOH) advertising marks TikTok’s ambitions to go beyond its roots as a mobile app.

YouTube keeps rolling out shopping tools: The latest update enables creators to make the shopping button appear at relevant points in their videos.

TikTok’s premium ad placements get Disney’s stamp of approval: The app will host a monthlong Disney content hub.

Ecommerce sales will return to double-digit growth this holiday season amid a backdrop of healthy consumer spending.