Research has revealed that nearly a third of global consumer brands have no social commerce strategy in place despite the growing importance of social shopping platforms.
The study of senior marketers at 70 global consumer brands found that while 70% have implemented social commerce strategies, significant gaps remain in how businesses approach social selling and community engagement.
Instagram emerged as the dominant platform for social commerce, with 40% of brands using it as their primary channel – ahead of owned e-commerce platforms at 34%. The photo-sharing app’s influence extends beyond commerce, with one in four marketers planning to allocate at least 25% of their 2025 marketing budgets to the platform.
Patricia Aragón, Global Director of eCommerce Emerging Solutions & Innovation at SAMY Alliance, said: “The fact that nearly a third of consumer brands admit to lacking a social commerce strategy when you can see the growth of platforms like TikTok Shop is astounding.”
The research highlighted shifting consumer search behaviours, with social platforms gaining ground on traditional search engines. While Google remains the primary destination for brand searches at 86%, Instagram (70%) and TikTok (44%) are becoming increasingly important discovery channels.
Short-form video content appears central to marketers’ 2025 plans, with 69% believing Instagram Reels will gain prominence, closely followed by TikTok videos at 66%. These statistics reflect a broader trend towards ‘shoppertainment’ – the fusion of entertainment and commerce.
“Short-form video captivates audiences with quick, impactful bursts of joy and entertainment, requiring minimal time commitment,” Aragón said. “However, social commerce strategies will only succeed if they are humanised and handled correctly. Brands must remember their goal is to connect with consumers authentically, build trust, and provide an experience that adds value.”
The study also showed shortcomings in community management. Only 25% of brands engage in frequent, proactive interactions with their online communities. This represents a missed opportunity, as effective community management can help drive algorithm-boosting engagement, customer feedback, brand loyalty, and sales.
Nearly half of the surveyed brands preferred social platforms with built-in commerce features, suggesting a move towards integrated shopping experiences. That’s broadly in line with the rise of social commerce platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping, which aim to shorten the path from discovery to purchase.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, marketers appear focused on developing more sophisticated social commerce strategies that balance entertainment, community engagement, and shopping experiences.
However, the research suggests many brands still need to bridge the gap between recognising the importance of social commerce and implementing effective strategies.
As social platforms continue to evolve their commerce capabilities, brands without clear strategies risk falling behind in the retail landscape.
For brands looking to enhance their social commerce strategy, the research suggests focusing on three key areas: platform selection, with Instagram foremost; content format, particularly short-form video; and community management, where significant improvement opportunities exist.
The survey was conducted by SAMY Alliance, a digital marketing agency, and provides insights into how global consumer brands approach social commerce and community management.
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