Today’s shopper is on TikTok, in bed at 11pm, discovering snacks they didn’t know they needed. And that’s exactly where fmcg brands need to show up: in the moment, on the feed, and with something worth sharing.
Social commerce is not a shiny new toy. It’s a serious growth channel, with extensive opportunities for fmcg. What used to be impulse buys at the till are now impulse buys on TikTok Shop. The brands getting it right are thinking beyond product. They focus on story, culture, and community.
The brands doing it best
We all remember the Little Moons frenzy. A few smart, creator-driven TikToks turned mochi into a national obsession. It wasn’t about polished ads – it was real people, real reactions, and FOMO (fear of missing out)-powered content.
Then there’s the Prime drinks example. Love or hate it, the scarcity play by the brand’s influencer creators rewrote the rules of hype and habit. And it didn’t need a single TV slot.
This is not in-your-face advertising. It’s an elegant, socially-led commerce strategy that builds brands and drives sales.
Don’t just post, plan
The biggest mistake I see is brands jumping straight to the hard sell. “Here’s a discount code!” “Buy now!” Stop.
Social isn’t just another ad channel, it’s a space for storytelling. It starts with strategy. Who are you targeting? Where do they scroll? What trends or behaviours can you tap right now?
And the user journey matters. If someone sees your post and wants to buy, make it easy with a seamless path to purchase. No clunky redirects mean no lost interest. It seems simple, but it’s crucial for any successful social commerce strategy.
Creators are not billboards
One key piece of the puzzle is creators, but too often they’re treated like walking ad space.
The best results come when brands collaborate, not dictate. Find talent who genuinely like your product, who understand your audience, and who know when to turn up the volume and when to play it cool.
Magnum nailed this with Charli XCX. Its ‘Crack Into Pleasure’ campaign didn’t feel like forced promo. It was stylish, tongue-in-cheek, and dripping in nostalgia (that Kate Moss catwalk nod? Genius). It landed everywhere because it fit.
Keep showing up
If you want your fmcg social commerce strategy to soar, you need to focus on long-term relevance.
That means showing up consistently, engaging your audience, and asking: how does our product genuinely improve someone’s everyday life? How do we shift consumers from “I must try it” to “I can’t live without it”?
Social commerce isn’t a shortcut to sales, it’s a whole new way of showing up. The brands that lean in, listen, and stay culturally plugged in will be the ones turning scrolls into sales, and buyers into believers.
Emma Wills, group account director at Seen Connects
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