Talk Sells: Get to know social shoppers on Twitter
People come to Twitter to talk about their passions, connect with community, and stay up on trends. It’s also where they turn to shop what’s in the zeitgeist, as seen by over 56 billion impressions on shopping-related Tweets in 2021 alone.1
From #BlackSkincare to #SneakerDrops, new products are talked about constantly on Twitter. And all of this community-fueled chatter leads to purchase, with 76% of people on Twitter surveyed agreeing that conversation on the platform led them to make a purchase.2
If you’re looking to drive sales on Twitter, you’ll want to understand our insights on social shoppers and the types of products they buy. (And while you’re at it, check out our tips for turning fans into customers).
They want social proof before purchase
Shoppers naturally seek out information and inspiration before making a purchase, whether from friends, family, communities, or an authentic influencer they follow. Conversation on Twitter often provides the social proof they’re looking for to inform their decision to buy.
While 64% of people on Twitter surveyed say they always research an item online before buying, social shoppers are also highly spontaneous.3 In fact, 49% of shoppers surveyed report that a typical shopping session begins when they discover a unique product on social.4
Cultural relevance is key
Twitter is what’s happening, and people on the platform want brands to be relevant: aligning with cultural events, promoting trends, and supporting social issues. Our insights show a 94% correlation between a brand's cultural relevance and intent to purchase.5
It’s not surprising then that “high intention goods” are some of the most shopped on Twitter. These include products with an emotional charge such as a sports jersey, a long return on investment such as an exercise bike, or a high price point. They often surface when conversation is sparked around a global or local event.
Underwear brand @yourparade enters the reproductive rights conversation with the launch of a timely collection.
They want in on drops
Shoppers on Twitter love a drop – and by that we mean a limited-edition release of a product with hype. The youngest people on Twitter are particularly into drops, with 70% of Gen Z survey respondents saying they use Twitter to learn about upcoming product drops.6
We’re currently testing Product Drops in the US, a tool that allows you to launch your products natively on Twitter and auto remind fans to shop the drop. Keep an eye on @TwitterShopping to find out when this tool launches to all Professionals on Twitter.
To kick off the summer season, sustainable underwear brand @yourparade drops a limited-edition tie-dye kit in collaboration with @ritdye.
Causes are highly considered
Twitter is where the world comes together around meaningful causes, and people flock to the platform to activate their values. These causes are hugely intertwined with shopping, with 92% of people on Twitter surveyed strongly considering causes when deciding to buy.7
So whether your product aligns with a purpose, benefits a charity, supports a community, or incorporates sustainable materials, you’ll want to lean into the mission behind your merchandise.
@Nobellfoods champions the #animalfree and planet-friendly nature of their cheese in almost every Tweet.
They love to shop and tell
Shoppers on Twitter tend to tell the world about their purchases. Of the 56 billion shopping-related Tweets in 2021, over half of them mention a purchase or include a review or a rec.8 Also, per our 2021 study, shopping Tweets drive more than 2X as many replies, and almost 3X as many impressions.9
Of people who bought something via Twitter in our 2021 study: 43% mentioned it to friends, 41% mentioned it to family members, 33% wrote about it on social, 18% wrote about it in a blog, and so on and so forth.10 Phew! That’s a lot of talking shop.
@Slim_ox turns to Twitter to talk up her recent candle purchase from @Forvrmood
Tips for turning fans into customers
Now that you know a bit more about social shoppers on Twitter and the products they love to shop, follow these tips to drive sales.
Be product forward
Place your products directly on your profile with our new Twitter Shopping tools, enabling a Twitter Shop and/or Shop Spotlight. This will ensure your products are front and center when your fans are ready to shop the moment.
Show up always
Follow like-minded people and brands, join the conversation, and post frequently about things that are culturally relevant or cause-related. Be present when fans are Tweeting during events that are important to your niche community. Use hashtags to surface products at key times.
Create hype
Experiment with drops and release a limited-edition product at a time that’s relevant to your biggest fans. Initiate an artist or designer collaboration to co-create a product. Keep an eye on @TwitterShopping to find out when our Product Drops tool is available to all Professionals.
Want to stay up to date with all things Twitter Shopping? Follow us @TwitterShopping and check out our Twitter Shopping page to see how your brand can tap into the power of conversation to drive sales.
Looking for more insights into social shopping? Here are a couple of deeper dives:
- Twitter Internal Data (Big Query, Semantic Core). January 1, 2021 – January 1, 2022. Global. English only.
- Twitter Internal Data, August - September 2021. 500 Twitter users sampled and surveyed.
- Influence Study, 2021, Base: Twitter Users (n=1794), Non-Twitter Users (n=4206)
- Twitter Internal Data, August - September 2021. 500 Twitter users sampled and surveyed.
- Kantar & Twitter Brand Cultural Relevance Research, commissioned by Twitter, US. Nationally representative sample, 100 US brands tested, December 2021. Methodology: Twitter ran a correlation analysis to look at the relationship between the relative movement of intent to purchase on Twitter and cultural relevance (as scored by our survey). The output of that model was the correlation coefficient (which is a measure of strength of the relationship between the two sets of variables) of .94 (or 94%). The possible value ranges for a correlation coefficient are between -1.0 and 1.0.
- Bovitz, Conversation as a Superpower Study, commissioned by Twitter, 2021, 1153 Twitter US respondents
- Influence Study, 2021, Base: Twitter Users (n=1794), Non-Twitter Users (n=4206)
- Twitter Internal Data (Regex, Semantic Core). Render Tweet Impressions from January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2022. Global. English only.
- Twitter Internal Data, Keyword List, January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2022. Global.
- Influence Study, 2021, Base: Twitter Users (n=1794), Non-Twitter Users (n=4206)
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