Social commerce in Malaysia: Platforms to know and how to use them

Remember when selling online meant building a dedicated website? That paradigm has shifted dramatically. For many businesses today, social commerce platforms are becoming the new storefronts. Platforms like TikTok Shop and Facebook Marketplace accounted for over US$400 million in revenue in 2023, with an expected increase to nearly US$1 billion by 2028¹. 

With this shift, it’s increasingly advantageous to leverage social media selling platforms to drive engagement and streamline sales. 

This article will explore the best social commerce platforms in Malaysia, spotlighting current trends and guiding you on how to use social media to your advantage for e-commerce.

What is social commerce and how does it work?

Social commerce is the process of selling products directly through social media platforms, where the entire customer journey, from discovery to checkout, takes place without leaving the site. This process is also often referred to as social selling. 

Social commerce vs. e-commerce

While social commerce may appear similar to e-commerce, the two differ in the customer journeys involved:

• E-commerce platforms focus on transactions via dedicated storefronts. For instance, Shopify and Shopee are marketplaces on which businesses can list products for customers to browse and purchase. 
• Social commerce platforms enable shopping natively within the social feed itself. For example, Facebook and Instagram enable shoppers to buy products directly through Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shops,  respectively. 

Malaysia has a high number of engaged social media users, with 15.68 million on Instagram, 24.87 million on Facebook, and 17.76 million on TikTok^{2, 3, 4}. As such, brands that capture the attention of these users through social media selling platforms can broaden their outreach more successfully.

Here are the six leading social media selling platforms to consider:

1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn has over 1 billion members spread across 200+ countries and territories⁵. As a professional networking site, it lends itself particularly well to the relationship nurturing required within the B2B e-commerce sector. With features like professional demographics data and ad targeting, B2B marketers report up to two times higher conversion rates on LinkedIn compared to other platforms⁶.

Best practices for social commerce on LinkedIn

• Showcase your expertise: Share valuable insights and thought leadership content to demonstrate your industry authority before attempting any sales.
• Optimize your company page: Use the "About Us" section to tell your brand's story, detail your unique value proposition, and drive traffic back to your website.
• Check your LinkedIn Social Selling Score: Monitor your Social Selling Index (SSI) to measure your effectiveness in building relationships and engaging with insights, identifying areas for improvement.
• Use your employees as advocates for your business: Encourage your employees to reshare and engage with your business's posts to organically amplify your brand message and reach.

2. Instagram

Instagram is a highly visual social media platform ideal for brand storytelling and discovery, appealing primarily to younger and more affluent users⁷. 

With a widespread adoption of 15.68 million engaged users in Malaysia, the platform offers significant opportunities for most businesses to find new customers and drive sales through visually appealing content².

Best practices for social commerce on Instagram

• Post at the right time: Use an analytics tool to determine your followers' peak activity hours. Schedule your content calendar around these times for maximum reach.
• Pin your best posts: Utilize the three available spots at the top of your profile to showcase your brand’s best-selling products, top promotions, or unique offerings.
• Engage with your followers: Actively answer customer questions, invite feedback, and monitor comment discussions to gain insights into current market trends.
• Use the right hashtags: Avoid generic hashtags. Instead, research niche and specific tags that will directly connect your brand to relevant prospects and specialized audiences.
• Utilize Instagram Shopping: Leverage the platform's dedicated e-commerce tools, like product tags and "Buy" buttons, to allow consumers to purchase without leaving the app.

3. Facebook

Facebook maintains widespread usage globally, particularly among millennials, with over three billion monthly active users^7,8.

With social commerce features like Facebook Shops, native checkout, and Marketplace integration, the platform allows you to sell directly from your business page and facilitate conversational commerce via Messenger.

Best practices for social commerce on Facebook

• Keep engagement on the platform: Refrain from linking to external channels frequently. Instead, use your business’s page to share updates, photos, videos, and discussions around trending topics, as Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes such content.
• Create a community feel: Utilize Facebook Groups to build interactive spaces where followers can genuinely connect and share experiences, nurturing loyalty.
• Post lots of videos: Use short tutorials or Facebook Live sessions to share valuable and interesting updates about your brand.
• Use Facebook Messenger: Interact directly with followers and set up automatic replies to ensure no customer query is missed.
• Set up a Facebook Shop: Create a dedicated online store on your business page, allowing customers to purchase items directly on the platform with flexible checkout options. 

4. Pinterest

As one of the most creative social commerce platforms, Pinterest attracts nearly 600 million monthly active users interested in lifestyle, fashion, and aspirational content⁹. Shoppable pins and product catalogs allow users to move seamlessly from visual discovery to purchasing. 

Best practices for social commerce on Pinterest

• Prioritize fresh pins: Pinterest’s algorithm favors entirely new pins, so focus on populating your boards with unique, inspiring images and content that users cannot find elsewhere.
• Create impactful visuals: Design pins that stand out to catch scrollers’ attention, using eye-catching colors, interesting titles, and easily digestible bullet-point descriptions.
• Don’t overpin: Analysis suggests posting between 15 and 25 pins per day is the ideal frequency to maintain engagement without overwhelming your audience¹⁰.
• Use relevant keywords: Ensure your pins are seen by the right audience by strategically placing keywords across your profile's "About" section, board descriptions, titles, and pin descriptions.

5. X (formerly Twitter)

X attracts an engaged audience focused on news, current affairs, and real-time conversations. With over 540 million monthly users, over 35% of whom use it to follow or research brands and products, it is a key platform for quick communication and brand visibility¹¹. 

Though it’s conversation-driven, its social commerce features allow you to use links in posts to drive direct sales.

Best practices for social commerce on X

• Join in: Reply to tweets and join trending discussions to build your brand’s presence and demonstrate engagement within the community.
• Craft your bio: Write an interesting and concise business description that articulates your unique selling point and links to your website.
• Be consistent: Post frequently (ideally 2 to 4 times a day), sharing a mixture of original tweets, retweets, photos, videos, and polls to keep your followers engaged and informed.
• Host Twitter Spaces: Utilize the live audio feature to engage directly with customers through Q&A sessions or product launches, helping to build meaningful connections.

6. TikTok

TikTok has quickly emerged as a major global player, demonstrating strong appeal among Generation Z users with its focus on short-form video content⁷. Its social commerce features, including TikTok Live and TikTok Shop, integrate entertainment with instant purchasing. 

This makes it a highly effective social commerce platform for driving impulse sales through engaging content. 

Best practices for social commerce on TikTok

• Make the first few seconds count: Grab the user's attention instantly by being original and surprising, encouraging them to watch the video to the end.
• Optimize for search: Use relevant or trending keywords in your captions to ensure your content is found by users actively searching for your products or niche.
• Engage with other users: Increase your account's engagement rate by joining viral trends and challenges to improve your chances of appearing on the "For You" page.
• Keep it fun: Focus on authentic, humorous, and entertaining content, as overly polished or professional videos often feel out of place to the audience.
• Set up a TikTok Shop: List products directly on a TikTok Business account or link your existing account to your external e-commerce platforms. Promote your products instantly via shoppable videos and livestream shopping events.

Tips for new social commerce players

Social commerce is growing rapidly, with the Asia Pacific market projected to reach US$625.93 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2025 to 2030¹².

If you’re a new player, keep these social selling tips in mind to successfully tap into the growth potential:

• Authenticity over perfection: Focus on genuine interactions and raw content above highly polished and traditional advertisements.
• Focus on mobile-first design: The vast majority of social commerce platform sales happen on smartphones, so optimize your content for mobile screens. For instance, ensure your videos are designed for vertical screen consumption.
• Instant response time: As buying decisions are often impulsive, aim to provide immediate responses to queries and swift order fulfillment. 

What if I already have a store?

If you are already running an online store in Malaysia, you can strategically enhance your social media selling success by integrating your existing operations with these platforms:

• Check your target demographic: Review your customer data to ensure you're dedicating resources to the social commerce platform where your core audience spends most of their time, maximizing ROI.
• Leverage platform tools: Use these features to your advantage. For example, respond to customers directly via TikTok tagging to enhance service or build trust by collecting and sharing customer Instagram Stories as social proof.
• Integrate reliable shipping solutions: Partner with a reliable international logistics services provider to ensure efficient, transparent shipments, enhancing customer trust and encouraging global expansion.

Build social commerce success in Malaysia

The rise of social commerce in Malaysia offers massive potential for your business. By embracing these trends, you stand to capture more attention and simplify the buying journey for your customers.

Ready to convert engagement into lasting success? Start focusing on building platform-specific content and ensuring seamless fulfillment today!