Social Commerce Powered by Data & AI
Social Commerce is becoming a key driver of business in the digital era. Once primarily used as a channel for building brand awareness and engaging with consumers, social media platforms such as TikTok have evolved into spaces where consumers can discover products, watch reviews, learn about brands, and make purchasing decisions—all within the same application.
As content and commerce become increasingly interconnected, the boundaries between communication and sales are gradually becoming less distinct. At the same time, Data and AI are playing increasingly important roles in understanding consumers, transforming business processes, and creating new opportunities for growth. These developments were discussed during open talk stage, organized by OPEN-TEC, a technology knowledge-sharing platform, powered by TCC Technology Group. The session featured Mr. Supree Thongpetch, President of the SME Council and CEO of Montivory; Mr. Nattachet Tepupatum CEO of Uppercase-M; and Mr. Toshi Sirichiwanont, CEO of Move Fast Public Company Limited. The speakers shared their perspectives on the evolution of Social Commerce on TikTok, as well as the growing role of Data and AI in reshaping how brands think and operate.
Social First Commerce: Commerce Begins with Understanding Consumers
Social commerce is not a new concept. What has changed significantly is consumer behavior and the increasingly distinct roles of individual platforms. As a result, businesses can no longer rely on the same content approach across every channel. The concept of Social First Commerce has therefore become an important part of strategic planning. It begins with understanding that consumers on each platform have different behaviors, interests, and decision-making patterns. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X each have their own user characteristics and content consumption contexts. Platform selection, communication sequencing, content formats, and the tools used should therefore be designed around the behaviors of consumers on each channel. Another mechanism transforming the sales landscape is Affiliate Marketing. In the past, brands largely relied on their own content and sales efforts. Today, creators and affiliate networks can play a greater role in distributing content and generating sales. As a result, a single piece of content can go beyond building awareness and extend throughout the customer journey—from generating interest and introducing products to driving purchase decisions.
TikTok Ecosystem: Connecting Content, Marketing, and Commerce
TikTok is evolving beyond a platform for content consumption into an ecosystem that connects Creators, Sellers, Brands, Affiliates, Product Carts, and Live Commerce. The consumer journey can begin with discovering a piece of content, developing an interest in a product, following or watching a live stream, and ultimately making a purchase. At the same time, different players within the ecosystem can collaborate to expand commercial opportunities. This model is reshaping the traditional approach to selling, which once relied heavily on individual sellers or live-stream hosts. Creators and KOLs can generate content and build consumer interest, while Sellers and Affiliates help extend reach and turn engagement into sales.
Content That turns from Scroll to Sales
As competition on social platforms increases, consumer interest and purchasing decisions are influenced by more than production quality. The credibility and authenticity of content creators are equally important. Many consumers follow Creators because of their personalities, interests, and lifestyles. Product presentations should therefore connect with real-life contexts, incorporate storytelling, and reflect genuine user experiences rather than simply presenting products as conventional advertisements. Content production itself is also evolving. Vertical videos captured on smartphones can create a sense of intimacy and authenticity that aligns well with the way audiences consume content on platforms such as TikTok. The key is to create content that feels authentic, credible, and relevant to the audience.
Data as a Critical Resource for Social Commerce
While Social Commerce platforms are offering increasingly sophisticated tools for selling and performance measurement, many businesses still face challenges in managing and connecting data across multiple channels. Examples include comparing KOL performance, measuring live-stream performance at different times, and understanding customers who purchase products across multiple platforms. These insights are valuable for developing long-term business strategies. When businesses can connect and analyze data from different touchpoints, they can gain a deeper understanding of their customers, develop more relevant audience segments, and apply these insights to communication, sales, and long-term customer relationships. Ultimately, the value of Data does not come simply from having large volumes of information. Its value lies in the ability to use that information to improve decision-making and transform the way an organization operates.
AI and the Transformation of Business Processes
Beyond Data, AI is becoming increasingly integrated into Social Commerce operations—from data analysis and campaign performance monitoring to customer support and connecting information with back-office and logistics systems. One important approach to adopting AI is to begin with repetitive tasks—processes where AI can deliver tangible improvements in efficiency and reduce the time required for routine work. As organizations gain experience from these use cases, they can gradually expand into more sophisticated forms of Automation, including Agentic AI—systems that can plan, execute tasks, and coordinate with other tools or systems based on defined objectives. In content-related functions, AI is already supporting a wide range of activities, from idea generation and scriptwriting to Storyboarding, video production, editing, and content enhancement. This can shorten production time for certain tasks and allow teams to focus more of their time on work that requires creativity, judgment, and strategic decision-making.
Hyper-Personalization: The Next Step in AI-Driven Marketing
Another important trend is Hyper-Personalization, which enables brands to communicate with consumers in increasingly relevant and specific ways. In the past, creating large volumes of advertising or content tailored to smaller audience segments could be constrained by time and cost. AI is helping brands produce and adapt content in a wider variety of formats while using behavioral data to develop messages and offers that are more relevant to different audience groups. This approach allows marketing to move beyond basic demographic segmentation, such as age or gender, toward a deeper understanding of consumer interests, behaviors, and contexts. It can also support decisions around the type of content and timing that may be most relevant to different audiences. At the same time, the use of Data and AI for Personalization should go hand in hand with responsible data management and respect for consumer privacy. The value of technology lies in using data appropriately to create meaningful consumer experiences. Ultimately, having sophisticated dashboards or large volumes of reports does not automatically translate into effective use of Data. Data creates value when it leads to tangible changes—whether in content, sales approaches, or team workflows.
The Success of AI Depends on Execution
The success of AI adoption depends on an organization's ability to experiment with and apply technology in ways that address real business needs. Starting with clearly defined Use Cases, testing solutions, measuring results, and continuously refining the approach can help organizations learn faster and recognize the value of AI through real-world applications. In a rapidly changing technology landscape, organizations need to understand both the potential of emerging technologies and the business challenges they are intended to address. This understanding should be combined with a clear approach to turning AI into tangible business outcomes.
Ultimately, the growth of Social Commerce is prompting businesses to look beyond content creation and product sales alone. Brands need to connect Creators, Commerce, Data, and AI into an integrated ecosystem that can deliver relevant consumer experiences and support long-term business growth. A key takeaway from the opentalk session is that technology delivers value when it is effectively applied to real business challenges. Starting with clearly defined problems, applying AI to relevant tasks, measuring real-world results, and continuously learning and improving can help organizations prepare for ongoing digital transformation. As Social Commerce continues to bring content, marketing, and commerce closer together, and AI enhances capabilities across the value chain, the ability to understand consumers, leverage data effectively, and execute with speed will become increasingly important for businesses seeking sustainable growth in the digital era.
Source:
opentalk EP. 59 https://youtu.be/YIlaumDf_F8
