‘Thanks, I got it off TikTok’ — the top products that are taking off on social media

Social media platforms have long evolved beyond being simply a source of memes and online commentary. In 2025, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are now considered part of the ecommerce industry. This fusion of social media and online selling is aptly titled ‘social commerce’.

Last year, research from money.co.uk finds an estimated 16.2 million social commerce users generated £7.3 billion in sales. So it’s safe to say, business is booming.

Social commerce allows online sellers to offer their customers an integrated shopping experience as they scroll. Sellers can use influencer marketing to advertise their products with reviews and tutorials, while buyers can discover and purchase new products without even having to leave the app.

The approach can feel more organic than traditional ecommerce and has already completely reshaped consumer-brand interactions.

Below, we’ll explain the sectors that are leading the charge in social commerce, and which are the best platforms if you want to get started yourself.

Unveiling the top performing industries

A recent study from money.co.uk showed that beauty and wellness is the leading social commerce sector in the UK. The study analysed user, industry, platform, engagement insights, and more to assess the UK’s social commerce market.

Nearly half (46%) of all UK social commerce users in the beauty and wellness industry made a purchase in the last 12 months. It’s not surprising, since there is an increasingly large population of beauty and wellness influencers in the space.

Many successful beauty startups, such as Glossier, have used customer advocacy to promote items, relying on organic testimonials to give users a taste of what their products look like on real-life wearers.

money.co.uk reports that Clothing and Footwear is the second most popular category for social commerce shoppers. In the last 12 months, 40% of online shoppers made a purchase in this category.

Fashion is a popular topic in social media content in the format of OOTD (Outfit of the Day), styling, and trend forecasting videos. This gives brands tons of opportunities to plug their products organically.

Third in line, we have Home and DIY as one of the most successful categories for social commerce. With 24% of users making purchases in this category in 2024, it’s clear that how-to and home-style inspiration videos are working in brands’ favour.

What are the best platforms for social commerce?

The best platform for your social commerce strategy may differ depending on your goals, brand, and products.

TikTok’s built-in online store, TikTok Shop lends itself particularly well to viral trends. This means it can be great for relatively unknown brands to gain visibility. By latching onto current meme formats, brands, online sellers and TikTok dropshippers can attract new customers. Furthermore, users can click ‘buy’ without even leaving the app.

While TikTok focuses on fast-paced, viral content and direct in-app purchases, Instagram has a more curated approach. The platform helps brands create a visually appealing online store and champions a lifestyle-driven shopping experience with features like shoppable posts and tagged products. This works well for businesses that want to post more aspirational content to build their brand.

If you’re stuck between the two, you could use your target market as a guide. The money.co.uk study finds Instagram is the top social commerce platform for Millennials, with 37.3% of respondents aged up to 34 making a purchase through the platform. Gen Z’s favourite is TikTok, with 43% preferring the lip-syncing app to Instagram.

Turning trends into transactions

It’s clear that social commerce is on the rise; how can small businesses get involved?

Joe Phelan, from money.co.uk, says businesses need to move with agility to keep up with the rapid development of social selling. “Given the fast-paced nature of social commerce, businesses need to be agile to succeed. The ability to quickly respond to trends and engage with both existing and potential customers is crucial,” he says.

It’s key to properly understand user behaviour and get trends right, especially if you’re attempting to crack a younger market. Experimenting with social media, particularly TikTok, for the first time can feel like unchartered territory. Hiring dedicated social media management can help you nail the tone of voice, timing, and content formatting necessary to seamlessly engage with social media users.

It’s also important to be clear about your brand values when deciding to work with third-parties, such as influencers. You’ll want to choose carefully when establishing partnerships, as they will act as a temporary face of your brand.

Ultimately, social commerce is an exciting development for SMEs to approach sales more creatively. The future of ecommerce is undeniably social.