Commercial Communication in Social Media

Today, the internet has evolved into an instrument from which not only researchers but also ordinary people have great expectations. It offers easy access to information as well as entertainment and consumption opportunities. First, social networking sites started to become popular, then shopping websites gained widespread use, and thus social commerce began to rise. People started to search for others’ experiences in websites before shopping. The internet has thus increasingly become a venue where people share their shopping experiences and preferences. A significant phenomenon of social commerce is perhaps more evident today than anything else in social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter. In this study, historical development and current situation of social commerce, in which small traders can participate alongside big commercial groups, are examined.