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Notes from the front of social commerce — what the platforms are shipping and what it means for your brand.
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Latest postThe Convergence Is HappeningSocial commerce is becoming this generation's mall, and the public numbers still understate how fast the buying surface is scaling.Michael Broughton · Social CommerceJun 56 min read
Why I Joined GrowthSyncTanner joins GrowthSync as Founding Engineer with a lesson from operations-heavy software: understand the work before building the product.Tanner · CompanyMay 167 min read
The Language of Social Commerce Is Still Being BuiltSocial commerce is growing faster than the vocabulary around it. Brands need sharper words for intent, ownership, and conversation-led buying.Michael Broughton · Social CommerceApr 296 min read
The Market Is Moving from Influencer Posts to Creator-Led DistributionThe next social commerce fight is not just who has the best checkout. It is who controls creator distribution, attribution, and repeat purchase.Rod Henley · Social CommerceApr 226 min read
Social Commerce Needs a Better DefinitionSocial commerce is not just selling through social platforms. It is what happens when discovery, conversation, trust, and checkout collapse into one loop.Michael Broughton · Social CommerceApr 155 min read
Instagram Copied TikTok Shop's Playbook. What It Means for E-Commerce BrandsMeta just gave Instagram creators TikTok Shop-style affiliate tools, and the checkout paths it chose reveal exactly where social commerce is going next.Rod Henley · Social CommerceApr 86 min read
The TikTok Halo Effect Is Real, and Most Brands Aren't Maximizing ItBrands are investing in TikTok even when the first sale happens elsewhere. The lift across Amazon, Shopify, and wholesale can be worth far more.Rod Henley · Social CommerceMar 266 min read
Introducing GrowthSyncToday we announce GrowthSync and our $1.6M raise to build the conversational AI platform that turns social interactions into revenue.Michael Broughton · CompanyMar 244 min read
TikTok Has a Reputation Problem. They're Spending Millions to Fix It.TikTok's Project Horizon is paying agencies to recruit $10M+ brands onto TikTok Shop. Premium brands are showing up, but customer experience still needs work.Rod Henley · Social CommerceMar 125 min read
The $50 Billion DM Problem Nobody is Talking AboutEvery day, millions of people tell brands exactly what they want to buy. The messages sit unread in DMs. Here's why that's the biggest missed opportunity in e-commerce.Michael Broughton · Social CommerceMar 106 min read
Why Live Commerce Will Be a $35 Billion Channel in the US by 2028China's live commerce market does $500 billion a year. The US is at $50 billion and accelerating fast. Here's what brands need to know to get ahead of it.Michael Broughton · Live CommerceMar 37 min read
Your Social Media Manager is Your Best SalespersonBrands spend millions on paid media to generate intent, then hand it off to a social team with no sales tools. It's time to rethink the org chart.Michael Broughton · StrategyFeb 245 min read
What Happens When a Brand Actually Responds to Every DMMost brands answer a fraction of their DMs. The ones that respond to all of them see something remarkable happen to their revenue and retention.Rod Henley · Case StudyFeb 145 min read
Building the Infrastructure for Social SellingEmail has Klaviyo. Paid has Meta Ads Manager. Social commerce has... nothing. Here's why the infrastructure gap is the biggest opportunity in e-commerce.Michael Broughton · ProductFeb 56 min read
The Real Cost of Ignoring Social ConversationsIf your brand gets 500 DMs a day and ignores 80% of them, here's exactly how much revenue you're leaving on the table. The math is uncomfortable.Michael Broughton · RevenueJan 275 min read
Why Premium Brands Can't Ignore TikTok AnymoreSamsung, Ralph Lauren, and Disney joined TikTok Shop in 2025. The stigma is fading fast. Here's what premium brands need to understand about the opportunity.Rod Henley · TikTokJan 155 min read
5 Social Commerce Predictions for 2026Five social commerce predictions for 2026: AI-powered DMs, TikTok Shop growth, and live shopping moving into the mainstream.Michael Broughton · PredictionsJan 66 min read
The Brands That Won This Holiday Season All Had One Thing in CommonThe brands that crushed holiday revenue on social didn't have bigger budgets. They had one thing their competitors didn't: they actually talked to their customers.Rod Henley · StrategyDec 185 min read
2025: The Year Social Commerce Went MainstreamTikTok Shop hit $15B in US GMV. Instagram launched DM commerce tools. Live shopping grew 200%. Here's everything that happened in social commerce in 2025.Michael Broughton · Year in ReviewDec 47 min read
Black Friday on Social: What the Data Tells UsTikTok Shop and Instagram commerce exploded this Black Friday. Here's what happened, what worked, and what brands should learn from the data.Rod Henley · DataNov 255 min read
How AI Is Finally Making Social Selling ScalableOlder automation felt robotic. Modern conversational AI now matches the way social selling actually works.Michael Broughton · AINov 176 min read
Holiday Season Will Prove Social Commerce Is Here to StayEvery year, holiday season is the stress test for e-commerce channels. This year, social commerce is about to prove it belongs at the table.Rod Henley · TrendsNov 35 min read
What Would It Take to Respond to Every DM in Real Time500 DMs per day times 5 minutes each equals 42 hours of work. The math on manual DM response is impossible. Here's what the alternative looks like.Michael Broughton · AutomationOct 285 min read
Intent Signals Are Everywhere but Brands Aren't ListeningEvery comment, DM, and story reply is a buying signal hiding in plain sight. Most brands treat them as engagement metrics instead of revenue opportunities.Michael Broughton · Social ListeningOct 165 min read
Amazon Sellers Are Moving to Social and It Makes Perfect SenseRising fees, margin pressure, and weak customer relationships are pushing Amazon sellers toward social commerce.Rod Henley · Social CommerceOct 65 min read
The Case for Treating Social Media as a Revenue ChannelEmail has Klaviyo. Paid has attribution models. Social media has content calendars. It's time to reclassify social from marketing to revenue.Michael Broughton · StrategySep 296 min read
What I'm Hearing from Brands About Social SellingAfter months of conversations with brands, three themes keep coming up: overwhelming DM volume, fear of sounding robotic, and no way to measure social revenue.Rod Henley · Field NotesSep 185 min read
TikTok Shop Did $33 Billion Last Year. What Happens Next?TikTok Shop's global GMV hit $33 billion in 2024 with the US as its fastest-growing market. The platform is just getting started.Michael Broughton · TikTokSep 86 min read
Why Your CRM Wasn't Built for Social CommerceSalesforce and HubSpot were built for email and web leads. Social interactions are real-time, high-volume, and conversational. The infrastructure gap is massive.Michael Broughton · TechnologyAug 275 min read
How Small Brands Are Beating Enterprise on SocialThe biggest brands have the biggest budgets. But on social, nimble DTC brands are outperforming them on conversion, engagement, and revenue per follower.Rod Henley · StrategyAug 145 min read
Conversational AI Isn't a Chatbot and the Difference MattersChatbots follow scripts and break when customers go off-path. Conversational AI understands context, maintains natural dialogue, and actually sells. Here's why it matters.Michael Broughton · AIAug 46 min read
The Response Time Gap: Why 90% of Social Leads Go ColdHarvard Business Review says responding in 5 minutes is 21x more effective than 30 minutes. In social commerce, the window is even shorter.Michael Broughton · SalesJul 225 min read
How the Creator Economy Is Rewriting the Sales PlaybookCreators are becoming the most effective salesforce in e-commerce. Brands with deep creator relationships will win.Rod Henley · Creator EconomyJul 75 min read
What Brands Get Wrong About Instagram EngagementHigh engagement doesn't mean high revenue. Most brands celebrate likes and comments without converting them into conversations that actually sell.Michael Broughton · StrategyJun 265 min read
The Link in Bio Era Is OverFive clicks to checkout, 30-50% drop-off at each step. The link in bio model destroys conversion. Conversational commerce is what replaces it.Michael Broughton · Social CommerceJun 175 min read
Social Listening Is Your Best Sales Channel, Not Just AnalyticsMost brands use social listening to monitor brand mentions. The real opportunity is using it to identify and act on buying signals in real time.Rod Henley · Social ListeningJun 55 min read
Why Every Brand's DMs Are a Goldmine They're IgnoringYour DMs are full of customers telling you what they want to buy. Most brands treat DMs as a support channel. The smart ones are turning them into revenue.Michael Broughton · DMsMay 285 min read
I Came from Entertainment. Here's Why I Went All In on Social Commerce.After years managing creator campaigns at Roc Nation and building cultural events in LA, I realized the same forces driving entertainment are about to reshape how people buy.Rod Henley · Social CommerceMay 195 min read
Social Commerce Is Eating Traditional E-CommerceSocial commerce is projected to hit $80 billion in the US by 2027. Buying inside social platforms is accelerating, and most brands are not ready.Michael Broughton · Social CommerceMay 86 min readShowing 39 of 39 · 1 newUpdated Jun 5, 2026