Between them, social media sites, influencers and bloggers have done much to change the way we shop. Some 54% of social browsers now report using social media to research products, while 66% say that influencers often drive their purchase decisions. Meanwhile, 71% of consumers report that they are more likely to make a purchase when referred by social media.

Counterbalancing these figures is research that shows that 86% of Americans will skips ads or mute the TV or change the channel when ads come on.

Focusing on food

When it comes to what we eat and where we find inspiration for meals, this online influence is huge. One study found that four out of every five Generation Z adults enjoy using social media platforms to watch or interact with food content. This explains why food blogging is the most profitable major blogging income niche, with food bloggers reporting a median monthly income of $9,169.

The combination of consumer appetite for food-related content and healthy profits means that the food blogging sector has grown and evolved massively. Recipe sharing and online communities centred around cooking and eating are now commonplace.

"This has created a huge opportunity for grocery retailers," comments Northfork CEO and Co-founder Erik Wallin. "Retailers can leverage social media platforms and partnerships with influencers and bloggers to engage with customers, promote products and build brand loyalty. It's not just about exposure but about trust. People buy from people, so a referral on social media or an influencer's recommendation has a lot of potential."

Tapping into trends

Technology is doing much to support the relationship between retailers and social marketing. Northfork's direct cart links, for example, enable social browsers to push all the ingredients for a recipe into a retailer's cart and then move to checkout within a few taps. It's also possible to use a Northfork interstitial page. This allows the shopper to customise their cart (by adding or swapping products, changing serving size and so on) before heading across to the retailer to check out. The interstitial page can match brand guidelines to provide a sense of flow and continuity to the whole experience.

Want to know more? You can talk to the Northfork team or check out the video below to see how fast it can be to move from social media inspiration to checkout.