Social Links

A tidy link block that sits on your store

Social Links is the part of your online store that gathers your main social pages in one place. It lets shoppers move from your store to WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or other channels you use for sales updates, stock photos and daily notices. For many informal traders in Soweto, Alexandra, Tembisa and Durban, that means fewer missed orders and less confusion about where to send messages. The section can be placed in the header, footer, home page or a contact area, depending on how your store is laid out.

We set it up so the buttons, icons and labels match the rest of the store, with clear wording like Follow us, Message us or View updates. The aim is to keep the path short for customers who browse on a phone and want to move quickly from product interest to a social page or chat.

Link options for different trading styles

There is no single layout that suits every trader, so the Social Links setup can be adjusted to fit the way you sell. A spaza shop may want a WhatsApp button, Facebook page link and a catalogue link. A home business in Pretoria or Cape Town may need Instagram, TikTok and a direct message button. A trader selling clothes, food packs, airtime or household items may want the most active channels shown first, with the others placed lower on the page.

• Single icon links for a neat footer or header strip
• Button-style links for larger tap targets on mobile phones
• Text links for simple pages and low-data browsing
• Icon plus label layouts for shoppers who prefer clear wording
• Grouped social links for stores with several sales channels

The section can also be matched to your branding colours and set up in a way that looks clean on a small screen. That helps when customers are using older phones or browsing during a short break with limited data.

Where this setup works best

Social Links suits traders who post regular stock photos, specials, price updates or delivery notices. It works well for Soweto Traders, Johannesburg Traders, Durban Traders, Cape Town Traders, Pretoria Traders, Gqeberha Traders, Alexandra Traders and Tembisa Traders, especially where customers want to check a social page before placing an order. It also suits home businesses that depend on frequent buyers and word-of-mouth sharing, because shoppers can follow your page and see fresh posts without searching for you each time.

For informal traders, the section can support product launches, market-day notices, holiday hours and stock alerts. If a customer sees an item on your store and wants more detail, the social link gives them another place to view pictures or ask about colours, sizes and available quantities. That can make the store feel more active without crowding the product pages.

What to have ready before setup

To set up Social Links properly, we need the correct page links, usernames or profile handles for each channel you want shown. It also helps to know which page should be treated as the main one for customer contact, because not every trader wants all links shown with equal weight. If you have a WhatsApp number linked to orders, that should be checked carefully so the button sends customers to the right place.

• Social page links or profile names
• Your preferred main contact channel
• Logo file or store symbol for icon placement
• Brand colours, if you use them on your store
• Any wording you want beside the links, such as Follow, Chat or View updates

If your pages are not all active yet, we can still build the section around the ones you use most often. It is worth checking the spelling of handles and the correct order of links before the store goes live, because small errors can send customers to the wrong profile.

Care and upkeep for busy traders

Social Links is simple to look after, but it does need attention when your contact details change. If you open a new page, change your WhatsApp number, or stop using one platform, the links should be updated straight away. That keeps customers from clicking dead links and helps avoid confusion when someone in Gqeberha or Johannesburg is trying to reach you quickly. For traders who post price changes or fresh arrivals often, the social section should stay aligned with your current activity.

We also recommend checking the link layout on a phone after changes are made. Sometimes a long page name wraps badly or an icon looks too small on a narrow screen. A quick check helps keep the page neat and easy to tap, especially for shoppers using mobile data and moving fast between pages.

Order details that keep the setup neat

When you order Social Links, please confirm the pages you want shown, the order you want them listed in, and whether you want icons, buttons or plain text links. It also helps to confirm if the links should appear on the home page only or across the full store. If you want the section linked to a WhatsApp order button, the contact point must be correct and active before publishing.

Useful details to confirm include the platform names, the exact profile links, your preferred wording, and whether the layout must suit a pricing page, home page refresh or catalogue rebuild. If you are unsure about payment info wording, delivery details or any tax point linked to your trading, check with SARS or a qualified adviser. That keeps the store content accurate and makes the social section match the rest of your trading setup.