Kenya's social media market: How traders are turning posts, livestreams into sales

Once upon a time, shopping only meant visiting physical stores, handling cash, and negotiating face-to-face.

Today, much of it happens on smartphone screens, on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. This is the rise of social commerce, the blend of social media and online shopping that is transforming how small Kenyan businesses reach customers.

From second-hand fashion to home décor and electronics, sellers are now marketing their products through photos, videos, and livestreams, often from makeshift studios inside their stalls.

With a ring light, a smartphone, and an internet connection, anyone can turn their page into a digital storefront.

Take Paul Opiyo, a mobile phone accessories seller in Nairobi, who began selling purely on social media before opening a physical shop in early 2025. He now splits his customer base between walk-in and online buyers.

“The more you put money into social media, the more you get clients,” he tells Citizen Digital, explaining that he boosts nearly every post to reach more people on TikTok and Instagram.

Promoting products on social media doesn’t come cheap. For Instagram, sponsored posts can cost anywhere between Ksh.5–40 per click or up to Ksh.500 per thousand impressions.

TikTok ads can range from Ksh.200 to over Ksh.5,000 daily. Sellers like Opiyo say keeping up with trends — including viral audio clips and video challenges — is key to staying visible on the platforms.

But the digital boom has its downsides. Judy Nyambura, who runs a men's clothes store in Nairobi’s city centre, notes that paid promotions don’t always deliver the expected reach, while many Kenyans still mistrust buying items they haven’t physically inspected.

Indeed, some traders prefer to stick to traditional selling methods. William Nyamai, who sells second-hand china at Toi Market, says he abandoned TikTok after eight months.

“People view, chat, but don’t buy,” he says. For him, physical shoppers remain more reliable; they can see and touch the products before deciding.

For buyers like Niver Akinyi, that hands-on experience matters. “You might not touch to see quality online,” she says. Even so, she is open to buying brand-new products online from “trusted” shops.