TLDR;
- Meta (Facebook & Instagram) is still the king for UK e-commerce discovery. It’s where you generate demand rather than just capturing it.
- Google PMax isn't social, but it's essential for capturing the intent created by social. They work best as a pair.
- TikTok is powerful for younger demographics and viral products, but creative fatigue sets in fast—you need a content machine.
- Don't spread your budget too thin. If you have less than £3k/month, stick to one platform and master it before diversifying.
- Included below: A custom ROAS calculator to estimate your profitability and a decision matrix chart to help you pick your starting platform.
Alright, let's be honest. If you ask five different "gurus" which paid social platform is best for e-commerce in the UK right now, you'll get five different answers. Usually, it's whatever platform they happen to be selling a course for.
The truth is a bit more nuanced. I've audited dozens of UK ad accounts this year, from women's apparel brands to luxury product launches and subscription box businesses. The landscape has shifted properly in the last 18 months. What worked in 2021 is pretty much dead in the water now.
You're probably feeling a bit paralyzed by choice. Should you be dancing on TikTok? Is Facebook for old people? Is Pinterest actually worth the hassle?
Here is my take, based on actual ad spend and returns I’m seeing right now in the British market.
The "Big Two": Why You Probably Can't Ignore Them
Before we look at the shiny new toys, we have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the two elephants. Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and Google.
I know, I know. You asked for social media. But in the UK e-commerce game, treating Google and Social as separate silos is a massive mistake. They feed each other. You run a Facebook ad, someone sees it, doesn't click, but later Googles your brand name. If you aren't there, you've just paid to market to your competitor.
1. Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
Despite what the doom-mongers say, Meta is still the absolute powerhouse for UK e-commerce. Nothing else comes close to its algorithm's ability to find people who want to buy your stuff before they even know they want it.
The UK Context: The UK has incredibly high penetration for Instagram and Facebook. Unlike some other markets where users have migrated almost entirely to TikTok, the purchasing power in the UK (the 25-55 demographic with disposable income) is still doom-scrolling on Meta.
Who it's for: almost everyone. Fashion, beauty, home goods, gadgets. If your product is visually appealing, this is your home.
The Strategy: The algorithm is smarter now. While we often start with detailed targeting to find your core audience, we eventually aim to let the creative do the targeting. If you make a video about dog treats, the algorithm will figure out who the dog owners are based on who stops scrolling to watch.
If you're wondering how to actually set this up to make money, check out our guide on UK Facebook Ads: The Ultimate Guide to Scaling ROAS. It dives deeper into the technical side.
Platform E-com Effectiveness (UK Market Estimate)
The Rising Star: TikTok Ads
TikTok is weird. I've seen brands launch on TikTok and see massive viral growth in their first month. I've also seen established brands burn through £10k of ad spend for zero return.
The main difference with TikTok in the UK is the creative requirement. On Facebook, you can still get away with a decent static image or a polished carousel. On TikTok, if your ad looks like an ad, people swipe instantly. It needs to look like a native video. It needs to be entertaining first, selling second.
The Trap: Many UK business owners try to take their Instagram Reels and just dump them on TikTok. It rarely works. The pacing is different. The humour is different. UK TikTok is very specific—it loves self-deprecation, raw unpolished footage, and honest reviews.
If you're in fashion specifically, the dynamics change even more. We wrote a deep dive on TikTok Ads: The 2024 Guide for UK Fashion Brands which might be useful if you're in the apparel game.
The Sleeper: Pinterest Ads
Everyone forgets about Pinterest. But for certain niches—Home Decor, Wedding, High-end Fashion, DIY—it's a goldmine.
The psychology is different here. People on TikTok are bored. People on Meta are procrastinating. People on Pinterest are planning. They have high intent, but low urgency. They might pin your sofa today but not buy it for three months when they move house.
If you have a high AOV (Average Order Value) product and a long sales cycle, Pinterest is fantastic. The CPMs (cost to reach 1,000 people) in the UK are often significantly cheaper than Meta because there's less competition. We explore this further in our guide to Pinterest & TikTok Ads for e-commerce founders.
The "Don't Bother" List
I'm going to be a bit contrarian here and save you some money.
- Twitter / X: Unless you are selling news subscriptions, crypto, or B2B SaaS, stay away. For e-commerce, the conversion rates are abysmal.
- Snapchat: It has its place for very specific demographics (teens), but the tracking is difficult and the purchasing power is generally lower than Insta/TikTok.
- LinkedIn: Way too expensive for B2C e-commerce. You'll be paying £10 a click to sell a £20 candle. The maths doesn't work.
Calculating Your Potential Returns
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people starting ads without knowing their numbers. They spend £500, make £600 back, and think they're winning. But after Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), shipping, and taxes, they've actually lost money.
You need to know your break-even ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). I've built a little calculator below to help you estimate what kind of returns you need to hit to actually be profitable.
Estimated ROAS: 3.33x
UK Specific Strategy: It's different here
Advertising in the UK isn't the same as the US. The "hard sell" American style often falls flat here. British consumers are skeptical. We hate being sold to, but we love buying.
1. The "Trust" Factor
In the UK, trust signals on your ads and landing pages are vital. If your website looks like a dropshipping template, you will struggle. You need to show that you are a legitimate UK business. A UK address in the footer, a UK phone number, and clear returns policies (which are legally required anyway) go a long way.
2. Payment Methods matter
If you don't have Apple Pay and Google Pay enabled, you are losing sales. But in the UK specifically, Klarna and Clearpay are huge. We see conversion rates jump significantly when "Pay in 3" messaging is included near the price point, especially for fashion and electronics.
3. The Creative Strategy
For creative, user-generated content (UGC) works incredibly well here, but it needs to sound local. An American accent selling a product to a Brit can sometimes create a subconscious barrier (unless it's a specific American brand). Try to use UK creators for your UK ads. It makes the product feel "reachable."
How to Budget: The "Test and Scale" Approach
A common question I get is "How much should I spend?".
If you're launching, you shouldn't be spreading £1000 across Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest. You will dilute your data too much. The algorithms need data (conversions) to learn. If you feed them crumbs, they starve.
My advice: Pick ONE platform (probably Meta) and spend your entire budget there until you are seeing consistent results. Only then should you expand to a second channel. If you are struggling to decide specifically between the big players, we have a breakdown of Google Ads vs. Meta Ads that might help clarify the best starting point for your specific niche.
My Main Advice For You
If I had to boil it down, don't overcomplicate it. The tech stack for a successful UK e-com brand usually looks like this: Shopify website + Meta Ads (for demand gen) + Google PMax (for demand capture) + Klaviyo (for email retention).
Here is a quick summary table to help you make the final decision:
| Platform | Best For | Min Monthly Budget | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta (FB/Insta) | Apparel, Beauty, Home, Gadgets | £1,000 | Medium |
| Google PMax | Products with search volume | £500 | Low (Automated) |
| TikTok | Viral/Trend products, Gen Z | £2,000 | High (Content heavy) |
| Decor, DIY, Premium Fashion | £500 | Medium |
Scaling an e-commerce brand in the UK is totally doable, but it's easy to burn cash if you're just boosting posts or guessing with your targeting. You need a proper funnel structure and creatives that actually convert.
If you're spending over £2k a month and not seeing at least a 3x return, something is wrong. It might be the site, the offer, or the ads, but something needs fixing. If you want a second pair of eyes on it, feel free to reach out for a free consultation. We can take a peek under the hood and see what's what.
Hope this helps!
