MANILA, PHILIPPINES– The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many Filipinos losing their jobs and businesses scrambling for ways to continue operating. Even now as the economy slowly reopens, there has been a decrease in in-store traffic as some Filipinos prefer to stay indoors to keep safe from the virus. To adapt to this new normal, there is a need to shift to digital.
If transitioning to online platforms was simply an option before, it is now a necessity if businesses want to continue offering their products and services amidst a global pandemic. Consumer behavior is rapidly evolving in favor of digital, so adopting an online strategy is key to expanding the reach of businesses big or small.
Leveraging on the platforms that empower people to connect into the real world, the consumer journey has moved into a different terrain and that is digital. To help businesses reach them, Facebook and Instagram have engineered a range of tools for this very purpose.
According to Akshat Jain, the Country Lead for Growth Business at Facebook Philippines, “Free online business accounts can serve as digital storefronts for your business and enable you to stay connected with your customers and employees virtually… By creating an online storefront on Facebook and Instagram, you give customers another way to discover and purchase your products.”
The good thing about Facebook and Instagram’s solutions is that almost everyone is familiar with the interface. Businesses have been utilizing these platforms for years but there are more specific tools for them to use if they explore the wide range of solutions that Facebook and Instagram offer.
For Facebook, businesses can utilize Shops, Stories, Events, and Groups to keep new and existing customers engaged. Facebook Shops, for example, was specifically made to make online shopping easier. Instead of creating a separate website wherein customers can check out their items, Facebook Shops has the functions of an eCommerce website. This makes it easier for businesses to sell their products online as everything can be done on one platform.
Facebook Messenger, on the other hand, also has solutions for entrepreneurs. Customer inquiries can pile up so Messenger has enabled chatbots to answer frequently asked questions with instant-reply messages. This ensures that the online shop can assist customers 24/7. Business owners can simply go back to unanswered customer concerns once they are free to answer it themselves.
As for Instagram, businesses can make use of the platform to showcase their items visually via photos and videos. The visuals of certain products will entice customers to buy and businesses can utilize Instagram Stories and Instagram TV to achieve this. Businesses can also use the Instagram Live function to engage customers in real-time.
Small businesses can expand their reach by setting up campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. Businesses can decide which audiences will be most relevant for their Products and Services. They can then engage with the right audience in the Philippines leveraging Facebook functionalities like Core Audience and Lookalike audience. When using the former, a business can specify criteria such as demographics, geography, interest and many more to identify new customers. However, if they would like to engage people similar to current customers or page fans, then Lookalike Audience can help to do so. This can enable businesses to expand their reach and find new customers.
Conversion through precise business goals
Homegrown Organics, an online platform that helps small producers sell farm-fresh and pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, utilized the Ad Manager to grow its following on Facebook.
Through its paid campaign on Facebook, Homegrown Organics reached their customers and met their business goals. They have recently diversified into other products, expanding their offerings to include plants, soil and cooked meals.
For businesses starting on Facebook and Instagram, Jain recommends thinking about how these solutions align with business objectives. “If you don’t have specific goals for your business, start by brainstorming goals and then look to see how Facebook advertising can help you reach them,” Jain shared.
“Once you’ve decided on your goals, figure out which tools will help you get there… we offer light weight ad creation tools that allow you to create, manage and track the success of your ads directly from your Facebook Page.”
