Social media is no longer just a mere diversion or handy communication tool. The world’s largest social media companies are responsible for commerce valued in the trillions of dollars, providing businesses of all sizes a truly global influence. Explore any leading social media platform and you’ll find a well-calibrated system designed to connect businesses to hyperfocused markets.
This basic attribute of social media platforms has had a significant impact on Philippine entrepreneurship. Philippine social media usage is among the highest in the world, with Filipinos spending an average of 4 hours and 17 minutes daily on social media, according to the Philippine Department of Science and Technology. This extensive usage makes social media the clear choice for Philippine-facing businesses to connect with potential customers.
The low barrier to entry makes social media platforms an attractive sales channel for newly minted entrepreneurs. However, as easy as it might seem to sell products on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, building lasting success on these platforms can be elusive. Make your social media investments pay off big time with these handy ideas:
1. Be Sure You Get Paid
Until recently, the convenience of social media marketing came with a real cost. Facilitating payments over social media messaging apps often required using multiple other banking or digital wallet platforms, and as such, discouraging conversions. Fortunately, payment tools like Maya Business’s Payment Links have solved the issue by allowing sellers to take advantage of a link payment facility.
With Payment Links, buyers can easily pay you just by clicking a special link that you can send via their social media messaging app. The link will take them to your secure custom checkout page where they can then pay through their preferred payment method, whether it’s a credit card, debit card, digital wallet, or QR Ph. This method removes the hassles of online payments on social media and encourages consistent repeat sales.
2. Optimize Your Platform Choices for Your Target Audiences
In terms of audiences, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok all have heavy overlaps, but their core strengths as sales channels are all very different. Instagram, for instance, is a great tool for very curated retail aimed at millennials and gen-Z cohorts, thanks to its visually oriented nature. Facebook remains the top platform in the Philippines in terms of users but the demographics of this platform tend to lean somewhat older. Meanwhile, TikTok rules the pack when it comes to lower-cost items marketed to younger buyers.
The caveat is that these generalizations may not always hold true for your business. Before investing your time and resources into any platform, do your research so you know where your core audience is most likely to spend its time. Once you’ve picked a primary platform, keep up with its evolving best practices so that your profile is easily searchable to your intended customers. Consider testing multiple platforms to see which ones you should spend more of your marketing budget on.
3. Develop Consistent Branding
It’s always good practice to maintain consistent branding across all online and offline sales channels. At the most basic, you should be using the same logo, color schemes, and brand persona regardless of where your brand appears.
Having a consistent look and feel builds recognition and, more importantly, familiarity. With both these elements in place, you’ll set your budding online business up for true brand loyalty and repeat sales.
4. Engage with Your Potential Customers
For better or worse, people feel entitled to their time on social media. A lack of engagement is not only a missed opportunity to convert brand advocates, but it can also show a lack of respect towards those who are interested in what you have to offer. As such, make sure to respond to comments, messages, and reviews promptly. When in doubt, always choose communication approaches that build trust around your brand.
5. Run Credible Influencer Marketing Campaigns
Influencer endorsements remain relevant for Filipino consumers. However, you can’t just hire any social media star and expect great results. Take the time to find and engage with credible personalities, particularly ones your audience can envision to be genuine users of your products or services.
6. Invest in Your Content’s Quality
You only have a second or two to hook a potential buyer’s attention on social media. For that reason, you want to make sure that the content you publish can hook people in and keep them interested in what you have to say. Use professional photography, well-edited high-definition videos, and informative posts to boost your credibility and gain potential buyers.
7. Use Live Selling to Build Urgency
Livestream shopping, or live selling as it’s often called in the Philippines, is a low-cost, high-impact way to drive sales on social media. The nature of the medium allows for a friendly, deeply engaging way to answer questions, offer exclusive deals, and demonstrate products. Critically, this interactive format can create a sense of urgency that drives sales, making it a useful tool to keep in your digital marketing toolkit.
8. Run Targeted Ad Campaigns
Some social media platforms offer advanced targeting options that make it much easier to gather an audience that truly appreciates what you have to offer. Make sure to learn about the interests and behaviors of the people in your target demographic and run targeted ads to quickly reach the people you need to grow your brand.
Earn through Social Media Presence with Maya Payment Links
Maya Payment Links turns any social media platform into a powerful sales channel for your growing business. Simply offer your customers a unique link for payment over any messaging app to empower them to pay with any digital payment method. Sign up for Maya Business to activate Payment Links and other leading Maya payment solutions.
Becoming a Maya Business user entitles you to a Maya Business Deposit account for your online settlements. With an industry-leading 2.5% per annum interest rate, Maya Business Deposit funds earn PHP 25,000 yearly for every PHP 1 million. What’s more, Maya Business Deposit lets you save on transfer fees to partners and suppliers with free InstaPay and PESONet transfers.
Signing up also qualifies you for a Maya Flexi Loan offer valued up to PHP 2 million in just 3 months. Use your Maya Flexi Loan to expand your online shop’s offers or to explore more sales channels to enhance your business’s growth. To receive better subsequent Maya Flexi Loan offers, use Maya as your primary processor for all digital wallet and card payments.
Send in your Maya Business application today to access your unique payment link and enjoy more offers exclusive to Maya Business users.
