The Philippines has become one of the top digital economies in Southeast Asia, with an impressive 76 million Internet users. Experts predict that the digital industry will continue to grow exponentially in the upcoming years.
The Filipino people’s heavy reliance on technology for their daily needs and transactions has significantly influenced the sector’s success. This preference is likely due to technology’s convenience, speed, and ease of use. Additionally, the pandemic has increased substantially gadgets and social media usage across all sectors.
This situation provides an excellent opportunity for business owners to expand their customer base and increase their company’s visibility. However, to remain competitive in the market, it is crucial to stay up-to-date with recent trends and advancements in the industry. This allows you to adapt your marketing strategies to meet today’s demands.
Digital Landscape in the Philippines
Digital marketing in the Philippines is blossoming. According to research, ad spending in the nation is continually rising at a yearly growth rate of 9.7%. The Philippines’ e-commerce industry is projected to reach $10 billion by 2025.
This growth is driven by the increasing number of Filipinos shopping and selling online. A survey revealed that one in four Filipinos browses through live selling on social media, and the number of online retailers increased from 70% to 80.2%.
Furthermore, search volumes on merchant and seller-related queries have surged 18 times higher compared to past years. This is supplemented by other surveys showing that, on average, 65% of Filipinos use their smartphones to shop.
Some Marketing Trends in the Philippines
Local SEO
The phrase “Filipinos do not go online. They live online” was coined for a reason. Filipinos adapt to digital technology faster than ever, with Internet penetration reaching 68% at the start of 2022, up from 48% in 2016. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the country received 1.05 billion Google visits per month, with 53.8 million unique visitors. These figures are expected to rise as we enter the post-pandemic era.
As a business owner, you understand how difficult it can be to attract customers from afar. Customers prefer to buy from businesses close to them and easily accessible. While this is a challenge, solutions, such as incorporating local search engine optimization (SEO) into your marketing efforts, are available. Incorporating local SEO into your marketing strategy can assist you in reaching out to more customers and prospects, increasing brand visibility, and driving traffic to your website. You can improve your Google business profile and local citations by using locally relevant content and keywords, which will help you rank higher in local search results.
Social Media Trend
According to the data published by Datareportal, as of January 2022, 92.05 million Filipinos, or 82.4% of the population, will have used social media. A substantial portion of these users spend time shopping online – in 2021, 62.5% of Filipinos purchased something online. Taking advantage of digital marketing channels like social media is a great way to expand your brand reach and make the most out of the features available to you.
Influencer Marketing
When it comes to purchasing products, the majority of Filipino shoppers are swayed by influencer recommendations. Influencer marketing has a significant impact on Filipino consumers. A survey shows roughly 70% of respondents purchased because an influencer recommended it. This demonstrates the effect of influencer marketing on buying decisions. More than half of the respondents were persuaded by the influencer’s testimonial.
Working with an influencer can help you build customer trust and reach your target market more effectively. It also allows you to reach out to their audiences and grow your customer base.
Podcasting and Audio Content
Filipinos love audio content. The Philippines has approximately 31 million podcast listeners, the world’s sixth fastest-growing podcast market. It also has Asia’s largest podcast audience.
According to a survey, podcast consumption in the Philippines doubled between March 2020 and March 2021. Between the first quarters of 2020 and the first quarters of 2021, Gen Z Filipinos increased their time spent listening to podcasts by 534%, the most significant percentage increase yet. Whether you’re interested in starting your own branded podcast or sponsoring an episode, ensure your goals align with your company’s values to ensure a consistent brand image across channels.
Mobile Apps and Mobile Payment
Filipinos are among the most active mobile Internet users in the Asia Pacific. According to a survey, Filipinos spend about 354 minutes daily engaging in online activities such as shopping, processing digital banking transactions, playing games, listening to music streaming services, and watching videos.
Social networking applications consistently dominate the mobile app market in the country, with Facebook taking the lead. Despite the slow Internet speed, mobile application usage in the country continuously increases. The Philippine government has been promoting the use of apps in processing financial transactions in the country through the National Payment Systems Act to facilitate payment transactions.
Buyers are always looking for ways to shorten the transaction process, and so should you. Given mobile apps’ convenience and flexibility, we can only expect them to grow in popularity, particularly among Filipinos who do everything on their phones, from paying bills and shopping to connecting with friends and loved ones and listening to podcasts.
Social Media and E-commerce
The Philippines ranks among the top 15 Southeast Asian countries regarding social commerce users. The country’s e-commerce market has been steadily growing in recent years and is expected to be worth Php 229.8 billion (US$4.3 billion) in 2020. Experts predict that by the end of 2022, the market volume will exceed Php 74 billion (US$1,412 billion). Furthermore, the number of social commerce platform users is expected to reach 55.8 million by 2025, with user penetration reaching 42% by the end of 2022 and rising to 47.8% by 2025.
In my recent study, E-commerce has also become a popular platform for companies in the Philippines to reach potential customers due to its convenience. Capitalizing on this trend can enable businesses to market directly to customers and attract more prospects. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have integrated shopping features that enhance the customer experience and improve customer service.
User-Generated Content (UGC)
The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired social media users worldwide to become content creators, and Filipinos are no exception. As of early 2022, the Philippines had 35.96 million TikTok users, 18.65 million Instagram users, and 56.50 million YouTube users. These internet users contribute to the country’s growing user-generated content (UGC) statistics by creating and sharing videos, images, reviews, and other digital content on social media.
UGC offers businesses a one-of-a-kind opportunity to collaborate with their customers. Consider reaching out to users who have tagged your products or services in their posts and asking permission to share their content on your brand’s page. This is a great way to get new content while encouraging customers to interact with your brand more.
In Conclusion
The Philippines’ e-commerce market represents a promising opportunity for businesses to expand their customer base and boost brand recognition. To remain competitive when developing tactics to target the Filipino audience, staying current with the country’s most recent digital marketing trends and advancements is critical.
With a team of digital marketing experts, Evolve Digital Media Consultancy offers content marketing services to help you grow your business. Please contact us right away to find out more!
