Social media has proven to be an efficient platform for businesses to launch digital marketing campaigns and build trust with consumers. However, given the diversity and cultural nuances of each country, strategies and behavioral patterns vary across the world and even in Asia. As the Philippines' digital landscape continues to evolve, global marketing consulting firm R3 highlighted emerging trends in social media marketing for Filipino marketers at a private roundtable held in Manila recently.
- Short form content: The short-form content platform is growing in popularity among Filipino users, with TikTok tripling its market share in the past five years and reaching 51% of the local internet user base in 2023. With human attention spans shrinking, short-form content has become a useful vehicle for marketers to convey their brand message in a snappy and engaging way.
- social commerceAlthough still in its infancy, social commerce across the Asia-Pacific region is growing rapidly due to easy mobile access and reaching the right audience. In fact, according to the report, 61% of Filipinos shop online in the Philippines, and 80% of all shoppers fall under the age group of 18-34.
- live broadcast: Live streaming, a social media marketing trend popularized by online gaming communities, has gained momentum within e-commerce, making the concept of “shoppertainment” a reality. Marketers use live streaming not only to showcase product demos and exclusive offers, but also to increase interaction with viewers and build communities and follower bases.
- brand research: Due to the popularity of social media networks, it is reported that in 2023, 81% of Filipinos will use social platforms to research brands they come across. This action highlights the importance for marketers to establish brand legitimacy on social media and increase trust with their target audience.
- Edutainment content: As a complement to brand research, people today are turning to social media to learn new skills. Posting educational content through videos helps viewers understand new information provided through skits and fun animations.
- Artificial intelligence (AI): With the advent of popular AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bard AI, and Microsoft Bing AI, more marketers are using them to generate content. Whether it's creating captions within seconds or conceptualizing surreal video ads, artificial intelligence is one of the latest social media marketing trends on the rise.
- YouTube short: Short-form video creation is typically aimed at platforms like Instagram and TikTok. However, the advent and growing popularity of YouTube Shorts has made it a great network for brands to engage with their audience.
- User-generated content: When researching brands and products, consumers are looking for authentic content from actual brand patrons to encourage them to buy from the brand. User-generated content, such as product reviews and reposts, also gives consumers insight into how brands can add value to their daily lives. This trend not only increases brand awareness but also builds a strong, positive image.
- Photo dump: One of the popular trends in social media posting right now is to group photos into one post instead of uploading them frequently. From a marketer's perspective, this can be exploited by creating photo dumps to highlight features of a product line or showcase an event.
- Relevant and shareable content: A continuing popular social media marketing trend in the Philippines is sharing funny memes and relatable content that reflect current events, whether it's pop culture or serious campaigns. Marketers at brands like Angkas have shown that this is an effective way to leverage Filipinos' light-hearted sense of humor to build awareness and engagement.
Philippine consumers' online behavior and how they interact with content
The Philippines has one of the most active social media communities in Southeast Asia, with approximately 84.45 million active users. With the majority of people accessing social media through their mobile phones, it's no wonder that short-form content has rapidly gained popularity since its introduction. This appeal can be attributed to factors such as the ability to convey an interesting and concise message. Deliver content in a vertical structure tailored to mobile phones. Data consumption is also lower. This is an important consideration for countries that still suffer from slow internet speeds due to their island geography. Additionally, the growing influence of e-commerce has increased the demand for content that helps make purchasing decisions, with 44.1% of Filipinos discovering new brands and products through social media advertising.
What brands can learn from Filipinos' online activities and how to navigate social platforms
Understanding where, what, and how Filipino consumers behave online can determine how brands can leverage social media in the new normal and plan effective digital strategies Helpful. Recent statistics show that almost 80% of Filipinos use the Internet primarily for research and information, and social media as a tool for communicating with friends and family. Brands need to ensure their social strategy covers brand or product education so that consumers can explore within the platform. Includes commerce features for easy shopping within the platform. Curate engaging videos to keep consumers engaged while waiting for a chat response.
The role of e-commerce and online shopping in developing and supporting social media marketing trends
The ease of online shopping through marketplaces and social platforms supports the rise of #Budol culture. #Make and buy TikTok tendency. boodleIn the most literal sense, it means being persuaded to buy a product by someone else on social media. This is essentially online word-of-mouth marketing, which is not limited by physical or relational boundaries and can reach anywhere in the country.
How marketers and brands can take advantage of these trends
It has become even more important for brands to build partnerships with trusted influencers to gain a social voice, with an emphasis on authentic, creator-driven content. Marketers should also listen to creator feedback and audience comments, positive or negative, and respond accordingly to build consumer trust in their brand.
Guidelines for brand and agency partner interactions and social marketing trends
Brands need to ensure that their agency partners can not only support their current and immediate digital needs, but also support their future ambitions. We embed transparency into the way our clients and agencies work through audits and regular reporting, and drive agency performance with appropriate compensation structures.
