Thailand’s e-commerce industry is flourishing, providing businesses with plenty of opportunities for growth. To succeed in Thailand’s digital marketing environment and reach this audience effectively.
Cash on Delivery remains a popular payment method in Thailand, although credit cards and e-wallets have recently seen increased usage. Here we explore current trends in Thai digital marketing and how best to leverage them for success.
E-commerce
E-commerce in Thailand is an rapidly expanding industry, fuelled by increased Internet services availability and smartphone penetration in the country. E-commerce sites must abide by Thailand’s Direct Sale and Direct Marketing Act which serves to protect consumers while also overseeing activities of these websites; all e-commerce businesses in Thailand must also obtain a government e-commerce license prior to starting operations.
Businesses looking to succeed in Thailand’s e-commerce market must understand local consumer behavior and meet their needs by analyzing customer data and developing targeted advertising campaigns. Digital marketers also must have knowledge of cutting edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence and programmatic advertising, in order to create effective campaigns.
Thailand offers an attractive e-commerce market for both B2C and B2B companies alike, thanks to its strong infrastructure, stable economy, high Internet usage and highly skilled workforce that are all integral parts of doing business successfully.
Electronics and travel are currently leading product categories in the country, contributing most revenue to e-commerce industry revenues. Fashion follows close behind with annual revenues reaching 1.03 billion dollars; E-commerce sales are anticipated to expand rapidly over time.
Thai consumers in the e-commerce sector tend to be price conscious, rather than buying products based solely on brand recognition alone. New buyers typically base their purchases on prices or special offers like midnight sales and one-off promotions. E-commerce growth can help accelerate adoption of national e-payment systems and accelerate economic development of Thailand.
To maximize the potential of e-commerce, business communities should prioritize increasing the number of mobile and online shoppers by providing an improved shopping experience and offering new payment methods. Furthermore, promoting products on social media to attract more users may help maximize e-commerce potential.
Social media
Thais have an overwhelming affinity for social media. They utilize it to connect with friends, family and business associates as well as research products prior to purchase – leading them to abandon brand loyalty in favor of online shopping – necessitating businesses develop and implement a digital marketing strategy which incorporates social media.
Facebook and YouTube remain the two leading social media sites in Thailand, particularly among younger generation users. Both sites play an influential role in consumer decision making for apparel and footwear products; as such, brands are adapting their strategies for reaching target audiences via these platforms.
Brands wishing to reach Thai audiences must create culturally relevant content. This can help build trust with customers while understanding demographics, interests and media consumption habits that may help target ads on Facebook and Instagram more efficiently.
Facebook currently boasts 47 million active users in Thailand, and this figure is expected to significantly increase by 2023. In addition, e-commerce sales in the country have seen dramatic growth – electronics and travel being two areas with especially strong revenues generating an increasing amount of online transactions. With such bright prospects for growth in this market, marketers should use social media as a tool to promote their businesses in Thailand.
One effective way to increase brand visibility in Thailand is through social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram, where you can target specific groups by age and interest. Ad tools can also help expand reach and conversion rates; however, due to privacy concerns Meta removed some effective targeting/retargeting features.
Alongside social media marketing, another effective marketing strategy in Thailand is paid search. Paid search allows advertisers to target specific keywords and pay per click when their ad appears online – an approach which is sure to generate greater traffic and ultimately provide better return on investment (ROI).
Mobile marketing
Thailand offers an increasing demand for online shopping and increasing smartphone use, making it the perfect location to launch an e-commerce business. But to successfully establish one in Thailand it’s essential to understand its local market and use digital marketing to effectively reach consumers; mobile phones and social media will allow your company to increase visibility while drawing in more customers.
As such, mobile marketing has emerged as the dominant form of e-commerce in Thailand. Over 65% of transactions conducted via apps – and this trend looks set to continue – are conducted using apps. Furthermore, Thai consumers are becoming more comfortable using payment methods like e-wallets online. Businesses should make sure their websites are optimized for mobile use to provide a pleasant shopping experience for Thai consumers.
Thai consumers are becoming more inclined to purchase goods from local brands due to their preference for local content and affordable quality products at attractive prices. Furthermore, more people are searching for sustainable products with minimal environmental impacts; to capture this market successfully brands must promote themselves via digital channels and provide trial offers or samples as part of their promotional strategy.
Thailand, where 77% of its population uses the internet, has seen the lines between online and offline marketing become increasingly blurry. Brands must adapt their strategies accordingly – using mobile-first thinking and machine learning techniques to personalize every stage of customer journey from website messaging to email communications.
Mobile marketing is more than an advertising medium; it can also provide real-time services. Take Nong, who sells plus-sized clothing on Facebook using its live streaming feature so she can answer customers’ inquiries in real-time and convince buyers to buy her merchandise.
Google ads should be an integral component of any digital marketing strategy in Thailand, since most Thais rely on search engines when making purchases. Plus, the platform offers various ad formats which allow businesses to target different audiences effectively.
Content marketing
As Thailand embraces technology and consumers increasingly turn to online shopping, businesses must adjust their marketing strategies. Social media and content marketing must be implemented to reach a broader audience while developing websites optimized for search engines will help attract more customers and boost sales.
Thai businesses should consider influencer marketing alongside digital advertising to promote their products. By understanding local culture and language, businesses can easily reach the right audiences through sharing useful information that positions themselves as trusted experts while creating lasting relationships with target audiences.
As part of their response to COVID-19 pandemic, many Thai consumers turned to online shopping. E-commerce in Thailand has seen significant growth over recent years and this increased competition between businesses in Thailand as more workers opt to work remotely – this shift influenced workplace culture negatively as more employees were encouraged to work from home instead of coming in every day to an office environment; even the government mandated using electronic filing systems and cloud services for data warehouses and meetings in offices.
Thailand’s primary online purchase drivers include free delivery, coupons and discounts, cash on delivery options and cash on delivery options. Implementation of such tactics enables businesses to increase sales while competing in international markets.
Thai Internet users are extremely active; however, only a small proportion have their own websites. Most rely on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and LINE for social activities – making these platforms perfect platforms for e-commerce marketers to promote products or services or even produce video ads.
Digital marketing strategies exist to drive visitors and sales to your website and e-commerce platform, and creating high-quality content is the most efficient way to do that. Furthermore, segmenting your audience enables you to target them more precisely; you could create separate posts targeting parents with children or those who have made previous purchases.