This blog post was updated on 26 October 2023.
With a young, tech-savvy population and a growing middle class, the Philippines is a demographic sweet spot for global brands.
As such, more and more businesses are turning their attention to the Filipino market, but launching in a new country can be challenging.
Never fear, we have put together an in-depth guide that explains the key things to consider for a successful digital marketing strategy in the Philippines.
Let’s look at three tips for digital marketing in the Philippines.
1. Sell your products on Shopee, the top e-commerce website in the Philippines
When you think of e-commerce in the West, your mind probably goes straight to Amazon. But Amazon is not the top e-commerce platform in the Philippines – in fact, it only comes in third place! In the Philippines, Shopee is the most popular e-commerce platform, so it is Shopee that should be your first choice when thinking of selling your items online in the country. Lazada, Amazon and Carousell take second, third and fourth place, respectively.
2. Internet speeds are slow, so optimise for speed
Internet speeds are slower than in more developed countries, especially on mobile. As of August 2023, the Philippines ranks 91st in the world for mobile internet speed, with a median speed of 25.47 MB per second. It ranks 50th for fixed broadband speed, with a median speed of 88.81 MB per second. Given the slow internet speeds in the country, it is of utmost importance that your website is optimised for speed. If your website is too heavy and loads too slowly, this will result in higher bounce rates, meaning you could lose potential customers before they even have a chance to see what you have to offer.
3. Tap into Filipinos’ strong family values
Filipinos have a very strong sense of family. Close extended family ties are encouraged and cultivated, with many Filipinos living with members of their extended family. Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins support each other financially and can live under the same roof or in family compounds. When localising your website, you could capitalise on highlighting family values. By carefully working in themes around the family, you can create content that will resonate very well with the local audience.
Want to learn more?
I hope this blog post has given you a useful introduction to digital marketing in the Philippines. For more in-depth information, read the full-length guide here. The guide covers:
- the current digital landscape in the Philippines, including internet penetration rates
- the typical Filipino internet user, including their gender, age, location and online activities
- device usage breakdowns and internet speeds in the Philippines
- search engine marketing in the Philippines
- how to localise your website for the Philippines
- social media marketing in the Philippines
- the local culture and language in the Philippines
- e-commerce in the Philippines
