More and more people are choosing to start their own online business, whether to save money on childcare or to have more flexibility in their schedules.
With food and groceries among the top e-commerce purchases for Filipinos, it’s no surprise that many Filipinos are interested in starting their home-based food businesses.
However, running a home-based food business can be difficult, especially in today’s already saturated market. The good news is that you can leverage social commerce to increase your competitive advantage.
How can social commerce help your home-based food business succeed? Keep reading to pick up a social commerce strategy (or two) you can apply to different social media platforms.
Let’s begin!
What is Social Commerce?
Social commerce uses social media to promote and sell products or services, which is highly beneficial to small business owners. It allows customers to shop directly from the social media channel without redirecting to another website or online marketplace.
In other words:
- It allows you to sell directly inside the social media platform, including having an online product catalog and accepting payments.
- It gives you the ability to answer multiple inquiries automatically and simultaneously – and funnel all messages across your social inboxes into one inbox.
- Your customers can easily browse your catalog, add to cart, pay online, and book shipping – all inside social media!
| Read until the end because we have a free forever social commerce app for your home-based food business! |
How Does Social Commerce Work?
There are several ways to use social commerce to promote and sell products or services to your potential customer.
Aside from the ability to sell directly inside social media channels, it also encompasses these online marketing activities. Social commerce can effectively reach more customers by considering your target audience, leading to more sales.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing involves reaching out to your followers using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share information about your products or services.
You can post photos of your products, write blog posts, and create videos about them. You can also use social media platforms and social media features to drive traffic to your eCommerce website or place their food order directly to your social commerce online store.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is the process of optimizing your eCommerce platform, like your website or online store, so that it appears higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). It can help you get more traffic to your website, leading to more sales without paying for ads.
Keeping your profile up to date with SEO best practices also helps potential clients find your home-based food business on social media platforms. By optimizing your social media profiles, you can improve your brand reputation and increase brand awareness.
Lead Generation
Lead generation is the process of attracting and nurturing followers and leads to turn them into customers.
A lead is a potential customer who has shown an interest in your products or services. Introduce potential customers to your business and encourage them to buy with social media marketing techniques, such as hosting live events on your social media platforms.
What are the Benefits of Social Commerce for Home-Based Food Businesses?
Home-based food businesses have always been a popular way to earn extra money.
In recent years, the rise of social media and the restrictions brought by the pandemic created new opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to turn their passion for food into a viable business.
But wait – there’s more!
85% of respondents said they would continue to order online as much as they did during the lockdown post-pandemic because it is much more convenient. Without a doubt, starting an online food business is one of the most profitable home-based businesses in our country. (We, Filipinos, do love our food!)
Now that we know that you could never go wrong with a food business, let’s find out how social commerce can help.
There are a number of benefits to social commerce for smaller brands and home-based food businesses.
The most obvious benefit is that it allows a small business to reach a larger audience without geographical limitations. Social media platforms provide a way for businesses to connect with potential customers even if they are well outside their area of operations.
Another benefit of social commerce is that it helps businesses build relationships with their customers and target audience.
Businesses can also interact with a potential customer through social media platforms. Plus, they can get immediate feedback to improve their products and services, provide a better shopping experience, and ultimately increase sales.
Tips for Using Social Commerce to Grow Your Home-Based Food Business
As a home-based food business, an effective social commerce strategy can be a great way to grow your business and reach new customers. The key is to provide them with a top-of-the-line shopping experience.
Here are some tips for using social media to sell your food products:
1. Optimize your online store, website, and social media platforms for mobile viewing. Social commerce purchase takes place on mobile phones. It is crucial that your website looks good and is easy to navigate on mobile devices.
2. Use high-quality images of your food products. Food images are a significant part of the social media users’ experience, and they can be compelling when it comes to driving sales. Use mouth-watering images that showcase your products in the best light.
3. Write interesting and engaging descriptions of your food products. Use catchy phrases and tell the story of how your food was made through your social media channel. Be sure to highlight the unique selling points of your products.
4. Respond to comments and questions, and let customers know what you are up to. You can even use social media features like Facebook Messenger to nurture relationships and ask for their feedback, leading to more sales.
5. Social media advertising can effectively reach a potential customer by targeting the right audience using the right message. Done right, you can see a significant return on investment from social media advertising.
6. Social commerce is a great way to connect with your customers human to human. Show them that there is a real person behind the brand – someone passionate about their work and values genuine relationships with their customers.
7. Use social media marketing to stay up-to-date on trends in the food industry. Share relevant information with your customers and educate them about your business. You can also share content that entertains and give them a behind-the-scenes look.
8. Focus on creating valuable content to help your potential customers make informed decisions about their purchases. This could be in the form of blog posts, infographics, videos, or even just simple how-to guides.
9. Engage with your customers on all your social media channels. Positive and proactive customer relations with your customers help you build trust and loyalty – two essential ingredients for any successful social commerce business.
10. It is crucial to provide a seamless experience to your target audience for your social commerce strategy. By providing personalized and hassle-free experiences, you can turn casual browsers into lifelong fans.
Final Word
Starting a home-based food business can be difficult. But with a reliable social commerce strategy, it can be easier than ever before. This article outlined the steps you need to take to start selling your food products online and reach your small business goals.
Best of all – it is free to get started! So what are you waiting for?
Further reading:
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Prosperna is an all-in-one eCommerce platform for Philippine Businesses. We are on a mission to empower 100,000 Philippine MSMEs with simple and affordable eCommerce solutions.
Get started on your social commerce journey and start selling directly inside social media channels, like Facebook and Instagram, with Prosperna’s Superapp!
