This is especially true when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and everyone, especially businesses, looked to digital platforms to adapt to the new normal. This phenomenon is now emerging across digital platforms known as social commerce.

Now, more and more businesses are all aboard to take advantage of this huge opportunity.

What is Social Commerce?

Social commerce is the form of driving sales through social networking communities. To put it simply, it is where people directly buy or sell products or services from a digital or social media platform. This has elevated the purpose and use of social media into becoming a platform that not only encourages users to look for things to purchase, but also to buy without leaving the app – a move that a social media management company must embrace for future social media campaigns.

Some experts note how social commerce has become one of the driving factors that increase the marketing revenue of businesses. A study showed that 8 in 10 businesses are projected to shift selling their products or services through social platforms in the next three years. In the year 2020, social media giants such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest modified their commerce tools to accommodate online sellers and streamers. These modifications opened new doors for digital storefronts that can be easily found organically or boosted through advertisements.

E-commerce vs. Social Commerce

Most businesses sometimes mistake e-commerce to be the same as social commerce. There’s a slight difference to both, however. E-commerce encompasses activities that involve buying and selling products and services through the internet.

More than 50% of internet traffic come from mobile devices. Ironically, mobile users have higher chances of cart abandonment compared to desktop users. To reduce cart abandonment, restructuring the checkout process is key. 

This is where social commerce enters the picture – it reconstructs certain drop-off points that may lead to abandoning transactions.

Social Commerce Platforms You Can Try in 2021

Big social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok are starting to include ‘shop now’ features or buttons in their pages. Twitter is also exploring ‘shop now’ features on its page with its new format.

However, here are the best platforms to add to your arsenal if you want to test out possible revenue channels.

Facebook

Considered to be the biggest and most popular social media platform globally, Facebook offers lots of hidden gems as a social commerce platform. It also has a social commerce feature known as ‘Facebook shops’ that is easy to access – shops can quickly be established and hosted with your business profile.

If you also have a partner platform, then it will be easy to sync it to the page and have the inventory list readily available. Otherwise, products can be manually listed on a spreadsheet.

The ‘Facebook Shop’ button on the mobile app also filters and recommends products based on the users’ preferences. They can also immediately complete the purchase through the app or through the desktop. Sellers can also directly interact with buyers through the messenger feature.

Instagram

The feature ‘Instagram Shopping’ is directly synced and linked with the ‘Facebook Shop’. To sync this, your Instagram business profile needs to be linked with your business profile on Facebook. Once that is done, the product list from your Facebook business profile will be visible on your Instagram as well – or you can provide an entirely new catalog.

The visual nature of the platform also allows more creative ways for social commerce promotions, such as the use captions on photos, mentions in stories, and more.

Pinterest

Pinterest’s social commerce feature, ‘Product Pins’ will still redirect you to a separate product page to complete the purchasing process. These may look like regular pins for people’s boards, but with additional features that offer pricing and other information.

It is also a platform where at least 89% of its users look for inspiration or ‘window shop’. With a little push on the technical process of purchasing, it’s definitely a social commerce platform that can get your brands, goods, and services readily-available for potential buyers.

Social commerce shows no sign of slowing down, especially now that people are constantly sharing information on different social media platforms. We’d love to hear your thoughts about this! And if you’re ready to dive into the social commerce bandwagon, we’ll be here to help you with your strategies.

The post Social commerce: How it works and why you should care in 2021 appeared first on New Age Digital.

This March, we’re celebrating International Women’s Month and giving tribute to strong and beautiful individuals who inspire and empower in all aspects – from fashion to business. Meet Sam Pinto, Chloe Dauden, Josephine de Lucia, Ryza Cenon, and Trude Lizares as they share their stories, tips, and spirit animals in this special NAD feature!

Sam Pinto

While she’s not gracing our TV screens with her captivating smile, Sam Pinto is living the life of a beach lover and being a successful entrepreneur at it. Her love for the ocean became the inspiration for all her ventures – the surf beach resort L’Sirere and her swimwear brands Sirena Swimwear PH and Finn by SP.

“There is something about it [ocean] that makes me truly happy. From the smell, to the heat and the feeling of peace. And I wanted other people to experience this happiness from within, also feeling good and looking good about themselves.”

Of course, staying true to her love for the ocean, her spirit animal – if we can classify it as one – is a mermaid. 

Sam experienced the same challenges that every entrepreneur faced, but she managed to overcome them with her tenacity. This is especially true when the pandemic hit. “There’s no way but up from here. I mean, I think we’ve been through so much that we have to keep moving forward and be better for yourself and others.”

She also highlights the need to be visible to your audience as part of how businesses can reach their goals. “Social media is very powerful now. Everyone is always on their phones. And by hiring a digital marketing agency, they know all the ins and outs of marketing in the social media world, which means it’s easier to get to your goals.”

Empowering words for fellow Filipinas: “Just go for it. It’s not gonna be easy and perfect but it’s a learning process along the way. It’s all gonna be worth it. Every success should be an inspiration to another. Just keep cheering and supporting each other.”

Chloe Dauden 

Every woman’s secret weapon is a good shade of lipstick, and that’s exactly what Chloe Dauden brings us. 

Her journey of being a successful entrepreneur began when she launched her sleepwear brand five years ago. Now, she’s rocking the cosmetic scene with Kyss Cosmetics while also investing in the restaurant industry on the side – what a busy gal!

Her spirit animal? Sara Blakely, the inventor of Spanx and known for being the youngest female, self-made billionaire in the world. 

Chloe’s inspiration to start a business came from her childhood aspirations. “Ever since I was young, I would always create or find things that I could sell or resell. I remember going with my mom to Divisoria when I was still in grade school, and I bought these boxes that I designed and played with and sold it as a jewelry box. I guess I still have that drive, but it’s only bigger this time.”

Chloe understands that one of the ways to being successful at what you do is exposure and having the right people to do it for you. “When it comes to marketing, it’s always best to hire experts in the field. As your company or business gets bigger, it would be difficult for you to do everything on your own. Digital marketing requires so much time and effort and it would be best to work with an agency to help you come up with the best marketing campaigns for your social media accounts.”

Empowering words for fellow Filipinas: “Always start with whatever you are passionate about because it will be the one that will inspire you. If you’re unsure of what your passion is, observe the things around you and try to think of small problems that would interest you in creating a solution. Sometimes, great business ideas come from trying to solve those little everyday problems. Never stop learning because your greatest competitive advantage will always be education.”

And one last thing she shares with us, “Don’t give up easily because it’s not an easy climb and lastly, never run out of cash! (No.1 rule in business)”

Ryza Cenon

She’s known to most as the Ultimate Female Survivor of a reality TV show back in the early 2000s. But what most don’t know is her talent and wit at being an entrepreneur. Ryza Cenon shows us that being what the ultimate female survivor is all about – on screen and off screen. 

Her drive to start a business started when close friends Chloe and Erika pitched the idea of starting their own lipstick brand, Kyss Cosmetics. And the rest, you could say, is history. Kyss Cosmetics lipsticks are hot in the market! 

Beyond the success of being an entrepreneur, what motivates her to go further is someone dear to her heart. “My son. I’ve always been a goal-oriented person. But being a new mother has brought out an even greater need for me to look for other ways to achieve success.”

Of course, a good product is just as good as how exposed it is to the audience. This is exactly why Ryza believes being digital is essential. “Whether we like it or not, It’s a digital world now. We live in an age where social media reigns supreme. And as an entrepreneur, it’s more important than ever to be visible online and I feel that the best way to do that is to go with a digital marketing agency to handle all my digital marketing needs so that I can concentrate instead on what really matters, which is making our product better.”

Empowering words for fellow Filipinas: “You are stronger than you think. Don’t be afraid to fail and make mistakes. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice from other women entrepreneurs – you don’t need to go at it alone. Network and have a clear goal. Learn to accept and process criticism. Most importantly, trust your instincts. You do you. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do based on your gender. Being a woman is a strength and there is absolutely nothing that we cannot accomplish.”

Trude Lizares

Her passion for art and fashion served as her ticket to success. Trude Lizares shows us how creativity can bring you a step closer to your dreams. 

Trude has been dedicating herself to her craft for the past 30 years, alongside her team of artisans that produces masterpieces after masterpieces for her fashion line. “I treat this as an expression of myself in that I extend myself to my clients in every piece that I create.  I also have inculcated the importance of social responsibility and environmental awareness in my brand.  Every piece is made of natural sustainable materials.” 

Fashion is not the only thing she is passionate about. Trude makes an effort to inculcate the importance of social responsibility and environment awareness in her brand. The reason she prefers to work with local talents instead of outsourcing abroad is to ensure their labor rights and good practices are upheld. 

Behind every successful woman is an inspiration that pushes her to greatness, and for Trude, her father is one to influence her passion. “I’ve always been an artist, having grown up with my dad who was a painter and founder of the art association of Bacolod. I love clothes so my artistic inclinations I have used in my creations.” 

She likens herself to an eagle that challenges every storm and soars above the rest. Despite her success, Trude never forgets to look back at her beginnings and remain true to her faith. “With God as my anchor, I have learned to rise above the adversities in life.” 

Like any modern entrepreneur, Trude understands how digital is the way to go when it comes to marketing. “With everyone being online, it is best to have a digital marketing agency to handle marketing and social management of the business. Having one substantially increases the efficiency of the business’ social media and marketing strategies. Much more, with Covid when people hardly go out of their homes, being seen and tangible online highly increases the brand’s representation and reach.”

Empowering words for fellow Filipinas: “One has to love and have passion for what she chooses to do. Know your heart and be firm on what you believe in. Work hard at your goals and never tire. While doing so, try your best to get as many people involved in the business and help them along the way. Always practice social responsibility and environmental awareness.  Keep your morals high and always give the glory back to God – the ultimate creator from whom all things come.”

Moving Forward Stronger Than Ever

More and more women are carving their own names out there, and we’d love to be a part of their journey. 

NAD stands behind every woman entrepreneur in building their business from the ground up with the same level of creativity and passion. If you’re a business owner looking to make your own name in the industry, we’re here for you.

The post NAD Highlights: Celebrating Modern Women and Their Words of Entrepreneurship Wisdom appeared first on New Age Digital.

Last month, NAD launched its first ever #NADGivesBack campaign as a way to help small to medium-sized businesses reconnect with their audience in today’s digital world. 

We’ve chosen one lucky business that will get free photography and videography services. Now the time has come to announce them…drum roll, please! 

The winner for #NADGivesBack is DAMM KITCHEN, a food business offering home-cooked Ilocano meals made with tender loving care – YUM!!!

Bringing Life to DAMM KITCHEN

DAMM KITCHEN’s story is one that reflects the struggle of many individuals and businesses alike amidst the pandemic – one of overcoming obstacles and hard work. As breadwinners, Richelle Palattao Miguel, owner of DAMM KITCHEN, and her brother decided to set up their business so they have means to continue supporting the family. 

“Nag-set up ‘yung ang aming subdivision ng way para di na lumabas yung mga elders because no means of transportation and all. So nag-start ‘yun April. Pero di kame agad ng join kase ano lang  kame, super support lang as a buyer.”

‘Yun lang I have a childhood friend. Favorite niya kasi yung Dinakdakan ng Daddy ko. It’s an Ilocano Sisig. So sabe nya, ate sali kayo don. 

So parang, dahil ‘di ba nagkaroon ng emergent face-to-face transition classes to online distance learning, so naapektuhan ‘yung school bus na lahat ng naipon ko before, doon na.. So we need to transition.”

(Our subdivision set up a way for elders so they don’t need to go out of their homes because there was no means of transportation. That initiative started last April. We didn’t join immediately and were only providing support as a buyer.  

I have a childhood friend who loves eating Dinakdakan cooked by my father. It’s the Ilocano version of sisig. My friend urged me to join the initiative.

Because of the emergent face-to-face transition classes to online distance learning, it affected our previous livelihood – the school bus, which I poured most of my savings into. That’s when we decided that we need to transition, as well). 

Delicious Meals, Anyone?  

Richelle gives us a glimpse of the products they’re offering at DAMM KITCHEN. 

“‘Yung ino-offer namin Ms. Erica and Ms. Bella is home-cooked Ilocano Meals — Dinakdakan and Dinardaraan, which is Ilocano Dinuguan. And Igado, mga ganon. 

Since nago-offer lang kame ng product[s] namin on a weekend basis, nag-isip ako ng way para may weekdays din kame. so we tried to resell artisan breads. 

Nakita ko yung post ng college friend ko. Yung proft kasi ‘nun naghe-help sila sa mga orphanages ng Paranaque. So naisip ko, sige try ko rin mag re-sell. 

So ayun, until now naman, nakakapag-resell pa ako ng bread nila.”

(We offer home-cooked Ilocano Meals, such as Dinakdakan and Dinardaraan, the Ilocano version of Dinuguan. We also have Igado. 

But because our products are only offered during the weekends, I looked for an alternative to make sure we’re also selling during the weekdays. We then started reselling artisan breads.

This came as an idea when I saw my college friend’s post. The profit for that goes to orphanages in Paranaque, so I decided to get some of their products to help my friend and resell. Until now, we’re still reselling their bread as part of our menu.)

The Challenges of Running a Business 

Like any other small business in the metro, DAMM KITCHEN has their share of challenges, especially during these trying times. 

“Ine-explore ko pa kung ig-go ba talaga kasi nagkaroon ng decline sa sales. So parang ‘di ko pa talaga alam kung babalik na sa work. Kasi it’s a weekend. Tapos ngayon parang made to order. 

The other day kasi, we were featured sa Go Negosyo. And then today, eto ulit. Inisip ko, i-try lang naten.” 

(I’m still exploring my options – whether I’ll continue this or not – because there was a decline in sales. Also, the uncertainty of whether we’ll be going back to work because it was only during weekends. Now, products are made to order. 

We were also featured in Go Negosyo the other day. Now, we have this. So, I just thought that we should just go ahead with the business.)

Hope for the Future

Despite the current situation, the people behind DAMM KITCHEN still looks at the positive side of things. 

Of course, the entire NAD team is here to help them and other businesses like DAMM KITCHEN propel their brand toward success with our creatives and digital marketing services. 

Bella shares the team’s enthusiasm to start the project with DAMM KITCHEN. “We’re super excited to be helping a brand like Damm Kitchen. This is something different because it’s very close to our hearts. And that day we talked to Richelle, we felt a whirlwind of emotions.” 

“And now more than ever, we want to help small businesses thrive while encouraging them not to give up on themselves despite all the challenges brought by the current Covid19 pandemic,” Erica adds.

Both Bella and Erica, as partners-in-crime in building NAD from the ground up, hope to continue inspiring businesses, “Here at NAD, we know how it feels to start small and get hit by various challenges that the previous year had thrown at us.”

Therefore, we want to be an inspiration to struggling small business owners and let them know that there is always hope especially if you believe in your values and work hard for them.”

Exciting things are coming from NAD’s social media overhaul of @damm.kitchen! Stay tuned!

Follow us on social: @newagedigitalph

The post Announcing the Winner of #NADGivesBack – The Story of a Small Business from Las Pinas appeared first on New Age Digital.

With contactless service becoming the new normal, one of your strongest weapons is staying visible on wherever your customers are. Be it on Facebook, Instagram, or on Google, how customers visible you are makes you a winner in this digital age.

And that’s our cue.  

The NAD crew is ready to give businesses their well-deserved spotlight this 2021, get started on their online presence, and pave the way for a more successful year.

This month, we’ll be launching our #NADGivesBack campaign to show businesses what it means to be in front and center of today’s digital-savvy customers.

One lucky small or medium-sized business will get a FREE photography + videography services done by our talented team. Our #NADGivesBack campaign is open to business within Metro Manila catering to any industry.

To join, simply follow these steps:

1. Like our Facebook page and share our #NADGivesBack campaign post. Your post must be set to public. 
2. In the caption, tell us about your story and why you deserve to be our winner.

This is your chance to showcase the best of your brand with strategies and creatives delivered by our innovative, fun, and passionate team.

We’re excited to hear about your story, share our creative fuel, and build the foundation for your digital success. Join our campaign today!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at hello@newagedigital.ph.

The post New Age Digital Launches #NADGivesBack with Free Creatives Services appeared first on New Age Digital.