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Thai Twitter conversations are driving brand awareness and engagement

Amid fluctuating restrictions and social distancing measures, COVID-19 has entrenched a broad and irreversible shift to online lifestyles – and nowhere is this more apparent than retail. New research from Twitter reveals that 31% of online buyers on the platform in Thailand feel they’ve developed an online shopping habit since the pandemic began, while 92% of users based in Thailand have shopped online in the past 6 months.

But rather than a solitary activity, people are increasingly turning to platforms like Twitter to connect with the wider community and talk about their purchases. There have been a whopping 53 million shopping-related conversations on Twitter across Southeast Asia since the beginning of the pandemic, representing a 36% increase compared to pre-COVID, with 75% of online buyers on Thai Twitter searching for new products and stores online.

Conversations are major online purchase drivers – 39% of Thais on Twitter are more likely to buy a product when there are reviews from other customers, and a third (36%) when there are lots of ‘likes’ or good comments on social media.

“Despite the impact of Wave 3 of the pandemic, our research found an increase in optimism amongst Thais towards local and global economic recovery. This is leading to more frequent online shopping with 35% of Thais on Twitter shopping online more than 10 times in the past 6 months. And of these avid buyers, more than one-third are now spending more online than they do in-store,” shared Martyn U’ren, Head of Research APAC & Global Export – Twitter.

As we enter the final months of the year, Twitter delves into the Thai trends that will shape the #ShoppingDays ahead.

Normalising online shopping

While many people have shifted to online shopping experiences out of necessity, it’s clear that retailer efforts to excite and inspire shoppers – such as collaborations with well-known stars and presenters, and livestream events – remain part of the marketing strategy moving forward as online shopping is normalised.

15% of online buyers in Thailand feel that online shopping is giving them the same experience as in-store, while 23% actually prefer the digital experience. 31% believe they spend more online than they do in-store and 27% believe they’ll keep to this new status quo even following the reopening of retail stores. 

Changing lifestyle choices
However, purchasing priorities in Thailand have shifted significantly since the beginning of the pandemic. For example, shopping for essentials has been forced to transition to digital and online buyers are increasingly looking to purchase clothes (48%) and personal care products (51%) online.

As we spend more time in or around our homes, Thais are also looking to kit out their spaces accordingly – for example, 44% are looking to buy more tech products online, while 30% are in the market for home appliances. Staying fit and healthy is also, understandably, high on the agenda with 21% of shoppers prepared to buy medicine and supplements online, and 9% investigating insurance products.

Sealing the deal
Conversations matter for brands, especially when it comes to online purchases. 45% of online buyers on Thai Twitter say consumer reviews have helped them decide what to buy, while 34% value the comments and reviews on Twitter. 34% also say that they have visited websites or looked for more info on products after seeing ads on Twitter in Thailand.

So, how can brands positively influence consideration? There are several factors Thais will look out for as they research potential buys, including free delivery (62%), coupons and discounts (58%) and ability to pay with cash on delivery (36%).

However, being part of the overall online conversation is crucial. For example, Thais are 61% more likely to research a product online and 65% more likely to use coupons and discount codes if they’ve first been exposed to advocacy – such as a review or campaign. In fact, on average, brands that drive a 10% lift in conversations on Twitter see a 3% increase in overall sales

To deliver success around #ShoppingDays, brands can leverage Twitter’s Launch Formula:

  1. Listen: To be effective, campaigns must be relevant and to be relevant, brands should first listen. Listen on Twitter and find out what their target audience is thinking, interested in, or talking about.
  2. Tease: Brands can proactively start a conversation with their audience. Use this as a way to establish and tighten the relationship and generate interest before introducing a new product/service.
  3. Reveal: This is the time for a brand to release their product or service to the market, and to build brand awareness.
  4. Reinforce: Often the most overlooked step is to nurture conversation with consumers. This helps to keep the brand top of mind, generate purchase intent, and encourage word-of-mouth recommendations.

Connecting with audiences on Twitter 
Twitter has always been the go-to place to keep on the pulse of #WhatsHappening, and how bigger conversations, passions and concerns driving society are impacting other areas of life.

In addition to an active and influential audience, Twitter is considered both the best place for brands to launch new products, with the word spreading faster and wider than any other platform, and to build cultural relevance. With a number of key #ShoppingDays upcoming in the calendar, visit https://business.twitter.com/en/advertising.html to find out how to leverage Twitter to join in the conversation today.

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