We're an expert digital agency in Phnom Penh. Services include strategic marketing, branding, web design, social media, advertising, PR, & event planning.

COVID-19 has had a huge impact on people's lives all throughout the world, including Cambodia. Cambodia has to embrace the digital revolution, particularly in trade and commercializing operations, with the enforcement of strict lockdown measures and social distancing regulations. This has resulted in a significant development in Cambodia's e-commerce business, which is popular among consumers of all ages. According to the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson, Mr. Penn Sovicheat, Cambodia's e-commerce sector is estimated to generate $1.78 billion in revenues by 2025.

Let's look at the Cambodia e-commerce market situation in 2023 and what everyone should know so you can be prepared and plan your next marketing move. Or if you are attempting to break into this thriving sector!

Cambodians’ perspective toward their online shopping behavior in the present day

We would define it as "easy and convenient!" Online buying in Cambodia has never been easier, particularly during the bitter/sweet era of COVID-19. According to a poll conducted by the Confluences team of 1000 Cambodians released in 2023, about 30% of Cambodians report doing their shopping online numerous times per month. The current shift in consumer preferences has increased the kingdom's need for e-commerce platforms and services. Not to mention the quick rise of the internet and the great majority of Cambodians aged 35 and under owning smartphones.

The convenience of digital or online payment, which is quick and easy to use, fosters the online shopping lifestyle embraced by younger Cambodians. Since the epidemic, 32% of Cambodians have decided to emphasize digital banking practices as their preferred form of payment, and this number is expected to rise further. When compared to the previous year, this reduced the flow of physical cash consumption by 22%. Cambodians love digital payment methods and would prefer to go cashless as much as they can (through QR codes and e-wallets) to make sure their society is more hygienic, efficient, and environmentally friendly.

Older Cambodians, on the other hand, still prefer traditional market shopping to this new digital activity.

What factors could persuade Cambodian customers to make an online purchase?

Cambodia's online economy is one of resourceful and inventive domestic infrastructure development and innovative infrastructure growth. 66% of Cambodian e-commerce shoppers prefer to make an online purchase from a brand they know; TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram could serve a significant role in this market. Moreover, since social media is their 'go-to particular seeking site, consumers will spend plenty of time learning more about any product brand before making a purchasing choice. Creating multiple kinds of content marketing for the business's exposure while developing an easily accessible online purchasing journey could assist a lot in guiding the consumers' view into having an impressive brand presence within the platforms, resulting in tremendous advantages for your business revenue.

Learn more about some of the issues that Cambodian e-commerce customers confront

Let’s identify what has been bothering Cambodians' thoughts to decide not to make a purchase online or that one consumer has never become a returning customer. The consumer report states:

• “The lack of customer protection policy” resulted in over 36% of buyers being concerned about the refund/product return policy.
• More than 34% are concerned about the product's “payment options”.
• While more than 32% are worried about "delayed/slow delivery" and "product safety and security".
• "No guarantee of product quality" reached nearly 29% in the survey report, indicating that no one wants to acquire a product that turns out to be unreliable.
• Furthermore, around 25% of consumers express worry about falling victim to any "false advertising" strategy across platforms.

References:

Consumer Report - Cambodia 2023 by Confluences,
The Diplomat: Cambodia’s Unique Version of E-Commerce,
ITA: Cambodia eCommerce,
Chan, R. (2022) - An analysis of Cambodia’s e-commerce and way forward. Journal of Management, Economics, and Industrial Organization, 6(3), 88-100,
Khmer Times: Cambodia’s e-commerce market eyes $1.78B by 2025

Nowadays, when people talk about community outreach, digital tools like social media and targeted ads often come to mind. However, there is just no substitute for carefully-planned and well-executed live events. That’s why Population Services International (PSI) chose to organise community events for Bloom, the non-profit’s campaign to raise awareness about non-communicable diseases (NCD) among Cambodian women.

As a social behaviour change (SBC) campaign, Bloom was designed to inform women in Cambodia about the dangers of hypertension and Type 2 diabetes and provide specific strategies to mitigate the risks of these NCDs. The importance of regular exercise and improving diets by cutting out salt and sugar intake were key messages of the Bloom campaign.

PSI, along with partner Brains Communication, settled on community events in these areas because, despite the massive increase in connectivity in Cambodia, there remain communities and individuals that lack resources like smartphones and internet access. So, in order to reach the campaign’s target audience of women aged 30-45 with children, in-person events were organised for women and their families. These live community events will be held in the provinces of Battambang, Kampong Cham and the capital, Phnom Penh, were all organised.

At the heart of the campaign, and these community events, is educating people about the shocking realities of NCDs. However, organisers realised that fun and engaging activities are some of the best ways to teach about subjects and ensure that participants retain this knowledge. To this end, each event was developed with edutainment in mind, consisting of games and activities that will appeal to women as well as their children and families, helping increase the long-term effectiveness of the Bloom campaign.

Organisers also understood that flexibility is important when it comes to live events. The events are scheduled to last between two and four hours, depending on the number of attendees. There were also a number of “overflow” games and activities that can be incorporated into the schedule depending on when and how many participants attend. Finally, all promotional and communication materials have been developed in line with Bloom’s existing branding, so that everyone is able to follow up with the campaign down the road if they want to tell friends or family about the importance of behaviour change in preventing hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.

Bloom’s live community events have been crafted to reach some of the people so often left out of the conversation. By getting out into the communities, speaking with residents and offering them fun and engaging activities based around NCD education, PSI continues to put the health of Cambodian families front and centre.

Check out our work with PSI Cambodia

Social media has evolved into a powerful tool for engaging with people and promoting your business in the ever-changing world of digital marketing. With so many content formats and platforms available, determining which strategy is best for your business may take time and effort. Let's look at some suggestions and techniques to help everyone discover the "maybe closest to perfection" content type for your audience on social media platforms.

First, define Your Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Let's start with the acronym (S.M.A.R.T.) Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objectives for content development should be defined here. To discover preferences and tactics, research your target audience and competition using methods such as surveys, interviews, and analytics. Analyze the content formats and platforms of competitors to find market gaps and opportunities.

Let’s try out different kinds of content formats and platforms.

Once you've determined your goals and target audience, it's time to play around with various content formats and platforms. Social media provides several alternatives, such as written articles, videos, voice chat, user-generated material, etc. Each format has its advantages and disadvantages, so while making your selection, always keep your goals, target audience, and budget in mind. Here are some of the content formats for your consideration:

• Written articles in posts or blogs

Written content, such as blog posts and articles, is an age-old method to show off your knowledge and build trust. Blogs provide a forum for readers to discover new things and feel connected or motivated. This method is pretty cheap to create, but it takes imagination to come up with new concepts and can be time-consuming. Consider the length of the content as well as the platforms where it will have the most significant impact, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Blog Page on your website.

• Short-form and long-form videos

From the latest trends nowadays, you should consider growing your business marketing with short video content, such as those offered by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, which are extremely popular and provide an excellent return on investment (ROI). They quickly catch attention and are easily shared. Long-form videos, which are popular on YouTube and live-streaming sites like Twitch, allow for in-depth engagement/information and conversation with your audience.

• Understanding user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is an effective technique to highlight real-life interactions with your company. Encourage your customers to create and post content promoting/reviewing your products or services on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. People frequently rely on referrals from friends and family when making purchase decisions, therefore UGC increases trust and authenticity.

• Educating your customers by extending their beneficial knowledge

Infographics, videos, and text-based blogs are all examples of this content. Share your knowledge and support your audience by connecting their objectives and resolving their challenges with your product or service. For example, if you offer shoe odor remover, attempt to develop a short video instructing customers how to properly wash their shoes and connecting the procedure with the usefulness of your product.

• Always observe the jumping trends or any funny-related content

GenZ enjoys creating and sharing content/memes from the internet. Using this advantage, developing humorous, trendy, and relatable information will assist you in remaining up-to-date and engaging with your audience. Use viral memes, popular hashtags, and cultural events to produce viral content. Consumers find funny content to be highly memorable, and relatable information to be particularly relevant to their own experiences.

Last but not least…

Always strive for the finest possible quality of pictures, artwork, or video. These elements are crucial on social media platforms because they attract people and captivate their attention. High-quality materials are aesthetically appealing and may increase interaction, whether they are presenting your products or sharing a trendy meme linked to your brand.

Conclusion

Once you understand the customer, you will be able to assist them merge with your brand for a greater purpose and fully differentiate yourself from your competitors. Keep an eye on what works and what doesn't. Your audience is intelligent and evolving; they have plenty of sites to read and obtain information from across different platforms, thus it is critical that you experiment on a regular basis to keep your audience interested in your brand.

References: Which Content Formats Work for Your Audience? How do you find the best content format and platform for your audience? Learn How to Create Social Media Content with a Social Content Plan, The Most Effective Types of Content on Social Media [New Data]

See how we applied different content formats for our partners

We are pleased to announce the release of the current issue of Focus Cambodia magazine. The new edition will mix the publication's well-known business and financial material with the greatest elements of Discover magazine, our yearly travel and lifestyle guide. This reinvented publication will serve as the definitive guide to the Kingdom of Wonder, with information on who to know and where to go around the kingdom. Focus Cambodia will be published in early 2024 and will feature exclusive interviews, unique photography, and world-class design.

Once updated on a regular basis, the website and its social media channels will become a valuable resource for current information in text, video, and photo forms.

Get in touch to learn more about Focus Cambodia 2024.
📧d.marchette@globemediaasia.com
🌐focus-cambodia.com
Who says print is dead? Is it really a powerful marketing tool? Read more here