Facebook’s new tools boost Thai firms’ world image

More than 1 billion people on Facebook are connected to at least one business in a foreign country, and 1.57 billion people visit Facebook monthly on mobile.

In Thailand, more than 47 per cent of people on Facebook are connected to a business in a foreign country.

Rathiya Issarachaikul, SMB team leader - Thailand, Facebook, said that Facebook wants to help all businesses grow internationally and is introducing new resources and solutions to help them expand across the globe.

“In Thailand, we know that small firms make up 98.5 per cent of businesses, driving economic growth and creating jobs. Technology, particularly mobile, helps businesses grow by connecting them with people around the world. Across Thailand more than 42 million people are on Facebook and 47 per cent of them are connected to at least one business in a foreign country. We are committed to helping small businesses tap into the power of mobile to grow internationally and become global,” said Rathiya.

Businesses can now use a new feature in the Lookalike Audiences tool to reach customers in new countries similar to their own. They can do this by uploading a list of existing customers or high-potential leads.

In addition, advertisers with website conversion or mobile app install objectives can use extended location targeting capabilities by selecting a worldwide region or trade zone. Facebook will then deliver ads to selected regions and optimise delivery to the countries with the greatest return.

Facebook is also introducing solutions to help businesses optimize their global campaign strategy, including webinars on international marketing with Facebook and a handbook on finding the right customers in new countries. 

Businesses are already using Facebook to expand their activities globally. For example, in Southeast Asia, local eCommerce players have tapped into the power of mobile and Facebook to drive their growth internationally.

Kiatsiri Charoensiri, founder of Incheon Group Thailand and DiAd Agency, demonstrated how Facebook can create demand for new products. 

In January, 2015, there was no known brand for mineralised handheld shower-heads. Fast forward to today, Seoul Stone is well-known and has sold more than 200,000 of pieces across Thailand, UK, US, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia within 2 years. 

“Our media spend is 95 per cent on the platform with ROI as high as 2.5 times. We are looking to expand into more countries in Asia and Europe, definitely through Facebook,” said Kiatsiri.

David Jou, founder and chief executive officer of Pomelo, said that Facebook had been an excellent partner in helping Pomelo get brand exposure across Southeast Asia. 

“We are able to manage multiple countries effectively with a very lean team and the results have been excellent. Facebook is really well structured so it feels like you’re one team managing multiple markets and geographies,” said Jou.