Like many SMEs in Thailand, Vannoten Tailors’ owner had long considered operating part of his business online but had never got around to doing anything about it. Many of his competitors had started to operate online, using local SEO and digital advertising to attract new clients both in-store and for online orders.
We flew from our head office in Bangkok to Patong in Phuket to visit the Vannoten Tailors store, meet the owner, and discuss a detailed plan about how we would move his business online and target a new set of clients for his custom tailor service.
The Target
The main aim of Vannoten Tailors was to move part of their business online in two ways:
- To attract potential clients via a website, social media, local Google SEO, and digital advertising.
- To set up an online ordering system, allowing clients around the world to purchase custom-made garments and have them delivered globally.
At the time of our first meeting, Vannoten Tailors had little to no online presence and focused mainly on walk-ins, deals with local hotels, and word of mouth to get new business and clients.
Our aim was to transform the online presence of the tailoring business and set up multiple channels to increase orders both in-store and online.
To do this, we decided to create a new custom website with ordering capabilities, set up multiple social media accounts across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter, improve the Google business listing, and create advertising campaigns across social media and Google.
The Research
After agreeing on a target, our next task was to research competitor businesses and create a plan for all aspects of the new online side of Vannoten Tailors.
Our first step was to plan out the new website for the business. This involved researching similar local, national, and international businesses that were already online and deciding the best route forward to suit the aims of Vannoten Tailors.
Upon researching competitors, we formulated a sitemap for the new website which provided a wide range of information for both first-time and returning visitors.
The initial plan also included a host of on-page SEO techniques to quickly rank the new website on Google and additional touches such as a “chat” button linking to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
As part of the research process, we also created a new logo for Vannoten Tailors and decided on a basic color scheme to fit the brand in addition to a font set that we would use across the website.
With input from the owner, we decided to keep the color scheme simple with one primary color accented by a light shade of black and white. For fonts, we went for two clear and easy-to-read choices.
The logo, color scheme, and font set were also used when designing cover images and posts for the company’s social media presence.
Lastly, we deep-dived into keyword research which would help us to write the content for the website, come up with ongoing blog ideas, and target search queries when advertising on Google.
The Implementation
Once we had completed our research, we launched the design or implementation phase. This was broken down into three parts according to the needs of the project: 1. Custom Web Design, 2. Social Media Setup, and 3. Digital Advertising Planning. Below is an overview of the steps we took for each part.
1. Custom Web Design
Implementation of the web design started by creating pages that matched with the approved sitemap. Once the pages were created we began adding customized, SEO content to each page along with a combination of stock images and photos that we had taken of the Vannoten Tailors store when visiting the location.
SEO techniques were used throughout the process including the use of correct heading tags, alt text, and meta data. Once the main structure was completed, we moved on to creating forms for the website.
The order form was one of the main parts of this website as it would allow clients to order tailor suits online. We had previously decided to go with a conditional logic form which would allow clients to choose different options throughout the ordering process. Images and explanations made the order form easy to navigate and complete.
After all sections of the web design were completed, we sent it to the client for approval. Following approval, we conducted user testing followed by the installation of caching and SEO plugins to assist with the performance and ranking of the website.
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2. Social Media Setup
Vannoten Tailors had a minimal social media presence prior to contacting Sawadee Solutions. As part of the digital presence setup, we created three social media accounts for the business: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
We chose these three platforms as they were most suited to the business type where client images, product images, and testimonials were the keystones to attracting new business.
We maintained uniformity from the website to the new social media accounts by using the color scheme and fonts in designing new cover images and templates for posting.
In addition to the traditional social media accounts, we also revamped the Google Business listing to boost local SEO and create a complete online profile that was ready to bring new clients to the business.
3. Digital Advertising Planning
The final step of implementation was to create a digital advertising plan with the aim of hitting several milestone targets. After agreeing a suitable budget for advertising, we divided the budget between social media and Google advertising with the aim of reaching different audiences on each.
The initial plan’s goal was to create brand awareness as the business previously had a very limited online presence. We also targeted local tourists in the Patong region of Phuket to attract them both on to the website and to contact the store for appointments.
According to the digital advertising plan, we targeted specific keywords that were earlier researched and aimed to develop the plan from brand awareness to online sales and contact via messenger, WhatsApp, and phone call over the first six months.
Vannoten Tailors would receive status updates and reports every month as part of our service offering.
The Result
Only six weeks after launching the new website, social media accounts, and advertising strategy, Vannoten Tailors had witnessed real results. The website was receiving a steady stream of visitors with more than five percent of all visitors taking a valuable action on the website – either contacting or ordering.
The social media accounts had grown rapidly with more than 5,000 followers across all three accounts. Our regular postings were also receiving a healthy number of likes, comments, and shares.
We continue to maintain the online presence of Vannoten Tailors via monthly blog posts on the website, regular posts across social media, continual updates of the Google Business listing, management and implementation of digital advertising, and off-page SEO practises via guest postings, link building, and other methods.
Within two months, the new website had already started to rank for low competition, longtail keywords with a solid plan in place to rank on Google for more competitive keywords over the coming months.
