Telling your brand’s story online isn’t just about your “About Us” page.
It isn’t just about a sales pitch, either.
It’s about creating authentic, relatable stories that draw people in without turning them off with hard, in-your-face selling tactics.
Why Your Brand’s Story Matters
Here’s why your story matters.
Statista’s 2025 key figures in e-commerce found 15.74 million users across the Philippines, with an estimated growth of 15.9 million more people using e-commerce platforms by 2029.
That’s 13.47% of the country’s population.
According to digital firm INSG’s founder, as of May 2025, 86% of those 15.9 shoppers online use social media platforms to sell. And out of those 13.53 million people, 44% of them rely on influencer recommendations. That’s 5,956,016 people!
Even with the 86.53% not accounted for, your story still matters.
A 2024 study from the International Journal of Fashion and Design found that these drive Filipino consumers to be aware and loyal to a brand:
- influencer marketing
- personalized content, and;
- customer interaction
Your brand’s story counts.
So, How Do You Put Your Brand’s Story Out There?
To sell to people, you have to relate to people. With a Filipino audience that values trust, shared experiences, and sincerity, storytelling that feels too promotional can easily fall flat.
So here’s how you share your brand’s story without sounding salesy.
1. Start with Your “Why” — Not Just “What”
People don’t buy what you sell. They buy why you made it.
This idea, popularized by Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, makes you (as he says) “start with why.”
Digging deeper into why you started your brand is vital in Filipino markets. Culturally, Filipinos value community and kinship. Emotion and purpose deeply influence their buying behavior.
Instead of saying this:
“We sell handmade shoes at affordable prices.”
Say this:
“We started our business to support local Marikina shoemakers and keep their craftsmanship alive.”
Not only does this foster connection, it also builds trust. And you don’t need a pretentious story, either.
Filipinos resonate with vulnerability, growth, and resilience. One of the most powerful ways to build trust in the Filipino market is to be honest about your challenges.
Example:
Create a vlog series about:
- “Lessons from Our First Year”
- “What We Got Wrong—and How We Fixed It”
- “How We Survived as a Small Business During ECQ”
Best practices:
- Don’t just advertise your products. Remember: people support people. If you find yourself lost, dig deep into your roots first. What was the reason you started? Your passion, your challenges, your mission? From there, you can let your story flow into your online content.
- What was it about selling your products that made you believe you could succeed despite your struggles?
2. Use Storytelling in Everything—Not Just One Page
Now that we have your story, let’s integrate it across your entire digital presence:
- Optimized website homepage: Short version of your mission and backstory
- Product pages: The origin of each product and its impact
- Email campaigns: Personal notes from the founder or team
- Social media captions: Micro-stories about customers, team members, or community work
To avoid adding to content fatigue, and people scrolling past anything that looks like a paid ad, blend your story into formats your audience already consumes.
Examples in the Philippine context:
- A short kwento-style post on Facebook or Threads that sounds like a personal experience
- A vlog-style YouTube video that takes people behind the scenes of your business
- A TikTok or Instagram Reel with storytelling voiceovers from the founder
Best practice:
- Use a mix of platforms—blogs, short videos, social posts—to let your story unfold gradually.
- Don’t deliver it all in one hard-hitting brand pitch.
- Make sure your voice and tone are consistent across platforms.
- Filipinos love a warm, conversational tone. If you can, avoid using jargon and sounding impersonal.
- If you’re in an industry that requires formality (legal management, finance, etc.), it’s still possible for you to connect. But for communication and digital marketing, a PR and digital marketing agency can help. We’ll get to that later.
3. Use Real Voices and Faces to Build a Connection with your Audience
One of the easiest ways to humanize your brand is to put a face to your story. In the Philippines, where relationships and pakikisama matter, featuring founders, team members, or even customers can build stronger emotional connections.
Example:
Keith Sta. Barbara founded local skincare brand Dermorepubliq because he had acne issues in a tropical climate. As an office worker, he wanted to make affordable skin care formulated for Filipino skin. It shows in Dermorepubliq’s website and influencer strategy.
Best practices:
- Use real testimonials (not stock photos or generic praise).
- Feature employee stories on your blog or social media.
- Share a behind-the-scenes look at the fun side of your company’s office life.
4. Make Your Audience the Hero
Too many brands position themselves as the hero of their story. But in successful storytelling, your customer is the hero.
Your brand is simply the guide.
Framework to try:
- Problem: What challenge does your customer face?
- Solution: How do you help solve it?
- Transformation: What does success look like for them after using your product or service?
Example:
Instead of saying:
“We’re the best financial consultancy in the Philippines.”
Tell a story:
“When Trisha, an online seller with no physical shop, got rejected by banks for a business loan, she turned to us. With our help, she was able to get a loan and used it to grow her business!”
Best practice:
- Use testimonials and case studies to highlight your audience’s transformation—not just your achievements.
5. Partner With a PR and Digital Marketing Agency
While you can tell your brand’s story on your own, you can also tap into experts in marketing and communication.
How they help:
PR and digital marketing agencies aren’t just for big corporations. Storytelling is a competitive edge small businesses have–one that they can’t ignore.
Working with a PR and digital marketing agency in the Philippines helps ensure your brand’s story get out there in a personalized, purposeful, and effective way across all platforms by:
- Working with your brand’s story to make it resonate with your Filipino audience
- Develop story-driven press releases, social media campaigns, and blog content
- Identify relevant media or influencer partners to amplify your story
Connect Your Stories, Build Their Trust
Remember: your story is your strongest asset. Don’t be afraid to tell it.
Just don’t make it all about you.
Filipinos know the difference between a sales pitch and a genuine story. If you focus on being human, helpful, and honest, your brand’s story will both capture attention and earn loyalty.
Need help crafting and amplifying your brand story?
Talk to us! Work with a trusted PR and digital marketing agency with a portfolio of building trust and connections.
Kriztin Cruz is a recruitment and digital marketing professional, freelance writer, hobbyist painter, and frustrated sociologist–with too many things to want and too little time to spare. She graduated with a Psychology degree in 2019 at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde Antipolo. When she’s not drafting a corporate letter or working on anything digital marketing, you can find her doing the following, but not in this order: reading a good book, scavenging for a good book, sketching, painting, journaling, junk journaling, obsessing over an obscure Czechoslovakian surrealist film (or anything by Miyazaki or Del Toro), cooking, finding a cafe to relax in, and creating new things while a nice documentary plays in the background.