The Role of Social Media and Online Platforms in Growing Home Baking Business

Abstract

The rise of social media and online platforms has revolutionized the way small businesses, particularly home-based ventures, operate and grow. This project explores the role of social media and online platforms in the growth of home baking businesses. It examines how platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok, as well as e-commerce tools, enable home bakers to market their products, engage with customers, and scale their operations. This study is to identify the digitalization that has facilitated home bakers in growing their business. Secondly to lean the To learn about the difficulties home bakers encounter when utilizing social media. The study employs an analytical approach, combining questionnaires, surveys, and interviews with home bakers and customers. Case studies, surveys, and questionnaires with customers and home bakers are all part of the study\'s analytical methodology. According to research, social media is an essential tool for increasing sales conversion, customer interaction, and brand visibility. But there are drawbacks as well, like algorithm modifications, rivalry, and consistency issues. The project ends with suggestions on how home bakers might use digital tools and maximize their internet visibility for long-term success.

Introduction

The Internet has enabled a new digital economy, making it possible to manage various business operations—from marketing to financial transactions—quickly and efficiently. Digitalization improves business processes through information technology, facilitating communication and customer retention, and has become vital across industries due to the shift from offline to online business models. Global e-commerce is rapidly growing, with digital platforms playing a critical role in the success of businesses, especially in sectors like the food industry.

In India, about 40% of people use internet-based meal delivery services, opening significant opportunities for the online food business, including home baking. The Indian bakery market has been growing robustly, expected to reach $25 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 9.5%, driven by demand for healthier products.

Research shows social media profoundly influences customer purchasing behavior and business growth for home bakers, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown, when many turned baking into a source of income and coping mechanism. Social media platforms have become essential marketing tools, enabling personalized and real-time interactions that boost sales.

A study focusing on Chennai’s home bakers found that most online bakery entrepreneurs are women over 35, who benefit from the flexibility digitalization offers. Cakes, cookies, and cupcakes are the most popular products sold online. WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook are the top platforms for marketing and customer engagement, with WhatsApp also preferred for placing orders due to its convenience.

Social media significantly boosts sales, with 50% of bakers reporting notable increases, although challenges remain. These include difficulties in reaching new customers, understanding social media algorithms, time management, and creating engaging content. Most home bakers rely on organic reach rather than paid advertising, underscoring the need for better digital marketing skills and planning to maximize social media’s potential.

Conclusion

Research on how social media and internet platforms may help a home baking company develop shows how important they are for reaching a wider audience, building brand awareness, and boosting sales. Home bakers may display their goods, interact with consumers, and create a devoted following by using platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, which provide affordable and easily accessible marketing options. Business development has been achieved via the employment of effective tactics including influencer partnerships, user-generated content, frequent publishing, and time-limited promotions.But issues like sustaining interest, differentiating oneself in a crowded industry, and handling unfavourable reviews still exist. Home bakers may get beyond these challenges and make the most of their internet presence by employing focused marketing techniques, making use of platform statistics, and being flexible with trends. In the end, social media and internet platforms are very helpful resources for home bakers, offering chances for long-term success and steady growth.

References

[1] Zagade, Seema, and Ms Pranita Prakash Gaikwad. \"THE EMERGENCE OF HOME-BAKERS AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BOOSTING SALES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC.\" [2] Trivedi, Twinkle Milan. \"Rising home bakers in India: leveraging online platforms for sales and marketing.\" Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies 13.4 (2023): 1-17. [3] Fusté-Forné, Francesc, and Nela Filimon. \"Using social media to preserve consumers’ awareness on food identity in times of crisis: The case of bakeries.\" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18.12 (2021): 6251. [4] Kar, Debopriya. \"A Study on the Impact of Digital Marketing on Home Based Business with Special Reference to Bakeries in Guwahati City.\" (2021). [5] Haque, Monami, and Shams Bin Quader. \"Empowering women through online bakery stores in Bangladesh: Barriers and effective strategies for growth and development.\" ICT for Development Working Paper Series (2014): 66. [6] Ibrahim, Mazne, and NurAliah Mansor. \"Bake the world a better place: Embedding social entrepreneurial spirit among community bakers during Covid19 in Malaysia.\" Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts 14.1 (2022): 435-452. [7] L?daru, Georgiana-Raluca, et al. \"Influencing factors and social media reflections of bakery products consumption in Romania.\" Sustainability 13.6 (2021): 3411. [8] Fidalgo, Adriano, and Jorge Miranda. \"Innovation in the Commercial System of the Small Bakery Industry.\" Baking Business Sustainability Through Life Cycle Management. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2023. 261-275. [9] Memon, Ubedullah, et al. \"The Indus Bakers: recipe for resilience.\" Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies 14.2 (2024): 1-27. [10] Latiff, ZulkifliAbd, and NurAyuniSafiraSafiee. \"New business set up for branding strategies on social media–Instagram.\" Procedia Computer Science 72 (2015): 13-23. [11] Swami, Vishwas Iresh, and Deepa Naidu. \"Social Media Marketing: Gateway to SuccessforHomepreneurs.\" Journal of Commerce and Management Thought 11.2 (2020): 174-183. [12] Malik, Sawsan, and Chris Mantas. \"The adoption of social media platforms in informal home-based businesses in Kuwait.\" Humanities and Social Sciences Letters 9.3 (2021): 273-287. [13] Olsson, Anna Karin, and Iréne Bernhard. \"Keeping up the pace of digitalization in small businesses–Women entrepreneurs\' knowledge and use of social media.\" International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior& Research 27.2 (2021): 378-396. [14] HP de Vries, Huibert Peter, Ekant Veer, and Kate Victoria de Vries. \"An examination of SME social media use in the food industry.\" Small Enterprise Research 25.3 (2018): 227-238. [15] Gauli, Kashi. \"Digital Economy: Analyzing the influence of social media marketing and platform-based economy on the food industries in Finland.\" (2021). [16] Sadhale, Manasi. \"The Concept of Home Cooks And Its Entrepreneurial Business Potential During And Post COVID-19 Pandemic.\" (2021). [17] Bivens, Rena, and Oliver L. Haimson. \"Baking gender into social media design: How platforms shape categories for users and advertisers.\" Social Media+ Society 2.4 (2016): 2056305116672486. [18] Waheed, Saima, et al. \"Social media encourages women entrepreneurship: a study of challenges and empowerment.\" International Journal of Media and Information Literacy 7.2 (2022): 596-605.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 John Williams R, Ritisha Ravikumar, Manikandan R, Suriya Prakash S, H. M. Moyeenudin . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.