The situation is far from ideal, but it’s given us an opportunity to consider how we can support Australian made.
Australian made products and businesses have been at the centre of our attention since COVID-19 struck.
With restrictions on air freight entering the country, many of us have become aware of just how much we purchase is produced abroad. There has been a movement to encourage consumers to be more aware of where their products come from and in turn support Australian industries.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can identify and purchase Australian made products.
Look for the Australian Made logo
The Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) logo is instantly recognisable – 99% of Australians can identify it! Products can only use this logo if they have been registered with the Australian Made Campaign Ltd (AMCL).
This logo is a power communication tool as it allows consumers to easily identify if something is Australian, but you may have noticed that there are varying types of logos. Their website provides a simple and easy to understand overview of what each stands for!
Other ways to identify Australian made products and businesses
Some small business owners and sole traders may not have any of the above logos on their products. They may make their products using some imported materials or ingredients, but they are Australian businesses nonetheless!
So, how can you find these guys?
Social media
Many businesses use social media to promote their brand and products. According to the Yellow Social Media Report 2020, the three most popular platforms in Australia for small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) are: Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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These days it’s very easy to identify who these small businesses are and how you can buy from them.
Instagram Hashtags
The visual nature of Instagram makes it one of the most popular platforms for business owners to showcase their products. When it comes to hashtags, there are thousands that can help us identify Aussie products and businesses.
There are broad hashtags, and more targeted ones, like for business owners in certain states, industries, hobbies and so much more!
Here are some hashtags you can start your research with.
Hand made
These are popular hashtags in the fast growing Australian hand made goods community.
- #handmadefeaturesau
- #handmadeau
- #handmadeinaustralia
- #australianhandmade
- #supportaustralianhandmade
- #loveaustralianhandmade
Location
There are so many hashtags for businesses in Australian towns and lesser known cities. These are just the tip of the iceberg!
- #sunshinecoastbusiness
- #smallbusinessperth
- #tasmanianbusiness
- #alburybusiness
- #dubbobusiness
- #adelaidesmallbusiness
Support Australian
More broad hashtags that apply to business owners from a wide range of industries.
- #buyaussienow
- #supportaustralianbusiness
- #aussiebusiness
- #buyaustralian
- #australianmade
- #australianowned
Mumpreneurs
Many stay at home mums start a side business to generate an income for their family as they take a break from full time work to raise their children.
- #brisbanebusinesswomen
- #mumswhomakeau
- #melbournemumsinbusiness
- #mumsinbusinessaustralia
- #mumsinbusinessau
To search these hashtags on Instagram:
- Type a hashtag into the search field
- Your hashtag will appear, as will suggestions for similar or related hashtags – this will open you to discovering more businesses!
Once you find some business accounts you’re interested in, follow their account and check the captions to see what hashtags they use to further your research.
Facebook groups
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Facebook groups that can connect you with Australian businesses.
Business groups
There are so many options for business groups on Facebook: Australia-wide or state, city and even Local Government Area (LGA) specific. A lot of these groups have dedicated hours or days for business promotion, and you can usually find this in the group description. For example, the Australian Small Business Network (ASBN) allows members to post a business post on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. To find out more about Australian businesses, join groups that pique your interest and pay attention to the discussion feed during the promotion hours.
Mum groups
Facebook is also home to a lot of mum groups. Like ASBN, they allow members to promote their business in a certain time slot. Once again, by paying attention to the discussion feed during this time, you can become aware of Aussie businesses to support!
Australian visual shopping guides Facebook group
This group is incredibly unique. During COVID-19, Fiona Robinson created an Australian-owned and made shopping list with pictures and shared it on her personal Facebook page for friends and family to view.
The post was shared 2.3k in under a week, and prompted Fiona to create a Facebook page called Australian Visual Shopping Guides, which has amassed over 9k members in just a few months!
Fiona shares visual guides of Aussie made and owned products, and some include a percentage of Australian ingredients in each product.
We hope we’ve shown you some new ways to discover and support Australian businesses and products! If we all start now, we can make a big difference for future generations of businesses!
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