Book on digital marketing directs African businesses how to reach buyers
As many businesses in Africa are still unsure how to approach digital marketing for successful impact, a digital marketing specialist, Adeola Kayode has tried to simplify the complexity about the trend and instruct how to grow businesses through the platform with introduction of a digital marketing blueprint for businesses especially for startups in Africa.
The world is rapidly incorporating digital marketing and while some are successful with the practice others find it difficult, perhaps because of the approach but the book entitled ‘Digital Epidemic, Strategic eMarketing playbook for growing your company in the age of connected customers’ deals with why businesses should embrace digital.
The 400 page book is conceivably coming handy as the author encourages businesses, particularly startups and brands on the importance of digital marketing with holistic appraisal of the digital and social media experiences for businesses in Nigeria and Africa. The book provided some marketing ideas with local examples.
Presenting the book to stakeholders last weekend in Lagos, Kayode who facilitates Online Marketing with the Enterprise Development Center of the Pan Atlantic University (PAU) said there is a silent epidemic sweeping over emerging markets and the possibilities for Africa are tremendous. The convergence of digital and mobile phone connectivity has become a game changer as it is no longer business as usual. He acknowledges that “digital has changed the way we live our lives. Goods and services are now purchased on the phone and transfer of funds from one person to the other has become as seamless as possible”.
Kayode said unlike the past when marketing was simple, today’s customers no longer fall for cheap marketing tricks as they are empowered with social media and digital technology. According to him, the customers are now empowered to avoid advertising, conduct their own research, share opinions with others and interact with brand and media content across multiple devices
He said in the face of this business dynamic scale, it has become imperative for smart brands and startups to make disruptive tactics work for them by using digital and social media as a springboard to take their marketing from guess work into digital awesomeness.
The author said the book combines strategic global digital marketing case studies with amazing stories about business, brands and products coming out of Africa. According to him, the book is not only focused on trends, tools and techniques but also uses real stories as examples and case studies to learn from.
He said the book was created as a response to the people and businesses who have always wondered how to understand and use digital media for their businesses. He added that the book is about building a profitable brand and using mobile, digital and social media to push a brand beyond its weight. The book explains how businesses can go beyond begging for attention into engaging their audience in the new web.
Kelechi Nwosu, the president of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN who commended the author at the book at the presentation described the book as good for those who are migrating from the analogue world to digital. “It is an opportunity for some of us to catch up fast and sometimes leapfrog in to the future”
He agrees that digital has become part of people’s lives and cannot avoid it not just in marketing but in live. “But for those in marketing digital enhances the work to engage the consumer”.
Daniel Obi