Small businesses in Somalia have long been using traditional marketing efforts, such as prints and billboards, to reach their target customers. And still, few of them are merely relying on traditional marketing. However, there has been a significant shift in how Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Somalia use marketing. Many small businesses have realized the benefits of online marketing, and they are making tremendous efforts to build a digital presence using digital technologies. Small businesses already existing in the market are taking steps back from traditional marketing and are embracing social media marketing approaches to reach their target customer audiences. Also, new businesses entering the market are gaining more customer attention by using effective social media marketing strategies. There is a sound transformation in how companies in Somalia connect and engage with their customers. It is fantastic that small businesses in Somalia turned to digital marketing to grow their businesses online, but how they are currently approaching it may not be enough.
Somali businesses are embracing digital marketing only in a way that they can build an online presence to promote their products and services or to create proximity to their fans or followers. Many small businesses are only present on the main digital channels: Facebook and Instagram, the two most used social media platforms across Somalia. The majority of small businesses rely on only these social media platforms. They lack websites and other digital presences. Very few have websites but are not utilized thoroughly to drive traffic and generate income. Businesses should invest more resources to build a comprehensive digital presence. It is not enough for small businesses to be present online, but they should also be very active. Customers do not want to bother following a social media account that is not frequently updated and revisit a website with no new content or an outdated design. Creating a comprehensive digital presence is essential for identifying customers, collecting data, and promoting business brands. So, how do companies build a robust digital presence and maximize their digital marketing efforts?
Here I share some digital marketing tips and techniques to help companies stand out from the crowd and generate repeated sales.
Register your business on Google and Optimize local search
In this online world, search engines are where everyone comes for information. Google is the most popular search engine globally, accounting for 92.04% of market share globally and 96.62% of market share in Somalia as per Stats Counter. Customers are always in search of products and services. If customers search for a product or service on search engines, will your business appear in the search results? Businesses should register their companies on Google, and doing so is entirely free of charge. Google helps bring better exposure to companies and makes it easier for customers to find information about businesses online, including hours, contact information, and directions. “Near me” searches have increased dramatically since the rise of mobile. One-third of all mobile searches are related to location, according to Google’s internal data in 2016. In order to capitalize on these, businesses need to optimize their small business for local searches.
Be active on social media.
Having an active social media presence is critical for the survival of small businesses. Almost all Somali SMEs have social media presence on some digital channels. The issue is not present on social media, but it is becoming very active. There is no doubt that having a business page on Facebook is very popular today. Having a page on Facebook is a great idea, but it alone is not enough if engaging contents and updates are regularly not shared with the targeted customers. Facebook and other social media platforms are all about sharing engaging content and updates with others. People will not come back for more if the business page does not have something valuable to share. Businesses should regularly post high-quality content and relevant topics to their Facebook business pages to attract users to like, comment, and share page posts on their Facebook. In this way, small business products can be easily spreadable to a larger audience. Also, businesses should go beyond organic social media posts and invest more in social media advertising which can help them get even better results.
Create a website for your business
Although social media is free and offers a great way to promote a business, the functionality of these sites is restricted. A website can do several tasks that social media cannot. Aside from advanced functionality, having a website increases a brand’s online credibility and respectability. According to a survey, 84% of today’s consumers think a website makes a business more credible than companies that only have social media profile pages. Also, a website is a perfect place to show off professionalism; it lets a business create a branded email address (e.g., [email protected]).
Optimize Search Engines
A website not only allows to promote a business but also gives small businesses access to many tools and strategies for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which is the key to making their businesses appear on the front page. Back in the day, buyers used to know their nearby stores directly, and, as a result, small businesses needed to maintain a positive relationship with their neighbours. But now things have changed. Before buying anything, today’s consumers conduct quick research online to evaluate the reputation of small businesses. This way, they get to see the brand’s business page (if registered on Google), where they have access to customer reviews. Also, they get to see the official website (if there is one!) and social media profiles. Additionally, consumers search for local terms such as dry cleaning near me or coffee shop near me, and search engines return with the most relevant search results. And only businesses that optimized their search engine will appear in the search results. SEO means ranking a small business website for the desired search terms or keywords.
The term “search engine optimization” may sound unfamiliar and intimidating, but it’s relatively easy in practice. Small businesses use a keyword research tool to enter words and phrases connected to their companies, figure out which terms generate the most traffic on Google, and create content around those phrases. However, most small business owners are not familiar with SEO strategy or are focused on running their businesses and may not have the time or resources to spend on technical marketing activities like search engine optimization. They are unaware that SEO gives them a chance to compete with larger enterprises by being more visible in search engine results.
In addition to being active on social media, registering the business on Google, creating a website for the company, and optimizing search engines, there are other digital marketing areas in which small businesses can use social media marketing ads, YouTube marketing, Instagram marketing, email marketing, and Google Analytics and Ads. Some of these methods may be way too advanced for both customers and businesses, but they are still worth mentioning.
In a nutshell, SMEs should embrace digital marketing to grow their businesses. However, their digital marketing efforts are limited, and there is still a long way to go if these businesses want to stay competitive. Digital marketing is becoming more and more critical in the coming years. Small businesses should invest more in digital marketing and do what they must to stay on top and prevent the risk of being left behind.
Abdiwahab Isak Hassan, Head, Communications and Media, SIMAD University
