The world is becoming more and more online as the years go on. 10 years ago you didn’t have to be online to grow your business. Today it is impossible to grow your business without being online!
So what is online marketing in South Africa, how does it work, and how much does it cost?
These are all valid questions to ask as a new business owner getting into the online world. It is vital to go about your transition in the right way. This all starts with planning and following the right process. The process goes as follows:
- Set Your Goals
- Set Your Budget
- Choose Your Platforms
Step One: Set Your Goals
Without setting goals you will be tempted to try and do everything. While being everywhere and trying to everything may seem like a good thing to do, however, it will likely cost you time and money.
Without goals, you are essentially trying to catch a fish without a net. You could catch one by chasing it around the pond, but you would save so much time and effort by getting a net and choosing the fish that works for you.
Choose goals that work with your businesses brand.
Step Two: Set Your Budget
Budgets are a part of online marketing in South Africa that vary greatly. We have worked with clients who have R1000 a month budgets and R10 000 a month budget. It all depends on what your business can afford.
Set out a budget for your online marketing efforts, including Ads cost and time cost.
Step Three: Choose Your Platforms
There are so many platforms online that it is impossible to aim for them all. As we discussed earlier in goals, without having proper set out goals you will end up wasting your efforts. This is the same when it comes to platforms.
Many people ask us which platforms should I aim for? Here are a few of the top platforms and some of their key features:
- Google Ads – Google Ads allows you a vast number of platforms to aim for in various mediums. You can run text, image, search and video ads on Google Search, YouTube, Gmail and Google Partners. This gives your business many options to reach your potential clients.
- Search engine Optimisation (SEO) – SEO is essentially the free way to land up in the search results. It comprises of a long process of work on and off your website. This has often been said to be the most cost-effective way to market your business.
- Facebook & Facebook Ads – Facebook is a great way to reach your customer. This is because it is the most used social media in South Africa. Facebook Ads allows you to reach your customers easier and more cost effectively than some of the other options.
- Instagram – Instagram is a fast-evolving platform focused on Photo & video content. This platform has been showed to grow many brands; however, it takes a lot of work and dedication.
- Twitter – Twitter is a fast-moving platform. It is the place to get and share the latest news and information! It is used more by academic and businesspeople as well as commentators.
- LinkedIn – LinkedIn is a goldmine if used correctly. By making use of thought leaders and valuable content you can create a good following of business professionals.
- TikTok – This new and fast-growing platform is a great way to showcase your business in Video content.
Online Marketing in South Africa is crucial for your business if you want to get ahead and stay ahead. By developing a good, strong plan you can grow your business in the online space. Follow these three steps and you can create and build a successful online business!