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Online marketing has become a necessity for any small business operating within South Africa. Digital marketing, as a field, can no longer be considered forgiving either.
Budgets are tight and the bar has been set rather high by management’s expectations for returns. However, it is quite surprising that despite these facts, many companies continue to fund marketing efforts that appear “busy” but add little to the bottom line.
The problem lies not with digital marketing. Rather, the problem lies in the manner it is conducted.
What No Longer Works
Creating every day without planning means no growth. Creating to “boost” to wasteful ends means wasted money. Advertising that results in poorly designed sites causes frustrated clientele.
Being noticed and effective are not the same things.
- What Works in the South African Market:
Good marketing begins with fundamentals. Your website has got to load quickly, have a mobile-friendly interface, and state its value clearly. This is particularly important for South African users, as internet connectivity is often slow, as it is accessed through mobile internet networks.
Paid ads will succeed when they’re based on actual goals. This includes proper targeting, regional messaging, suitable landing pages, and correct tracking.
Content is also an important part of the mix, but not just any content – organic content. Content in South Africa, can perform well if it educates, explains, clarifies, or has a humorous twist. Organic content helps builds authority. Authority builds trust.
- At a minimum, SMEs will want:
“Likes” and reach don’t pay the bills. Leads, inquiries, conversions, and cost per acquisition do. #Facebook #Advertising #LeadGeneration #Conversion
Unless the marketing performance can be measured, it cannot be improved.
The Takeaway
Digital marketing in South Africa is effective when these marketing activities are strategic in nature and locally focused, rather than mere noise.