A Beginner's Guide To Digital Marketing

Almost all people interact with Google at some point in their lives. Additionally, about 95.6% of all mobile traffic worldwide is generated from Google Search. It is also estimated that a business that has a digital presence has the potential of increasing sales conversions by up to 29%.

It is also important to note that according to internetworldstats.com, internet penetration in Kenya currently stands at 87%. Due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, many people have a lot of time to spare and they usually go online to search for solutions, ideas, and even products and services.

Google and Ecobank Group today organized a virtual training geared towards enabling SMEs to build a strong digital presence. The main things that were discussed are how businesses can use both Google My Business and Google Ads to stand out from the competition, connect and engage with customers as well as gather some insights on their operations.

The session was introduced by Owureku Ansare, the Head of Digital Solutions at Ecobank Group. She highlighted how the changing business landscape has affected both businesses' and consumers' behaviours and the need for firms to adapt, adjust and re-engineer their operations and processes in order to maximize their return on investments.

Wilfred Omondi, who is the Google My Business Project Manager at Africa 118 engaged us about Google My Business. He explained in detail how beneficial Google My Business is in helping businesses to show up online when customers search for them via Google Search. He also mentioned that it also makes it easy for people to discover the locations of organizations via Google Maps. This information is critical for customers who may want to make an immediate purchase decision for a particular product or service.

When a business signs up for Google My Business, it has the option of including its website if it has one or alternatively create a new one for free through the platform. Furthermore, there’s also a Google My Business App that can be downloaded from the Play Store or App Store which makes it easy for a business to update information regularly as the need arises. Such kind of information includes say a change in operating hours, available offers and discounts and new products or services offered.

The last session was facilitated by Titus Maina, who works as the Digital Marketing Manager for Africa 118. He expounded on the value that Google Ads gives businesses by making it possible for them to connect with customers when they are searching for a particular product or service. He also highlighted how it enables a business to build awareness and influence consideration of its products and/or services, drive purchases as well as increasing both revenue and brand loyalty.

Google Ads' unique features make it possible for a business to strategically target particular customer audiences, measure ad performance and control how much it spends on ads as well as using customized features to optimize ads for a better return on investments.

Google Ads are usually shown in Google's Search Networks and Display Networks. Search Networks include Google Search, Google Maps, Google Shopping, Google Images, and other websites of search partners. Display Networks include Gmail, YouTube, Blogger, Google Finance, and other partner websites.

It is therefore critical for businesses to embrace the shift in consumers' preferences and habits and try to find ways to remain competitive. A good place to start would be to go ahead and create a profile on Google My Business as well as expand marketing activities to include Google Ads. This would make it possible for many businesses especially SMEs to be sustainable in the long run.

Additional info:

1. To set up Google My Business Profile, go to https://www.google.com/business Note that in order to verify your business you may opt for Post Mail or alternatively engage with a Google Partner like Africa118 (their website is https://google.africa118.com/

2. To start working with Google Ads, go to https://ads.google.com

3. To learn more about digital marketing, go to https://growonair.withgoogle.com/events/fundamentals_of_online_marketing

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