This means a lot of businesses have taken to social media to promote their goods and services as the need for this cannot be overemphasized.

However, before going online, business owners need to understand what platform works for their business and the kind of content they would be putting out to avoid a waste of time, effort and money.

Being strategic about what social media platforms to market your business on is very important and my article highlights the most important things to note before taking that huge step.

1. Identify your target audience

This involves understanding what specific audience your business appeals to and it helps you connect better with your customers while satisfying their needs.

Read more on how to identify your target audience!

A thorough understanding of who your customers are would help build a solid foundation for your business, create an audience profile and furthermore find your customers on social media.

2. Locate your target audience

Every social media platform is unique to its users.

For instance, Pinterest. Research has shown that 83% of Pinterest users are female and that the platform works more for B2C than B2B.

From this, it’s pretty obvious that it would be easier for a dress store to make sales on Pinterest than for a video game store.

Also narrowing this finding to types of businesses, Pinterest would work better for a shoe store than for a financial services firm given that the former is B2C and the latter B2B.

It is essential for you as a business owner to find out what platform your target audience uses to connect with them and effectively monitor and engage conversations on your business.

3. Know your business and benefits of each platform

Knowing your business means understanding what kind of industry it belongs in, what your business goals are and a whole lot more.

Every platform has content peculiar to it, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. It’s best to align your business goals with what you hope to achieve on social media.

Listed below are some platforms and their characteristics:

Twitter: According to gs.statcounter an estimated 19.64% of Nigeria’s population is active on the platform (*whew* a large market right?).

Twitter is great for fast-paced businesses as you can inform your audience of the latest happenings in your industry by posting steady tweets daily and engaging your community. 

Instagram: As of October 2019, 8.9% of Nigeria’s populace make use of Instagram regularly. If your business is product type, Instagram is a great platform to showcase your goods on. With the right marketing strategy and aesthetically pleasing picture, content businesses can promote their products and services on the platform effectively.

Facebook: Almost any kind of content works on Facebook and the platform records the most number of users than any other social media channel.

Recent statistics by gs.statcounter also shows that an estimated 59.14% of Nigeria’s population own a Facebook profile. The platform is great for businesses to showcase, regular posts, videos, blog posts, pictures, etc about their products and services.

LinkedIn: This platform is more professional than the others and you’ll usually find more corporate individuals and organizations here. Paid promotion on Linkedin is more expensive than other platforms but the platform has a growing market especially for B2B businesses.

4. Content-type

The kind of content that works for one social media platform doesn’t work for the other in most cases. Let’s take the case study of the shoe store and Financial services firm from point 2, both businesses are of varying types, B2B and B2C respectively and would therefore have different content types.

The shoe store would make use of more pictures, unlike the financial services firm which would post more articles and enlightening videos from time to time.

Their target audience differs as a shoe store is more targeted to individuals from all walks of life and the financial services firm targeted to corporate individuals.

For B2C businesses like the shoe store which are more product inclined, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest will work better for them but the financial services firm will get more value from a professional platform like LinkedIn where most B2B businesses are located.

Content types vary from just regular posts to pictures to videos. It is important to choose a platform best suitable for the content your business is delivering.

Yes, social media marketing is essential for your business as it creates an avenue for businesses to connect with more customers and make more sales but it’s a lot better if your business is doing great on 1 or 2 platforms than being average on every platform.

Selecting what channel works best also helps you, monitor, track and achieve your social media business goals more effectively compared to being active on every platform there is.

What social media platforms do you currently promote your business on and what other channels are you looking to try?

If you have any questions or comments, kindly drop them in the comment section.

The post How to Choose The Right Social Media Platform for Your Business appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

According to Investopedia, ROI is:

is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or compare the efficiency of a number of different investments.

Measuring your return on investment (ROI) for any given marketing strategy helps you identify whether you’re getting the value of your money from your efforts and also helps you to allocate your budget effectively.

In this article, I’d be sharing how you can measure and improve your online marketing ROI.

1. Conversion rate

Conversion rate is an important metric to evaluate an online marketing campaign.

Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors that complete your desired action compared to the total number of people that could have converted. With digital (online) marketing, your conversion rate is not just sales. It can be the number of downloads or the number of people who signed up for a consultation.

A high conversion rate simply means a successful digital marketing campaign.

2. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

Cost Per Acquisition is also known as Cost Per Action. It is the metric that identifies the cost an advertiser pays when a specific action has been made. It could either be a click, an actual sale, or form submit.

3. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

CLV measures the amount of gross profit that is acquired from a person over the entire time they do business with your company. It helps in determining the amount an individual will spend on your company throughout their lifetime. CLV aids businesses to achieve long-term goals.

When you know your customer lifetime value, you can improve it.

4. Revenue on Ad Spend (ROAS)

ROAS is calculated in percentage by dividing the revenue generated by the total amount spent in the campaign. It measures the effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts. The higher your ROAS, the better!

5. Lead close rate

It is very important to monitor the number of leads that eventually turns out to sale. This metric gives your company insight into how well they are at converting leads into actual sales.

The lead close rate is calculated by comparing the number of closed leads with the total number of leads generated.

So after you measure your online marketing campaign ROI, how do you improve your next marketing campaign?

• Set goals.
• Monitor your campaign.
• Run test ads before launching a full campaign.
• Identify whats works for you best, is it email marketing, social media marketing, SEO?
• Identify your target audience and direct your campaign at them.

Conclusion

Remember that the metrics you use in measuring your return on investment will greatly depend on the goals you set and the channels you are using to execute. Also ensure your goals are SMART = Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.

We really hope you’ve found this article helpful.

If you need help or guidance in improving your digital marketing, simply Contact Us. We’d be happy to assist.

Do you have questions or comments concerning digital marketing? Please feel free to leave a reply below.

The post How to Measure and Improve Your Digital Marketing ROI appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

In this article, I’d be sharing the top 5 reasons you should be advertising on Facebook.

1. Facebook is where your customers spend their time

According to lyfemarketing.com, 80% of all internet users use Facebook, 65% of them are adults over the age of 65. This simply means that Facebook is very huge for your business to not ignore.

2. Facebook targeting is top-notch

Facebook advertising enables your business to reach your specific and exact audience, so you’re not just advertising to everybody, you’re directing your ads to your target audience. You can advertise to individuals by age, interests, behavior, and location.

3. Facebook Ads increases your engagement

Facebook advertising enables your target audience to engage with your brand. When individuals engage with your brand, it develops an indirect connection with them. The engagement could be in the form of likes, comments, shares, website visits, etc.

4. Facebook Ads are cheap!

Another interesting thing about Facebook advertising is affordability. In terms of cost to reach a thousand people, Facebook is far less expensive than all other channels both online and offline.

The graph below from Brian Carter’s Moz article explains this.

5. Facebook amplifies your content reach

Organically your reach is only limited to people who like your Facebook page and also when they decide to share your content. While Facebook advertising helps you reach a much wider audience but has similar demographics, interests, etc. of your current followers.

Conclusion

Facebook is undeniably the number one social media platform. The opportunity Facebook advertising gives your business is numerous. Take advantage of the opportunity it provides and watch your brand skyrocket to the very top.

The post Top 5 Reasons You Should Be Advertising on Facebook appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

This is why at CKDIGITAL, we ensure learning never stops. Every month, a member of the team trains the rest of the team on a given topic.

Our Head of Projects, Iyiola Ayobamiji facilitated the training on Teamwork & Collaboration.

Teamwork is the key to success in most realms of life and business but it is a challenge in itself. It requires that people manage their egos, develop humility, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts and above all, commit to one another and to a common goal. -Luis E. Romero

In his presentation, he shared 3 slight differences between teamwork & collaboration.

1. Roles specification

In teamwork, everyone in the group works as individuals with specified roles and tasks but this isn’t necessary in collaboration, rather everyone works collectively.

2. How they operate

In teamwork, members work together while in Collaboration they go beyond this, they think and brainstorm together.

3. Leadership

A successful team depends on having a strong leader to guide the team toward the goal but Collaborators are equal partners.

Pillars of great teamwork and collaboration

1. A clear vision/goal.
2. Strong interpersonal skills.
3. Open communication.
4. Helpful feedback.
5. Leadership.
6. Accountability.
7. Commitment to success.

Conclusion

Whether or not your team members work in the office or remotely, teamwork and collaboration equal with success.

The post October In-house Training: Teamwork & Collaboration appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

In this article, we share the 25 important questions to ask before choosing a Digital Marketing agency.

About the company/ General

1. How long has this company been in business, and are they legally registered?

2. Do they have a physical office you can visit anytime?

3. How many people work in the company?

4. Do they have a functional website?

5. Are they visible on social media?

6. What are their communication and service processes like?

7. How do they structure contracts?

8. How long should your contract be?

9. Who are some of their clients? (previous and present)

SEO

10. How long will it take to see results?

11. Will they create a new copy or work with our existing content?

12. Will they be creating new landing pages as part of the contract?

13. How will they keep me informed of the changes they make to our website?

14. Can they share information on some of their past clients and their results?

15. What happens if we terminate the contract?

Social Media

16. Can they share information on some of your clients’ (past or present) social media pages and their results?

17. Have they worked for any client in your industry and how was the experience?

18. What social media platforms should your business be on?

19. How would they measure ROI on social media efforts?

Content Marketing

20. Can they share some of your write-ups?

21. How will their writers familiarize themselves with our business and industry?

22. Will they be publishing new content on our website?

23. How much content will they produce per month?

Paid Ads

24. Do they have experience managing paid campaigns on social media, search engines?

25. What metrics would be included in their reports to show the successes of ads?

Conclusion

With these 25 questions, be sure you are asking your potential Digital Marketing agency all of the right questions.

We do hope you’ve found this useful.

Are you considering CKDIGITAL for your next Digital Marketing project? If yes, great! Simply Contact Us to get started.

Are there more questions you think businesses should ask? Please leave a reply in the comments section below.

The post 25 Questions You Need to Ask Before Choosing a Digital Marketing Agency appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

According to InfluencerMarketingHub personal branding is:

the unique combination of skills, experience, and personality that you want the world to see you. It is the telling of your story, and how it reflects your conduct, behavior, spoken and unspoken words, and attitudes.

Interested in boosting your personal brand online? You’re on the right page.

In this article, we’ll be sharing 5 ways to boost your personal brand online. Let’s get to it!

1. Be authentic

Be real, don’t fake it. Personal branding doesn’t allow individuals to create a contrived voice or a fake persona that is not genuinely them. People can perceive when an individual is being fake. Your personal branding builds from your passion, values, skills, and goals.

2. Know your audience

It is very important you know who your audiences are. Know the individuals you are trying to reach. What social media platforms are they on, are they thought leaders in your industry, website designers, developers, or digital marketers?

Define your audience!

According to northeastern.edu, if your goal is to reach hiring managers and recruiters, you might start by creating or updating your LinkedIn profile. Why? Because 92 percent of recruiters leverage social media to find high-quality candidates and, of those, 87 percent use LinkedIn.

3. Determine what you want to be known for

Decide what you want people to know you for online. Determine your niche and build it, so when anyone talks about your niche or industry the name that pops in their mind is yours.

4. Genuinely care

To build a good personal brand online, it is necessary you genuinely care about your online audience.

Position yourself as a thoughtful person who genuinely cares about other people. If you are not interested in helping other people, then your personal branding online journey might not be successful.

5. Engage!!!

Engage! Engage!! Engage!!!

In building your personal branding, you to need to engage your audience, respond to your comments, comment on some other industry thought leader’s posts also, this can also help widen your exposure and ultimately increase your online followers.

6. Be consistent

One of the major components of successful personal branding is being consistent and true to your brand.

Be consistent in your posts, tone of voice online, color scheme, profile pictures, etc.

Conclusion

Remember personal branding comes from passion, skills, goals, and values.

If you need help or guidance in improving your personal branding, simply Contact Us. We’d be happy to assist.

Do you have questions or comments concerning personal branding? Please feel free to leave a reply below.

The post How To Boost Your Personal Brand Online appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

Have you considered the benefits of SEO for your business? In this article, we will be sharing with you 7 Benefits of SEO & Why Your Business Needs Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

What is SEO?

According to SearchEngineLand

SEO is the process of getting traffic from the “free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural” search results on search engines.

1. SEO targets quality traffic

The good thing about SEO is that it is an inbound marketing strategy.  Inbound strategies are all about being found naturally rather than aggressively pursuing leads through in-your-face tactics. Unlike traditional marketing which involves reaching out to consumers whether they want to hear from you or not, inbound methods are concerned with making it easy for your target audience to find you when they want information.

When you are keen on attracting individuals that are interested in your products or services, you’ll be more effective in reaching your target audience which can ultimately lead to sales.

2. SEO does not require paid ads

If you have strong SEO standings, you do not need to run ads on search engines. Your website traffic can grow without having to pay per click.

3. SEO naturally builds trust

If your website appears on the first page of a search engine, this naturally builds credibility and trust in the minds of people who search for your keyword which is very good for business.

4. SEO brings higher close rates

According to research by the Search Engine Journal, it showed that an average of 14.6% close rate is achieved from SEO leads, compared to a 1.7% close leads from outbound (traditional) leads.

While SEO leads where the individual makes an inquiry or research of your products or services, it brings higher close rates.

5. SEO promotes your business 24/7

Another benefit of SEO is that it promotes your business every time even when you are not there. Your rankings on search engines do not randomly disappear. So once you have a high ranking in search engines, be rest assured that your business is going to be promoted at all times.

6. SEO encourages cost management

SEO helps your business to lower the cost of advertising.

When your website is high ranking, there would be no need for you to pay for ads to your website.

7. SEO gets more clicks than Pay-Per-Click

Organic listings receive 90% of clicks than ads on search engines. I personally skip paid advertisements on search engines.

By investing in SEO you are most likely going to get more traffic to your website.

Conclusion

We cannot out list the benefits of SEO, they are numerous. It is the smartest marketing investment every serious business should make in this digital age we are in.

SEO helps your business generate traffic, increase your leads and ultimately skyrocket your business sales. Take advantage of the numerous benefits SEO gives.

We really hope you’ve found this article helpful.

If you need help or guidance in improving your website search engine optimization (SEO), simply Contact Us. We’d be happy to assist.

Do you have questions or comments concerning search engine optimization (SEO)? Please feel free to leave a reply below.

The post 7 Benefits of SEO & Why Your Business Needs SEO appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

One of the most common mistakes business owners make in digital marketing is underestimating the amount of effort that it will actually take to make an impact online. Some think all they need to do is build a website or open social media accounts and order will start rolling in.

In this article, we’ll be sharing 5 Common Mistakes Business Owners Make In Digital Marketing.

1. Speaking to the wrong audience

It is great to market to a lot of people to gain exposure but it is also unproductive marketing to everyone. Note that more does not really mean better, most especially when you are communicating to the wrong audience. It is very important you know your target audience and communicate messages that they will find attractive and inviting.

2. Chasing not attracting

Another thing small businesses do wrong is chasing their customers by continually pushing a product or service out in the faces of their audience. When you chase, what you do is that you push your prospects away because you approach them with desperate energy. Successful marketers create systems that are designed to educate and attract.

This is where inbound marketing can come to play. According to Wikipedia

Inbound marketing is a technique for drawing customers to products and services via content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization, and branding.

Read here, A Beginner’s Guide to Inbound Marketing.

3. Ignoring critics

A way to demonstrate a high degree of brand integrity is to answer online complaints timely and properly. Your brand should see complaints as an opportunity to improve and be better. Customers can interpret the removal of negative comments as an attempt to dodge serious shortcomings in the brand’s customer experience.

Read here, 5 Popular Mistakes Businesses Make On Social Media.

4. Not having a digital marketing budget

Investing a small amount of money in social media or search engine ads can increase traffic to your website or physical location. Digital marketing allows small businesses to compete with a much smaller advertising budget. When managed effectively, it gives them laser-focused control over where and how they spend their money.

5. Failing to Track Results

Digital marketing campaigns fail when not monitored effectively. Monitoring your digital marketing results is an important step in knowing whether your strategy was successful or not.

Conclusion

As a small business, marketing your business online can sometimes be stressful and intimidating as well, but if you avoid these mistakes mentioned above, be sure your efforts would be more productive.

If you need help or guidance in improving your digital marketing strategy, simply Contact Us. We’d be happy to assist.

Do you have questions or comments concerning social media management? Please feel free to leave a reply below.

The post Common Mistakes Small Business Owners Make In Digital Marketing appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.

This is a big fat lie!

Considering the fact that there are over 2 billion users on Facebook, it’s still a goldmine for advertisers (who have perfected the art of running Facebook Ads).

No matter the industry you are, your customers are most likely on Facebook.

If you have never created Facebook ads before or you plan on running one soon, here are 5 important things to do before you set it up.

1. Know Your Goals

The first and most important thing to do before setting up an ad is to know your goals.

Because you heard Facebook Ads is quite affordable doesn’t mean you should delve in without knowing your goals.

If you really want it to work out, you need to know what is your objective for the campaign?

What exactly are you trying to achieve?

Is it awareness, traffic, conversions, leads or page likes?

If you must write it down, please do.

Doing this will give you something to measure your success against.

2. Research your Ideal Target Audience

Not having an ideal target audience can be likened to going for a battle blindfolded.

We all know how that will end.

Once you have established your goals, the next step is to carry out research on who your ideal target audience is.

Find out things like:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Interests
• Behaviour

With Facebook ads, you can reach over 200 million people, many of whom will not be interested in your offer.

Having a target audience will help narrow down your ad to target people who’ll be interested in your ad.

3. Set up a Facebook Pixel

If you do a quick search on Google, you’ll realize a lot of websites don’t have a Facebook Pixel installed.

A Facebook Pixel is a snippet of code you place on your website.
Click To Tweet

This pixel collects data that helps you track website visits.

With this data, you can retarget people who have visited your website with Facebook Ads.

Quick Tip: Use this Google Chrome extension to check if any website has a Facebook Pixel Installed.

4. Create Multiple Ad Sets

For a single campaign, it’s a good practice to create multiple ad sets.

The ad set level is the part you set the targeting, budget, schedule, bidding and placement of a campaign.

What this means is that you can have different ad sets targeting multiple people according to age, gender, location or interests.

Each ad set can also have multiple ads with different creatives and captions.

The idea is to get the best ad set(s) and scale which brings us to our fifth and final point.

5. Test Test Test!

The whole idea of having multiple variations of ads and ad sets is to run split tests.

You need to test them long enough to know which one is bringing results at a lesser rate.

For best practices, test each ad set with a small amount for like a week.

Once you figure out the ones that are performing well, increase the budget and pause the rest.

Over to you

There you have it! 5 important things to do before setting up your first Facebook Ad campaign.

As a recap, here they are:

• Know your goal
• Research your ideal target audience
• Set up a Facebook pixel
• Create multiple ad sets
• Test!

We hope you find it helpful.  If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

The post 5 Important Things To Do Before Setting Up Facebook Ads appeared first on Web Design Nigeria - CKDigital.