Brand communication in Africa: Why social media use is now essential?
By Yinka Olaito in Nigeria.
Africa landscape today is ripe for social media use. There may be challenges starring the people at face, but when a brand sees and gives huge attention to challenges it will never make any outstanding move. Many B2C brands in Africa whose products are focused on grassroots appeal are still wondering, concerned about the population in the rural setting.
Our concern for these brands who still think social media must be powered solely by internet need to think again. The influx of mobile technology around Africa is a plus they never considered. Mobile apps and technologies are part of social media. Mobile phones allow the use of text messages among other features. All they need to do is package information in local languages. When properly targeted, most of the people in rural environment can access these messages through little assistance from their children who can read or write. That is if we assume the population in the rural setting cannot read or write.
All a brand needs to do is to consider the choice of medium that can reach, strengthen engagement, dialogue with its stakeholders. Now coming back to the main point, we know Africans place utmost priority in relationship building. In traditional setting, most Africans feel they are connected through extended family structure. Everyone is supposed to be his/her brother’s keeper. Many feel obliged to take care, find out the welfare of long distance relations. This attribute is still strong among Africans today. Social media structures ably support these values. Again, we must also acknowledge that Newspapers and television have not penetrated into some of these villages till date. But unlike traditional media, every African living in urban settings are now connected to their parents, families in those remote places through a mobile phone. This gives a huge opportunity to brands. For African brands, social media can be a special sauce that enhances successful marketing efforts. The following may be part of the good reasons to consider incorporation of social media use in brand communication in Africa.
1. The need to develop personal relationships: We now live in the age of personalization. People want to relate with their brands. People want to be involved in the day to day activities of their choice brands. Social media helps brand in building strong relationships with every stakeholder.
2. The need to affirm, demonstrate relevance, expertise through knowledge and interests: No brand can better affirm, demonstrate knowledge and interest in its stakeholder now without listening to them. Social Media offers one of the best platforms to effectively demonstrate this.
3. The need for surveillance: surveillance is a military word associated with intelligence gathering. Brands must today learn how to gather information from foes and friends. African brands need to scrutinize, monitor their environments. Social media offers untold opportunity for African brands to do this effectively.
4. The need to understand our surrounding world: African brands cannot afford to remain aloof of what is happening around them. They need to understand what is going on around the world. They may need to observe what other brands are doing. Brands cannot avoid the luxury of staying aloof. There is urgent need to interact, build affinity with other brands of similar orientation. Geographical location should no longer be a barrier. Social media use will help African brands to reach out to other brands outside the continent.
Yinka olaito, a passionate Brand-PR, Social Media expert, Trainer and Speaker. He is the CCO of Michael sage consulting, Lagos Nigeria.
Visit his website at www.yinkaolaito.com
This article was originally posted on Nigeria Business Communities
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