Easy and Effective Ways to Advertise New Businesses in Nigeria

The Nigerian entrepreneurial industry is diversified and competitive. With the increase in new businesses and the need to stand out of the crowd, advertisement plays a vital role in achieving this. However, advertising can be challenging for new businesses who have yet to realize the navigational route of the Nigerian entrepreneurial scene, i.e. know where and how to find their target audiences and sell their products to them. Far back, before the internet wave took off, advertisements were cumbersome and repetitive, and sometimes, they yielded no results. Today, the reverse is the norm: advertisements are easy, creative, and resultful.

Here are some of the easy and effective ways to advertise new businesses in Nigeria. Read on to learn more!

1. Radio

It’s a known fact that the radio was the first media medium that emerged in the communication industry in the 1880s. And many decades after, it has remained relevant, especially in rural Nigerian homes which is the grassroots that every advert should pass through. Therefore, a new business should consider paying radio stations to advertise its products and services and create awareness that would reach a broader demographic.

2. Television

Like the radio, the television was invented as a visual-audio medium to convey information. In Nigeria, the number of pay TV households is expected to increase from 6.5 million in 2018 to 7.4 million in 2023. New Nigerian businesses can discover their target customers or market through TV commercials and jiggles. Many Nigerian businesses like Indomie, Always Pad, Mimee, etc. have utilized this visual-audio medium to promote awareness, sustain their relevance, and gain profits.

3. Email marketing

Email marketing is a great strategy used in building a customer base for Nigerian new businesses. Here are ways to achieve this:

• Apply creativity and curiosity to your subject lines to prompt an impressive opening rate.
• Start a newsletter filled with some witty but convincing prospects; no one would read an all-round serious copy.
• Entice new website visitors to sign up for your newsletter by offering a no fee attached r subscription. Then personalized subsequent emails.

By following these steps you avoid bombarding their email and eventually getting unsubscribed but rather carefully nurture your reading subscribers to become paying customers.

4. Collaborate with an Influencer

To win over Nigerian customers who value recommendations, collaborate with influencers (whether macro- or micro-) on your target platform whose niche aligns with your brand and have genuine and active followers. Ensure to tailor a personalized proposal offering compensation in exchange for a creative product review or promotion, allowing them some creative freedom. Afterward, track results and put in effort in building long-term partnerships for ongoing brand awareness and customer growth.

5. Social Media Marketing

Nigerians are always on their phones and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Pinterest, etc). Research one that has your target customers and set up an account. Leverage on social media and ensure your new business gains advantage with these steps:

• Put up compelling social media posts frequently to stay relevant, relatable, and visible on social media platforms. Utilize the aid of a content calendar to ensure you do not run out of ideas
• Go live with your followers
• Create quizzes and other interactive content
• Leverage product reviews and testimonials to establish trust and gain insights into your customer’s responses to your products. This is also an effective way to increase online sales.
• Turn on your share button for easy outreach.
• Activate paid ads on whatever social media platforms you decide. However, Facebook has proven to be reliable with ads. More than 200 million businesses worldwide use Facebook. Over 3 million individual businesses regularly use the Facebook advertising platform to show users ads.
• Practice Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

SEO isn’t only necessary in the content writing niche or for a website; it works wonders on social media too. Ensure your content—reels, posts, images—are duly optimized. Use relevant keywords, and hashtags and opt for subscription plans to boost more visibility.

6. Referrals or Word-of-Mouth

In Nigeria, referrals reign supreme due to Nigerian sentiment towards word of mouth from people loved and known. When asked, many business owners will tell you that their customers come from word-of-mouth recommendations. Nigerians value trust, especially when it’s a product or service they haven’t tried and tasted, and often discover new brands through people they trust, like family and friends. To tap into this powerful force, leverage your network – influencers, family, friends, and satisfied customers – to spread the word about your business, and you’ll get results in no time.

7. Build a Website

A website guarantees your new business attracts organic traffic and potential customers. Your website is your online shop, and optimizing it for search engines is essential because it not only ranks your website higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) on Google but also makes it easy for clients to discover your business and buy from you. Ensure to post irrelevant and verified information on your website to prevent it from being labelled a sham. Likewise, on your social media platforms, update posts regularly using the aid of a content calendar.

The Bottom Line

To keep up with the diversified and competitive Nigerian entrepreneurial industry, every new business needs advertising by its corner.  Use the radio, television, email marketing, social media marketing, collaboration with influencers, and referrals, and build a website to advertise your business affordably and uniquely. These strategies will enable you to create an irresistible business presence, sustain your customers, and boost your sales volume.