The continuous rise in the number of African startups and as more brands increasingly turn their sights to Africa as the next source of fast growth frontier further confirms why digital marketing is needed to help these brands thrive and increase their ROI. Digital marketing has continued to shape the future of marketing in Africa throughout the decade.

With more target customers active online than ever, marketing professionals and business owners will need to find more creative ways to use digital marketing principles to drive business growth in the next six years. Globally and locally, for a business to succeed and reach its target and goals, there has to be some form of awareness created for it, and one of the easiest ways to do this is through digital marketing.

The future of digital marketing in Africa is one sector marketers need to pay close attention to, as this will contribute to the growth and stability of businesses in Africa. This makes it a priority for brands to invest more in digital marketing. They should take out some quality time to conduct market research for their business activities & strategically choose an area in digital marketing that can serve their brands very well in terms of brand awareness & promotion, optimization, etc.

In the future, there will be an increase in the demand for digital marketing for businesses (SMEs and Startups). We cannot predict the future of digital marketing in Africa since digital marketing is not constant and can change and evolve depending on time, trends, and other external factors. To give insight into the future of digital marketing in Africa, here are a few trends you should watch out for if you are a business owner in Africa or a brand looking to expand into the continent.

• Brands in Africa should focus more on putting out their business activities on different digital platforms. Recent research has proven that customers in the digital age spend quality time online, consuming content from their favorite brands and influencers. Also, brands should not just create an online presence but dedicate their time & resources to building an effective online presence by creating content that generates engagement and interactions with the audience and creating digital online ads that will boost and promote the brand. 
• Digital Ad Spend on the rise: By 2025, 167 million more people from Sub-Saharan Africa will have subscribed to mobile services, and in the next decade, the number of Internet users in Africa will grow by 11%. Africa’s position in the global digital ads market is gradually changing, with more businesses dedicating a significant percentage of their marketing spend to digital. For instance, in Nigeria, Ad spending in the Digital Advertising market is projected to reach US$134m in 2022, while it is projected to reach US$3,701m in 2022 in Africa. The market’s largest segment is Video Advertising, with a market volume of US$77m in 2022. In the Digital Advertising market, 71% of total ad spending will be generated through mobile in 2026.

• Video marketing should not be an option but a strategy that every brand/industry should consider. The pandemic gave rise to the massive use of platforms like TikTok to create intriguing video content for brands that want to increase engagement with users. With the rising population of users on TikTok, brands, and individuals can create video content to promote and create awareness for their businesses. They can leverage this video content as a strategy to gain the trust and loyalty of their audience.

• Brands should focus on how their audience/users can generate more user-generated content for them. One of the best ways to achieve that is by providing relevant and impactful value to your customers through your products and services. When your customers benefit and gain value from your business, this will leave them with no other option but to tell other people around them about what your brand does and how it makes a difference in their lives.

Final Word

From here, we can agree that businesses globally, not just in Africa, need digital marketing strategies to thrive, grow, and succeed. These digital marketing trends are significant in helping you gain insights into what to expect in the African marketing landscape and make more informed decisions, including where and how to spend marketing budgets.

And of sure: you can contact us if you require a growth partner to help you launch in Africa! If you would like our team to help you with your growth requirements in Africa, email us here >>> hello@whirlspotmedia.com