Last updated on December 20th, 2023 at 07:44 am
The digital world is rapidly transforming and evolving, and Nigeria is leading the charge amidst it all.
With a cutting-edge online presence, an ever-increasing consumer base, and access to powerful technologies, Nigeria has become one of Africa’s most exciting online markets.
As such, modern marketers must stay ahead of the curve in marketing trends to succeed.
Key Trends to Watch in 2024
1). Influencer marketing will evolve into a common marketing tactic.
Influence marketing is one of these trends that has already become extremely popular and will only evolve further into a common marketing tactic.
Recent studies have shown that 89% of marketers who currently engage with influencer marketing will increase their investment in this area by the end of 2023.
This demonstrates how efficient and successful influencer marketing can be when done correctly, as it reaches people personally, which no other form of advertising can replicate.
It also allows brands to target a specific demographic quickly, while simultaneously building trust between them and the audience.
In Nigeria specifically, influencers are becoming increasingly important; there are now more than 200 Nigerian influencers with over 1 million followers each on Instagram alone!
This is an enormous number, and it demonstrates the growing importance of influencers in Nigeria.
Brands have been using social media to reach out to their target audience for years, so it is only natural that they would turn to influencers to advertise their products.
2). Video marketers will keep content short.
In a world where digital content is the cornerstone of marketing, video marketers in Nigeria are no exception.
With the rise of short-form video content, and 1 in 5 marketers planning to leverage it for the first time in 2023, there is an increasing need to keep content short but effective.
Video has become an invaluable tool for marketers looking to drive engagement and sales.
In fact, according to recent studies, a staggering 90% of marketers using short-form videos will increase or maintain their investment next year.
Video content needs to be engaging and captivating but also brief enough that it doesn’t lose viewers’ attention spans.
This means that videos should be no more than three minutes long and should have a clear purpose from start to finish.
Marketers must have strong storylines with memorable visuals that allow them to convey their message while keeping it concise and relevant quickly.
3). Social media will become a customer service tool.
As of January 2022, Nigeria had 32.9 million active social media users making it one of the largest markets for digital communication in Africa.
Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram were Nigeria’s most used social media platforms, with WhatsApp coming in as the most popular platform.
As we look ahead to 2023, businesses will increasingly embrace the potential of social media to reach new customers and provide exemplary customer service.
Businesses can use targeted campaigns and influencers on popular networks like Facebook or YouTube to create brand awareness amongst Nigerians.
Further, businesses should tap into messaging services like WhatsApp to offer direct customer support in a way that is both informative and interactive.
Pay attention to developing trends such as livestreaming videos or short-form content on Instagram stories and TikTok which can help them stay top-of-mind with their target audiences while increasing engagement rates with younger demographics.
Related: 9 Proven Strategies to Drive Traffic from Social Media in Nigeria
4). More businesses will leverage SEO to concur search traffic.
As online marketing continues to evolve in Nigeria, business owners should look to search engine optimization (SEO) as a way to increase their presence and capture more clients.
In 2023, 88% of Nigerian marketers are projected to increase or maintain their investments in SEO strategies.
This is a slight uptick from the previous year (84%).
By leveraging SEO tactics such as content creation and keyword optimization, businesses can improve their visibility on major search engines like Google and Bing.
As more Nigerians turn to the internet for shopping, services, and entertainment, companies need to optimize their websites for better rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).
With its unprecedented level of reach and scalability, SEO has become one of the most valuable tools for online marketing in Nigeria.
Businesses that invest in an effective SEO strategy can expect higher website traffic which translates into increased sales and leads.
Related: 12 of the Best Online Marketing Platforms in Nigeria
5). Mobile optimization will be even more important.
The mobile optimization of online content and services will be even more important in Nigeria in the coming years.
Estimates from different sources put the number of smartphone users in Nigeria at roughly 25 to 40 million, with a forecast of 140 million by 2025.
This means that businesses need to make sure their websites, eCommerce stores, and other online platforms are optimized for mobile use to remain competitive.
Optimizing for mobile includes ensuring that all text is easily readable on small screens, images are properly sized and formatted, menus are intuitively laid out and videos automatically resize or switch formats depending on the device used.
Webpages should also load quickly on both slow internet connections as well as high-speed networks, as access can still be intermittent throughout Nigeria.
Mobile optimization will help businesses reach a larger audience more quickly, leading to an increase in customer engagement and ultimately more sales opportunities.
6). More companies will prioritize social responsibility.
The push for companies to take a more active role in social responsibility is growing.
In 2023, the demand from consumers will be even higher.
According to recent studies, 50% of Gen Z-ers and 40% of Millennials want companies to take a stand on social issues.
This means businesses will need to go beyond philanthropy and corporate responsibility initiatives in order to meet consumer expectations.
In response, 89% of marketers are planning on increasing or maintaining their investment in content related to social responsibility in 2023.
Companies can leverage this content as an effective way to build relationships with customers and create trust among communities.
This could be done through data-driven campaigns that emphasize how brands are making a positive impact on society, such as supporting sustainable practices or providing financial literacy education for youth.
7). Aligned marketing and sales teams will win.
In today’s competitive market, it is more important than ever for businesses to ensure that their marketing and sales teams are closely aligned.
According to recent research, only 31% of marketers say their sales and marketing teams are strongly aligned.
That’s worrying!
But it also means that the majority of companies have room for improvement when it comes to aligning these two departments.
Aligning both teams can be greatly beneficial.
It increases collaboration between the two departments and leads to better customer experiences.
When marketing efforts are targeted correctly and sales teams can provide a seamless transition from lead-to-customer, customers will be more likely to become repeat customers or even brand advocates.
Companies should make sure they have clearly defined roles and processes in place that allow both departments to work together towards shared goals such as improving lead conversion rates or increasing revenue growth.
8). Experiential marketing could make a comeback.
Experiential marketing could make a comeback in 2023.
As the economy recovers from the pandemic and digital fatigue sets in, marketers should start considering alternative strategies that can engage their target audiences in meaningful ways.
Experiential marketing offers an exciting opportunity to create memorable experiences that deepen customer relationships with brands and products.
One of the most successful experiential campaigns launched in Nigeria was for a soft drink brand called ‘Frooti’.
The campaign aimed at engaging consumers through numerous activities such as sampling, interactive games, and product giveaways.
This strategy was extremely effective as it allowed customers to directly interact with the brand and experience its offerings first-hand.
Experiential marketing is also gaining popularity among Nigerian Millennials due to its ability to evoke emotions and build more personal connections between brands and consumers.
9). Inbound marketing will remain a best practice for growing brands.
Inbound marketing is a staple for brands looking to increase their visibility and reach more customers in the digital age.
As technology continues to evolve, inbound marketing will remain one of the best practices for growing brands.
It involves creating content that attracts potential customers by providing them with relevant information and helpful solutions.
This type of content typically comes in the form of blog posts, social media posts, emails, landing pages, video tutorials, and other interactive experiences.
Through this approach, businesses can create relationships with their target audience while also increasing brand awareness and generating leads.
In addition to providing valuable content to potential customers, another benefit of inbound marketing is its ability to grow organic search engine rankings.
By optimizing webpages with keywords related to a business’s services or products, those pages are more likely to appear higher up on search engine results pages (SERPs).
10). Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will experience slow adoption in the marketing sphere.
Although back in 2021 35% of marketers were leveraging AR or VR in their strategies, adoption has been slow due to its technical complexity and high cost of entry.
As a result, almost half of those same marketers planned to increase their investment in 2022.
Despite this trend, note that the technology has not yet fully matured.
Many brands are still hesitant about using either VR or AR until more content options become available and the technology becomes easier to use.
At the same time, many are holding back on investing heavily until they see tangible returns from the technology itself.
All this suggests that it may take some time before these technologies become mainstream within Nigeria’s marketing industry.
11). More brands will test out native ads.
As online marketing tactics such as native ads become increasingly popular, more and more brands are testing out their effectiveness in Nigeria.
According to recent research, 23% of marketers planned to leverage native ads for the first time in 2022.
Native ads, which feature content that can seamlessly blend into a website’s existing environment, have become especially popular among Nigerian marketers because they can be targeted with greater accuracy and achieve higher conversions than other forms of digital advertising.
Of the marketers who use native ads, more than 36% say it’s effective while nearly 50% say it’s their top ROI-generating tactic.
Furthermore, native ads tend to be less intrusive than banner or display advertisements due to their integration within the editorial content on a given website.
This allows brands to gain access to an audience that may not normally engage with traditional forms of online promotion.
Strategies for Elevating Your Online Game in Nigeria
How can you make the best of these trends?
a. Invest in Quality Content
The success of any online business in Nigeria depends on quality content.
Investing in high-quality content is essential for building a loyal customer base and driving sales.
This means creating informative, relevant, and engaging content that appeals to your target audience.
Quality content should be tailored to the needs of the Nigerian consumer, such as providing local product information or offering advice about related topics.
For example, a fashion e-commerce site could create blog posts about the latest trends in the Nigerian fashion and offer styling tips from local experts.
Videos featuring Nigerian influencers demonstrating how to wear certain items can also be used to drive engagement and build trust with customers.
Content should also be optimized for mobile devices so customers can easily access it while they’re on the go.
Related: The Secret Sauce to Successful Online Advertising in Nigeria
b. Leverage Influencers and Affiliate Networks
With the rise of social media in Nigeria, leveraging influencers and affiliate networks is one of the most effective ways to elevate your online game.
By partnering with influential figures from different industries, you can create more visibility for your brand.
In addition to this, through affiliate networks, you can generate additional revenue by incentivizing third-party affiliates to promote your products and services.
Influencers will be able to reach their large audience base quickly and build trust with potential customers more effectively.
Furthermore, influencer marketing campaigns can be tailored based on customer demographics such as age group and gender.
This allows you to focus on specific customer segments when creating content or launching promotions.
And affiliates provide an effective way for companies to target niche markets that may not be reached through traditional advertising methods.
c. Take Advantage of Streaming Platforms
In the ever-evolving online marketing landscape, streaming platforms offer a unique opportunity for businesses to advertise their products and services.
With so many Nigerians already spending time on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, there is no better time than now to take advantage of these channels to reach potential customers.
Marketers should consider leveraging streaming platforms by optimizing content for maximum visibility, whether through video ads or strategically placed product placements.
Creating high-quality videos that are tailored specifically to each platform can help boost engagement levels with users and increase the chances of consumers taking action.
Additionally, marketers may want to explore options such as influencer partnerships or sponsored content in order to effectively target the right audiences and maximize ROI.
d. Increase Engagement with Live Events
Live events have become increasingly popular in Nigeria over the last few years, and they are a great way to increase engagement with your online presence.
They allow people to interact with your brand on a more personal level, creating an opportunity for meaningful connections that can result in increased brand loyalty.
Organizing such events as webinars, meetups, conferences or workshops is an excellent way to generate leads and engage with potential customers.
These types of events create an atmosphere where attendees can ask questions, exchange ideas and participate in real-time conversations.
As a result, you can reach a larger audience than if it were held in person since those unable to attend due to distance or other factors will still be able to take part virtually.
Final Thoughts
As Nigeria continues to experience growth in the digital marketing space, it is important for marketers to stay abreast of new trends and technologies.
In order to remain competitive in the ever-evolving landscape, brands must continue to be innovative and proactive when developing their online strategies.
With so many opportunities available, developing a comprehensive plan that allows for maximum reach and engagement with potential clients is important.
By taking advantage of the latest technology, targeting specific audiences and creating engaging content, businesses can stay ahead of their competition in 2023.
It is also essential for marketers to pay attention to the issue of data privacy.
Companies should always keep up-to-date with relevant laws and regulations regarding personal data collection and use.
This will help them maintain customer trust while ensuring their campaigns comply with local legislation.
Related: How To Start A Digital Marketing Agency In Nigeria
