More than two million businesses around the world, most of them small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are now actively investing in advertising with Facebook, a number that has grown from 1.5 million in July 2014.
“These numbers include healthy growth across South Africa and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa,” says Aidan Baigrie, Sub-Saharan Africa for Facebook. With more than 50 million active mobile users in Sub-Saharan Africa, the continent clearly demonstrates being mobile-first. “We are seeing more and more African SMEs embrace advertising on Facebook because it drives sales. At Facebook, we are delighted to play a role in small businesses’ growth stories.”
Small businesses are the backbone of the African economy, he adds. They drive economic growth and new jobs. The number one reason small businesses succeed or fail is their ability to attract customers. Up until now, it has been expensive and difficult to reach customers with limited time and resources available to them, says Baigrie.
But platforms such as Facebook are changing this picture by delivering personalised marketing at scale and affordable costs. Facebook democratises marketing by giving the same tools to every business so that they can grow, regardless of size, location, industry or skill level. Tools such as the newly launched Facebook Ads Manager app – which allows businesses to manage ads on the go from mobile devices wherever they are – make it even easier for SMEs to stay on top of their campaigns.
Baigrie says three factors explain the growing popularity of Facebook with SME advertisers. Firstly, it is easy to use with a lower barrier to entry. Secondly, Facebook offers SMEs a simple and affordable way to do targeted advertising with proven results. Facebook gives them tools that let them see how their spending is improving the bottom line. Thirdly, the consumer shift to mobile is making more business owners want to use Facebook’s mobile tools to reach customers and manage their businesses. “We have the best mobile ad product,” Baigrie says.
