Internet usage on mobile has grown exponentially over the years this is as a result of cheap data enabled smartphones. Currently as low as UGX100,000 (approximately USD$26) one can acquire an internet enabled Tecno or itel phone and internet as low as UGX250.
The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) has released its communication sector report of 2019 shows the country’s internet penetration stands at 37.9% — with over 23 million internet users, a majority being mobile phone users.
The increase in internet users can be attributed to 0.8% growth of smartphones in the market.
With this, increase in use of smartphones cheap as they are, and affordable internet has created a lot of opportunities such as digital marketing made easier.
Digital marketing is the component of marketing that utilizes internet and online based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services.
In this article, we briefly talk about using smartphones for digital marketing.
Not only is it becoming a practice to manage digital campaigns on mobile phones but it’s actually more effective on a number of platforms. Advertising on social media platforms such as; SnapChat and Instagram is a lot easier when done using a smartphone than any other devices.
Data Analyst at Campaign Uganda; Mr. Nick Sakwa briefly discusses digital marketing strategies that can be implemented using a smartphone during this lockdown because of the covid-19 crisis. The President, H.E Yoweri Museveni directed employees to work from home to avoid the spread of the virus.
1. Video Marketing
Smartphones provide an opportunity for digital marketers to capture videos needed for digital campaigns and shared on mostly video-based platforms such as SnapChat, Facebook live, Instagram, Tiktok, Viva video, Likee and many others.
Twitter is one of the most used platforms for digital marketing and before were not focused on video till they introduced Periscope to enable live video feeds for digital marketers and webinar holders live.
YouTube also recently added a stories feature to display picture ads on the platform. Ad links can also be added to your brands YouTube video that call for customer action for example a purchase of your brands products and services. You can read up more on this guide to successful YouTube marketing.
2. Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most traditional and most effective digital marketing strategies that advertisers can do on their mobile phones. With apps available for every email platform such as Yahoo, Gmail, and Microsoft Outlook. Creating email lists and forwarding email with the use of a smartphone has become a very simple task.
3. Facebook Campaigns and Management
Facebook is the most popular social media platform in Uganda dominating usage at 54% compared to other social media platforms. For this reason, businesses adopting to Facebook marketing.
With respect to Facebook advertising, posting Facebook images, running ad campaigns and sharing links to your business products and services can all be done on your smartphone. Facebook on mobile can be done both on the phone browser or its mobile application version which is easier and faster than done on any other devices. Apps like Facebook Ad Manager also makes it easy to manage Facebook Ads at your comfort and on the go.
4. Google Analytics
Google analytics enables digital marketers to gain insights and an understanding on how customers interact with their brand’s website and its contents which include its products and services. Analytics provided by the platform enable online marketing teams to come up with executive data driven decisions they can make on how to handle an online campaign.
Using the Google analytics application it is easier and faster to login and manage as well as make quick insights and decision before logging in to your computer for further decision makings.
5. Google Advertising
Advertising on niche blogs and search engines is one of the effective digital marketing methods as a huge number of Ugandan consumers are increasingly using the internet to get information about various goods and services. Google adwords helps you target consumers in these places. The Google adwords mobile app helps you run and manage your google ads while you are on the go.
Article provided by Nick Sakwa; Data Analyst at Campaign Uganda.
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