By Ibrahim Olukotun ……..
Roberta Edu, a Nigerian social media strategist has advocated that companies should effectively use social media planning in getting across to their various target audiences. According to her, when companies do not know their target audiences they risk losing them to competitors.
“If you don’t know who you are targeting, then you are sure to miss them”, she said.
She further adds that every target audience requires its social media platform saying that the indiscriminate use of platforms will not achieve desired results.
Edu made this known recently at an event in Lagos while speaking on a subject titled: “Social Media Planning”.
According to her, with the scores of social media platforms available planning is required to deliver desired goals. She highlighted the objectives of a social media in business to include raising awareness and increasing conversation about the brand, building relationships with fans of the brand, Also it aims at developing relationships with consumers who may be unfamiliar with the brand.
Others are to directly increase of revenues through online sales and to serves as internal communications channel of companies.
She maintained that effective use of social media requires Creativity, Consistency and Content.
Edu who had worked on top brands like Gulder, Maltina, Samsung, Mastercard to achieve exciting digital milestones currently works in company of others on MTN and P&G brands digital among others has over 8 years core experience in brand management.
She also strategized and carried out digital media activities for government campaigns such as Lagos Water Regatta, Ogun State Investors Forum and PDP rebranding project.
She explained Social Media as “an open conversations that encourage participation and connect people all over the world”. But was quick to dismiss the notion that Social Media is free, according to her the real cost of social media was the people, technology and time which she described as limited resources she are not free.
According to her social media has become the number one activity on web. She revealed startling facts and figures about social media in the country saying Nigeria is the third most tweeting nation in Africa and the country has over 11.1m impressions(usage) per month on YouTube with 70 percent mobile users.
Edu also noted that Facebook , the world’s number one social media platform has been losing users in the country and Eskimi another emerging platform had gained huge users Nigeria in recent times.
“It is interesting to note that since October 2012 Facebook, Nigeria’s number social media have fallen by 10 percent losing out to Twitter. While ESKIMI users have risen over 5 million”, Edu reveals.
