Michael sage consulting social media guide series four

Social Media in Nigeria:

An examination of Social Media impact

Yinka Olaito
www.yinkaolaito.com
Preface

As a leading firm in social media marketing in Nigeria, it is our

responsibility to adequately inform, circulate relevant information to the
market, users of social media. Once in a while we produce and distribute
mini-reports that can help decision makers in the use of social media
within our environment.

We affirm that this report is absolutely correct at the time of release but
there may be more rooms to improve on it. Therefore we welcome
suggestion that will make it a worthy adventure.

While we have taken adequate steps in ensuring that facts here are
presented objectively, we will not be liable for misuse, misrepresentation
of facts in this EBook. When in doubt, user may wish to contact us for
clarifications.

Thanks.

Michael sage consulting-www.michaaelsageng.com

E-Mail : info@michaelsageng.com, tel:234(0) 7029778785,8037156390
Background

Social media has been a vehicle for change. Not just in the way
individuals, brands or organizations communicate with prospects or
stakeholders, but also how they do business with them. Internet usage
and social media have forced organizations to be transparent. The
reasons for these are obvious. Everyone can find out what ever
information they want about anyone with just a few clicks. Another point
is that satisfied or offended customers can share their experiences and
feelings about anything at the light of speed. If understood, and leverage
correctly, social media can have an enormous impact on any organization,
person or brand. Social media was initially picked up by individuals, who
want to connect, stay in touch. But the opportunity is so much greater,
and the differences between social media and every other channels of
communication are huge.

Social Media Active Class:

Most active users in Nigeria range from

professionals- journalists, publishers,
communications professionals, artists, amateur
media creators, teachers, students and other
interested users. Youths, corporate entities and
especially start up entrepreneurs have used
social media for different purposes. With the
Nigeria general election 2011, most politicians
have also found the media a relevant tool to reach people. If truth be
told, most politicians are not getting it right yet. But kudos must be given
to President Goodluck Jonathan’s crew as well as Governor Fashola team
as they seem to be making giant strides.
Frontline/Influencers

Social Media has several avenues. We

have blogging and Micro blogging. In
Blogging, some noted communities
have been identified to be influencers.
In self development and motivation-
www.deoluakinyemi.com seems to be
leading, in science and It-
www.gbengasesan.com seems to be a credible voice and
www.anuoluwa.com is trailing. In entrepreneurs and start up, we have
noted Loy okezies’ www.startupentreprenuer.
In fashion, Arts, Entertainment we have noticed www.niyitabiti.com,
www.olufamous.blogspot.com, in Branding, Social Media-
www.yinkaolaito.com seems to be leading the pack while
www.naijawebgeek.com is also doing well.

In micro-blogging sub category, many influencers are coming up and

based on twitlocal.com, frontline users have emerged.
In Social networking which includes facebook, myspace, hi5 etc, many
Nigerians are more on facebook with close to two millions member-official
number at the time of release of this piece. Hi5 seems to be losing its grip
while facebook keeps growing daily. Facebook has been used for
connection, staying in touch, business –hiring, recruitment, business
sharing tactic than any other medium. Corporate organizations also have
presence –GTbank is doing its best while MTN Project fame efforts should
be commended. Many other corporate brands use facebook for web
advertisement.

In video sharing category, Youtube is being used more than any other
platforms. But what we have noticed is that entertainment industry-music
is taking advantage of this platform more than any other industries in
Nigeria.

In professional platform use of social media, LinkedIn seems to be the

most used by professionals and the numbers of Nigerian professionals
taking advantage of this platform is increasing by the day. But strong
niche groups in Linkedin have not evolved unlike what we have in the
western countries. The level of connections on this platform has not been
that strong among Nigerian professionals.

With Image sharing use, Flickr seems to be getting the attention of the
few users while GTBank’s account is also doing well. Most users have
concentrated their image sharing efforts to creation of photo album in
their facebook account. The disadvantage of this is that such facebook
album may not enjoy visibility to a larger audience except facebook users.
 But what we have noticed is that many development organizations’
apathetic approach to social media has not allowed them to benefit from
social Media usage. Most active users are individuals who use the tools to
stay in touch while corporate brands use it for business purposes.
Corporate brands have also concentrated on web advertising instead of
relationship, conversation building through relevant content creation
publishing and distribution. Most Non-profits in Nigeria have also limited
their activities to creation of facebook pages while many development
organizations or ‘Millennium development goal promoters/organizations’
are yet to embrace values in social media

Challenges

Many still believe the ratio of the nation’s population

online is still small. So we have worked hard on
producing, spreading reputable data which points to
the contrary. According to African Internet
Population, Nigeria populations with internet access
was 23 Millions in January 2009 while a new report
of August 2010 showed that it has jumped to about
44 Million. This is about the highest in Africa in
terms of population but low in terms of percentage.

Many still equate social media with Social networking site (facebook).
Social media is much more than this. We have social networking sites,
blogging and micro blogging sites, video sharing, image sharing, social
news sites, professional platforms, forums and niche groups.

Most development actors in Nigeria still have a lukewarm attitude to the

use of social media. Hence we have not been able to make substantial
progress in development issues despite our constant appeal. Our inability
to make progress here is not lack of capacity but due to actor’s attitude.
The club is still one year in Nigeria, couple with the fact that we are still
working on official chapter status, we aim to go ahead in the next year
with raising our voice through donor funded initiative (if we get that) in
development issues as we now have capacity to handle this. We are also
looking at training internal audience of major actors.
Opportunities

Social networking sites (Facebook especially)

has been popularized with the creation of the
Nigeria’s President personal facebook page.
This has sparked off a lot of interest in social
networking sites. Many Nigerians want to
connect and stay in touch with him. As such,
most of our members are encouraged to use
that platform to raise awareness for
development issues that they are passionate
about. The amount of conversation going on
online today is unprecedented on Facebook and other indigenous
platforms like ‘Nairaland’, ‘Nigeria village square’etc. Issues like Election
2010, leadership, child right, abuse of women have been raised by our
members.

Some of the issues that have been raised by social media users which had
generated responses and coverage from mainstream media include:
1. The needs to appreciate vast potential of social media with regard
to how it can contribute to organization’s goal achievements.
2. Social Media and Security issues.
3. Child abuse and early marriage case associated with Senator
Yerima
4. Social Media and Election 2010. Our strong opinions have received
coverage in Print and Electronic media like Punch Newspaper,
ThisDay, Marketing Management (M2) as well as Channels, Galaxy
Television stations-these are frontline credible media in Nigeria.

Success Stories:

-Social media has given power to unknown individuals to become

prominent.
-it has encouraged dialogue and conversation among youths,
professionals.
-Social media has created opportunity for individual to promote
awareness for their activities, organizations, business as well as brand’s
advocacy and other development issues etc
-Issues raised on social media are now attracting attention on the regular
media.
-It has helped in the spread of news that are not commonly available to
certain individuals before its advent.
-Non-profits especially religious circles are currently using social
networking sites to promote their brands, activities and festivals.
WHAT WORKS NOW

For social media effectiveness/use today in Nigeria, there is a need for

integration of both the new media and mainstream until social media
eventually catches fire. It should be part of communication strategy and
not just one-legged approach. The momentum is growing though and
early movers with required expertise stand better chances. Users must
seek to build dialogue, conversation and relationship instead of
broadcasting monologue. Social media activities must also be about
people and not the organization to be successful. A multi-platforms
targeted use of social media achieves result than a single platform
application.

Goal setting, relevant, consistence, shareable contents and use of

targeted online platforms with measurable analytics in place will
guarantee great Returns on Investment. Organization must establish
sound policy that will guide social media use and involve its internal
audience aside from a dedicated department/person that handles this.
About Michael Sage:
Michael sage consulting is registered as a consulting firm with the aim of
providing cutting-edge information on branding, Public/digital relations and Social media
services to individuals and corporate organizations who are caught in the dilemma of
matching expectations with realities as well as to provide for individuals and
organizations the necessary tools that will make them a reference point within the big
league

Every contact with our team will revolutionize our clients’ corporate awareness, identity
in the marketplace.

Vision
Adding the golden touch

Mission
To help organizations and individuals make necessary changes that will turn them
to a point of reference.

SERVICES

Our range of services helps us to increase our clients’ bottom-line in a unique way that is
unparallel.

BRAND MAFIA
Through this service we help transform our clients in the following areas.
a. Service Branding ,Employee Branding, Executive Branding,Product Branding,
Personal Branding/Coaching

Public/Digital Relations

Our offerings in this regard include: a. Image management (online, offline), Perception
Management. d. Stakeholders’ management
e. Corporate communication issues

3. Social media: Social media development, Strategic reputation management, Social

media marketing

HALLMARK

Any consulting firm is a consulting firm? Our edge is in reflection, experience and fact-
finding process of identifying the gaps we intend to fill with a deliberate, planned solution
to challenges identified. At Michael Sage Consulting, we help individuals and corporate
organizations to own the solutions we offer so they can operate without depending on us
for so long. We also help our clients’ close the gap between expectations and realities.
The golden touch is neither advertising nor marketing slogan that is what we deliver.
About the author:

Recently selected by a United Nations Agency(UNFPA) in African region

as one of the 20 African media experts that participated in a technical
consultative meeting which drafted the new use of Media
strategy(mainstream and new) for its development communications in
Africa, Yinka Olaito is a passionate, certified Brand-PR, Social Media
expert,Trainer and Public Speaker who has enjoyed corporate consulting
business relationship with brands like GTBank, Pilot Science, RolanPaul
Engineering, Nigeria Bar Association, Wellspring Christian centre, TEEC
among others. Yinka Olaito’s web 2.0/social Media knowledge sharing
sessions has attracted participants from Prima Garnet, Insight Grey,
DDB, GlaxoSmithKline as well as School of Media and Communications, Pan African
University.

Yinka Olaito is a leading voice in Nigeria as web 2.0/social media applications to

branding. Yinka Olaito’s works and professional experience has received positive review
from international media: The Daily Reviewer USA- as Top 100 Branding blogs, Top100
Marketing Blogs, from CareerRocketeers.com-A must read 150+ career blogs, 100+
career experts to follow on twitter and PBB as 30+ leading personal brand experts on
twitter. Within Nigeria, such frontline Media: Electronics (Channels’ Television’s
programme ‘Sunrise’, Times Cable Television’s ‘Brand &Products expo’ and Prints (Punch
Newspaper, M2) have also covered his professional opinion.

Yinka olaito helps individuals and corporate brands to maximize values in their brands
through adequate exposure of the brand to audience that can pay premium and are
turned to advocates. Yinka Olaito is a Member and Nigeria chapter President Of social
Media Club international, California USA; an Associate member of Nigerian Institute of
Public Relations, Nigerian Institute of Training And Development (A member of IFTDO)
and until recent the special Assistant on Communications to The National President and
IFTDO council Member of the Institute.

Yinka Olaito is the Publisher of THE BRANDING GAVEL-www.yinkaolaito.com. Reach and

connect with him through:
Email: yinka@yinkaolaito.com
Facebook: Olaito Yinka
Twitter: @pathfindernig
Tel: 234-7029778785