When it comes to marketing, the phrase ‘digital marketing’ can be used to describe almost any form of marketing done online. However, for the purposes of this article, we’ll be focusing on the practice of online marketing in Ethiopia.

Why Ethiopia?

As a marketer, there are so many reasons why you’d want to work in Ethiopia. Some of the biggest reasons include:

• The internet connection speeds are incredible. Imagine doing any kind of marketing on an iPhone and having it take five seconds to load a webpage. That’s not fast at all! Thanks to incredibly fast 4G dongles, anyone can have an internet connection at lightning speeds.
• Although the number of internet users in Ethiopia is increasing, the rates are still low. According to the International Telecommunication Union, there are only 67.8 million internet users in Ethiopia. That’s compared to over 260 million users in the United States.
• The demographics are promising. According to the United Nations, the largest demographic in Ethiopia is the ‘Generation Y’, also known as the Millennial generation. This generation is extremely tech savvy and uses various social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat) to promote brands.
• The economy is growing. The World Bank has predicted that by 2040, the economy of Ethiopia will be the 12th largest in all of Africa. This growth is mostly attributed to the emerging middle class and the country’s status as a hub for business and technology.
• The country is home to the largest Jewish population in all of Africa. With the increased use of the internet for various financial transactions, marketing via digital channels is becoming even more appealing.

Where Do I Start?

As an online marketer, the first thing you need to do is to identify the purpose of your visit. It is essential to know why you are in Ethiopia and what you intend to achieve. There are various options including:

• Researching the country’s marketing landscape and identifying the various market players, including small businesses that might be able to benefit from your marketing efforts.
• Looking for prospective employees. Many large companies have remote offices in Ethiopia and offer job opportunities to talented individuals based abroad. If you’re looking for a job in Africa, this is the place to be.
• As mentioned before, the Jewish population in Ethiopia is extremely influential in business and technology. If you’re looking to network and make connections, this is the place to be too.
• Last but not least, if you are a tourist and want to learn more about the country, there are numerous museums and cultural centers that you can visit. There’s also a huge number of churches, mosques, and other religious buildings that you can explore.

Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to pick one main purpose to focus on. If you want to get the most out of your visit, make sure that you communicate this purpose to the people you meet. This will make it much easier to have a meaningful conversation and you’ll be able to establish a connection with someone. Otherwise, it could be a bit overwhelming trying to explain your purpose in Ethiopia to someone who has never been there before!

How Do I Develop a Marketing Plan?

Now that you know the general purpose of your visit, it’s time to develop a detailed marketing plan. This plan should include everything from broad strategy to specific tactics. Before you start putting together your plan, you should already have a clear idea of all the different components involved. To provide you with an example, let’s assume that your purpose is to find prospective employees for a specific company. Your marketing plan might look like this:

• Broad Strategy: This includes everything from market research to product development. The goal here is to define the overall direction of your marketing campaign. To provide you with a clear idea of what to expect, you should try to answer the following questions:
• Who is the target audience?: In our example, the target audience is individuals living in and around Jerusalem who are looking for employment.
• How big is the market?: There’s a huge market for companies that provide job opportunities to individuals in and around Jerusalem. If you want to play it safe, you can assume that there are at least 100,000 individuals in this target audience.
• What are the main competitors in the market?: In this case, there are two main competitors. One is a recruitment agency that primarily operates in the UK. The other is an agency that primarily operates in the US.
• What makes your product special?: Your product is unique in that it provides job opportunities to individuals living in and around Jerusalem. Most recruitment agencies don’t specialize in this aspect.
• How will you promote the product?: You will focus on digital marketing through email marketing, social media marketing, and online advertising.
• What are your metrics for success?: This includes everything from the number of subscribers you will have on your email list to the amount of money you will spend on online advertising.

Where Do I Start?

With your marketing plan in mind, it’s time to execute. Where will you start first? You might want to consider the following questions: