Wole Oduwole, the innovative founder of SEOGidi, has recently expressed his firm belief in influencer marketing as an essential tool for startups, particularly in Africa’s burgeoning tech sector. This type of marketing, Oduwole argues, is swiftly becoming a critical component for establishing brand visibility and trust in the ever-changing market environment.
“Influencer marketing is no longer just a game for the telecom titans or FMCG heavyweights. It’s a strategy that tech startups are rapidly adopting to significantly expand their potential customer base,” Oduwole emphasized.
Oduwole backed up his argument with several compelling examples from the business world.
“In December 2021, we saw fintech powerhouse Flutterwave making a smart move. They brought global Afrobeats star Wizkid on as a brand ambassador, investing millions of naira. This partnership significantly boosted Flutterwave’s brand reach, and, importantly, facilitated an ongoing engagement with its customers,” Oduwole explained.
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He also referred to MoniePoint, another African fintech company that raised $50m in its Series C funding round last year. They appointed rapper Olamide as a brand ambassador and smartly sponsored the popular ‘Big Brother Naija All Stars’ show on DSTV.
Even emerging startups are following the same path. PayDay, a tech startup that raised $2m in pre-seed funding, adopted aggressive social media marketing strategies, partnering with famous artists Davido and Joeboy, along with the popular skit-maker, Layi Wasabi.
Oduwole pointed out that startups should not limit their partnerships to only high-profile influencers. “Micro-influencers can have a surprising amount of reach. Startups can leverage this unique marketing approach to their benefit,” he suggested.
Oduwole also praised the achievements of SEOGidi since its launch a year ago.
“SEOGidi was born in August last year to tackle the challenges faced by African startups. We have since onboarded 36 startups and successfully scaled 60% of them, achieving over 200% growth in reach and conversion. This success propels us to do even more,” he proudly stated.
According to Oduwole, SEOGidi’s success can be attributed to its dedicated team of growth specialists, who provide tailored digital media strategies to startups based on their unique needs. With a clear timeline for each startup and metrics in place to measure improvement, SEOGidi’s strategy is both meticulous and result-oriented.
Looking ahead, Oduwole has high ambitions for SEOGidi. “We aim to work with 1,000 businesses in the next business year. Our commitment to driving growth and strategic marketing for startups in Africa and beyond remains strong,” he concluded.
