The functions of social media have and continue to transform into that which was never anticipated. Most founders of social networks are surprised with the diverse and astounding ways users are able to engage and utilise their platform.
That is the beauty of invention within social media- capacity and opportunities are infinite. In the developing world, the internet has led to solutions even more forward thinking than those in advanced nations, highlighting the transformative nature of these networks and their capacity to incite change to promote the kind of development countries like Nigeria need.
According to a recent research study by TwinePine Research, entitiled, “The State of Digital Media”, there are at least 9 million social media users in Nigeria, putting penetration at around 5.4 percent. The TwinePine study went on to reveal that 83 percent of social media users in the country are active. Industry experts told BusinessDay that social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Whatsapp, are slowly evolving to become the de-facto method of information dissemination.
Social media for business
Even Nigerian businesses, including the enterpreneurial community are increasingly adopting social media platforms, and other internet-enabled tools to build brand reputation, and drive up profitabilty. Many big consumer brands are hungry to latch on any micro-community, niche or social media platform, with significant market size to advertise their products or brands to. Katie Lampe, head of sales operations, Twitter Europe Middle-East Africa (EMEA), said, “Nigerian firms are already using Twitter to listen to their customers and market themselves organically”. Shirley Igwe of Shilz Mega Concepts Limited, in an interview, said, “social media is helping my business a lot. “I rely on Twitter to market my products because it is very effective.
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“I have close to 10,000 followers.” On the other hand, Patrick Onyekaba of Gap-Tooth Entertainment, said, “The social media is a platform I employ to promote my business. I am very strong on Facebook, where I have over 3,000 followers. Facebook is however the best because it commands massive followership.” Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is also witnessing the emergence of social marketing sites. One of such is MoboFree.com. The online firm is making significant in-roads into Nigeria, Africa’s largest online population, with 56 million internet users, targeting Nigerian brands, as it seeks to boost sales and advertising revenues.
The company, few months ago, reported that Nigerians are selling unused items worth $526 million on MoboFree.com, with high expectations that the total volume of items for sale in its marketplace will likely reach $1.5 billion by 2015. Speaking during the MoboFree social marketplace Lagos event in Lagos, weekend, Evaldas Brazys, vice president, business development for MoboFree, said, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy by GDP is critical to its global business plan. “Nigeria is the largest market in Africa. The country also has a very high mobile and internet penetration rate. That’s some of the reasons why we decided to expand into the country”, he further added.
PalmChat
While Facebook users have steadily increased over the past few years, numbers numbers show that Facebook is losing active users (logged in and engaged) to other platforms such as mobile chat apps and microblogs.
Throughout the country, there are more users on mobile chat platforms than social networks such as Facebook. The mobile chat apps with the most users in Nigeria are: Eskimi, 2go, Whatsapp. But PalmChat is perharps one of the fastest growing platforms. The active daily users on Palmchat from Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, stand at around 2.5million. Palmchat is free social software integrating chatting and dating, which supports multiple chatting types (texts, voices, emoticons, and pictures. The app supports the full range mobile platforms and Operating Systems (OS) ranging from windows phone, Android, IOS, blackberry as well as Symbian.
With Over 80,000 new friends joining every day, Palmchat promises an interactive and fun custom platform. The app has chat rooms, voice recording capabilities, photo and video sharing and chat or date by location and interest. Palmchat however sits comfortably as Nigeria’s trending social mobile application with impressive 30,000 daily sign ups by new users. Unlike other messaging platform which requires you have a contact’s details before you can contact them, Palmchat has look around and search by info features. The “Look Around” feature shows Palmchat users around you and how close they are to your location. While the “search by info” feature allows users search for a user based on different values of information.
Competitive edge
Mobile data consumption in Nigeria has grown at astronomical rate, more Nigerian smart phone users have their monthly data subscription paid for than their prepaid or post-paid mobile voice plan at any given time. So staying connected on mobile is fast becoming a can’t-do-without for Nigerians.
Palmchat’s unique mobile data economy helps bridge the gap between satisfaction in mobile social platform and the economic strain monthly data subscription put on the pockets of end users. In simple words, you get more value from your data on Palmchat than any other social platform. Efficient data usage on Palmchat is one critical element driving huge adoption of the platform in the country. An average Palmchatter can still stay on Palmchat with just 30MB (Mega bits) of data for 5 days. Not to mention the host of interesting engagements like the Miss Palmchat contest (www.palmchatnow.com see for yourself), goal.com, Konga.com and Jumia.com offerings all on Palmchat.
Referral promo
Barely one year of operations in the country, the company recently decided to throw an open party to all Nigerians in the car referral promo. “There is nothing fishy. It’s just business. It’s a business strategy, nothing really out of place and that’s quite simple to understand if you look at it much more critically”, said Mounir Boukali, head public relations, for Transsion Holdings. According to him, “Yes, Palmchat is serious; a new car is nestling in a car shop for that one lucky Palmchatter, that’s what this promo is all about. “When you have a thriving community like Palmchat does, well you can’t help but think out clever ways of turning that community into something of value to you.”
By the way it is a referral promo not just a car promo. How does it work? You must be on Palmchat for a start-yep (there’s always a terms and conditions somewhere my friendJ). That haven been said, the mechanics of Palmchat car referral promo is as follows: (For first-timers) Download the Palmchat app and sign up http://goo.gl/AO24GT.
Register on car promo portal http://palmchat.hotreferralinc.com/register with your AF ID. Share promo link sent by Palmchat with friends on facebook. Friends register on Palmchat through shared link. For earn friend registered, participant earns a point. A female friend earns participant twice the point. More points participant earn, higher their chances of winning.
BEN UZOR
