In Nigeria’s digital marketing arena today, just few individuals have distinguished themselves as pivotal figure who has driven innovations to move the industry forward. One of such rare gem is Elijah Balogun, a digital marketing and product expert, who has carved out a niche for himself. The journey of the tech enthusiast currently serving as a Search Engine Optimisation Manager at Business Daily Group in The United Kingdom embodies the essence of visionary leadership and transformative impact.

With over 12 years of hands-on experience in the digital marketing realm, Balogun’s commitment to excellence and unparalleled talent have garnered him widespread recognition both in Nigeria and beyond. This further solidifies his position as a leading figure in the digital marketing industry, reinforcing the trust placed in his abilities and the awe-inspiring heights he has reached.

Yet, Balogun’s story extends far beyond a number of change he has brought to the sector. No wonder, he has been able to redefine how the digital marketing space works with the launch of ElijahBalogun.com, a subsidiary of Azzenage Digital Solutions which is a Lagos-based digital marketing agency and startup consultancy in 2021.

Equipped with a team of highly creative and experienced marketers, the firm has been able to deploy deep industry insight and strategic solutions to solve customer’s crucial digital marketing and startup problems.

Between 2021-2022, Balogun had work in Equiti Group, a pioneering fintech firm and world-class provider of online trading technology and multi-asset financial products. During his stay at Equiti, he successfully coordinated 360-degree marketing activities on behalf of the company resulting in 100 per cent increase in brand awareness, 80 per xent increase in lead gen and 45 per cent increase in NFAs.

For long, Balogun has been involved in developing online marketing strategies for popular brand such as Konga, Pulse.ng, and even the launch of “Style by Zenith”, a flagship Lifestyle, Beauty, Fashion, Accessories and Entertainment fair, powered by Zenith bank. He has also helped numerous politicians in projecting their image on social media, especially during elections.

Within a space of six months as an affiliate manager in Konga Online Shopping Ltd, the tech expert working with the rest of the marketing team to grow the affiliates database from 8,000+ affiliates to a 15,000 strong affiliate member team. He was able to generate over 500 million naira in revenue sales within this period via the affiliate channel which contributed significantly to the overall traffic generated on Konga.com.

The tech guru is also a founding member of Digital Marketing Meetup (DMM) Nigeria, a platform that brings together digital marketing enthusiasts and professionals to share industry insights, network, and discuss business and job opportunities. Over the years, the platform has grown to be a leading digital space boasting of thousands of members.

It is a fact that the current state of digital marketing in Nigeria is promising, and businesses are increasingly embracing digital marketing to grow their brand and reach a wider audience. Statistics revealed that the Digital Advertising market in Nigeria is projected to grow by 5.39 per cent between 2024-2028, resulting in a market volume of US$336.0m in 2028.

However, one of the primary challenges of digital marketing in Nigeria is the limited internet penetration and access across the country. While urban areas may have relatively better internet infrastructure and access, rural areas still struggle with poor connectivity and limited access to the internet.

Experts such as Balogun believe that with the projected growth in the number of internet users and social media penetration, the future of digital marketing in Nigeria is even brighter.

Relatively, the tech enthusiast believed that the E-commerce and banking sector are among the biggest beneficiaries of digital marketing in Nigeria. Companies have leveraged social media and other digital channels to reach millions of Nigerians and generate billions of naira in revenue. Banks, for instance have created responsive websites, mobile apps, and social media pages to drive brand awareness and customer engagem

But one of the challenges in the digital marketing space, especially as it relates to e-commerce is the difficultly in startups getting adequate funding to fund their business model. Suggesting solutions to this challenge, Balogun shared his thoughts and lessons he learnt when he was called upon to lead operations at an eCommerce startup which was still at the ideation stage known as Odeya.ng.

According to the tech expert, for any startup without the privilege of external funding or significant financial investment, It is just smart to pick a product or product category and stick to it.

“For Odeya, the niche was ceremonial fabrics popularly known as aso-ebi in Nigeria. Our specific product category is ankara and lace fabrics. Market research indicates that there is a huge market for this, with Nigerians spending between $10 – $50 for low end aso-ebi fabrics, and up to $2,000 for 4 – 6 yards of high-end ceremonial fabrics.

While stressing the need for startups to carry out extensive market research to have competitive advantage over the competitors, he added that the need for excellent customer service cannot be over-emphasised.

Balogun did not stop there. With years of managing some of audacious influencer marketing campaigns for some of the top three commercial banks in Nigeria, he gave insights into some lessons learnt overtime from the successful marketing activities.

According to him, successful influencer marketing campaigns are premised on thorough understanding of the target audience.

“Based on the products being rolled out, it is not uncommon for banks to target new moms seeking to save the monetary gifts received on behalf of their babies, or young adults opening their first accounts.Having an this knowledge helps in carefully sifting through all available options and picking the right influencer the target audience resonates with”, he explained.

Noting also that content formats vary, he said that “it is not a one cut fits all pattern when working with influencers. While it is very okay for Influencer A to excel in video content production, same may not be said for Influencer B. Videos, blogposts, tweets and other social media updates have been utilised to connect with the target audience at diverse media touchpoints. It is crucial that banks find the specific content format that best connect with their target audience.

“Also, don’t burn bridges. Maintaining lasting relationships with influencers has proven more beneficial than one-off engagement. Maintaining consistent relationship with the bank can help reinforce the bank’s brand messaging and help establish strong connections with the audience.

“In addition, the financial services industry is one of the most regulated in the world. To avoid legal issues, it is important to have up-to-date information regarding regulations within the industry when collaborating with influencers. Ensuring that these regulations are strictly adhere to can make huge success in the course of your influencer marketing campaign.”

Balogun’s relentless dedication to staying ahead of industry trends and his ability to translate data into actionable insights have consistently driven exponential growth for his clients and organizations. His strategic prowess combined with his creativity makes him an invaluable asset in today’s competitive digital landscape.

Whether it’s crafting compelling content, optimizing digital campaigns, or developing innovative marketing strategies, Balogun’s track record of success indeed speaks for itself.