Founded by a team of young African digital marketing enthusiasts led by Janet Machuka and Barrack Onyango and launched on February 2018, the chat is yet to enhance the expansion of marketing possibilities within and without Africa. These are some of the major thoughts to focus on.

Q1. What is #AfricaTweetChat and how does it work?

The idea behind it is to educate African brands and individuals on the importance of digital marketing for their products and services on digital platforms.

“I had realized a need to impart digital marketers, that is, influencers, content marketers, digital marketers and individuals who use the internet for to better their lives and earn with knowledge of understanding the skills they need to ensure that their products and services reach the target audience and
make conversions,” she says.

#AfricaTweetChat will look forward to holding weekly chats under different topics where we shall invite experts in relation to digital marketing. Additionally, we will host company CEOs, HR Executives among others to interact with the audience.

Having a weekly continental chat will open doors to interacting with other African digital enthusiasts and markets. Consequently, this will expand the digital market to an extent that we can buy and sell products and services despite of the geographical boundaries, share ideas and promote continental and international influencing, digital training and conferences.

Update: We have since expanded to Workshops and a digital academy, ATC Digital Academy.

Q2. Who is Ms. Machuka and why did you choose Social Media industry?

Janet Machuka is a finalist media student at Moi University. All through my life I have interacted with various types of content. Having a wonderful background of the media compelled me invest in this industry, though I started way back with writing for Standard Media and my blogs before I invested on digital marketing.

There are a lot of opportunities on digital platforms. Even though we have many users who are trying to exploit it, some haven’t realized the importance of niche branding and marketing. Some do everything without specializations.

“I want to create a brand that many can look up to and emulate. There’s less professionalism among the youths using this industry. Hence, I took the chance to help them discover what they can be capable of and brand themselves towards that niche,” says Janet Machuka.

Update: She graduated from Moi University in December 2018 and now the Head of Marketing at Sparks Corporates. She has become a brand to look up to to many brands and young entrepreneurs.

Q3. A lot of changes are happening on the social media platforms like. Facebook, how does this affect business on social media?

Currently, everyone is trying to covert whatever they have into money. Remember, we use money to grow it, so must we target on return on investment.              

Platforms’algorithms, terms and conditions are changing daily. A business that does not focus customer relations and how to make them loyal to the brand will be affected largely. Content plays a major role too. The type of content used will make a customer recall your brand or forget.

With the change, businesses can still thrive if they brand and develop great content, use an excellent team of influencers and content marketers and make the target audience a priority.

Q4. What is your  advice to companies who want to leverage internet for their business?

There’s a need to create an audience their products and services beyond Kenya. We’ve shipping services, use them. Keep track of daily changes on each platform. Moreover, create diverse content that excites, informs, educates and converts.

Q5. If you had three minutes to advice social media managers, what would you say?

Before you share content, do a research and create a content strategy that is flexible. Have willingness to learn more from great digital marketing (Content, Influencer and Search Engine Optimizaton) institutes. Be interactive with your audience. Don’t tire responding.

Q6. Some companies don’t like social media, what would you tell them?

Whether companies like social media or not, it will come a time if a brand
does not have digital footprints, it is as well as non-existent to the digital users.

Your parting shot

There’s a need to merge company public relations and content marketing departments to form a strong result of content public relations. These two can work best in branding companies who are setting up their digital presence.

“Content is king. Distribution is queen and she understands return on investment,” she signs out with her best smile.