Created by - Skill Space
How to Set Up WhatsApp Business in South Africa?
If your business has a Facebook/Instagram identity, it would be unwise not to use WhatsApp to engage with customers. Since all three platforms are Meta products, they work seamlessly with each other. As WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging app in South Africa, it is a great tool for conversational marketing. Let's discuss how to set up a WhatsApp Business Account and how it can help you generate leads in South Africa.WhatsApp - The Most Popular Instant Messaging App in South AfricaIn South Africa, we use WhatsApp for our day-to-day conversational needs. Whether it is friends, family, or work colleagues, we always think of having 'WhatsApp' for easy conversation anytime, anywhere. Meta products such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp have rooted their presence in South Africa for a long time. The familiarity with these apps is also one of the reasons why South Africans would continue to use them for a long time.In 2024, you can use WhatsApp for personal messages, business conversations, or creating influencer channels and communities. For businesses, WhatsApp even has a business version of the app. It also allows you to list your product catalogue, something you cannot do on Facebook or Instagram anymore. Let's see how you, as a business, can set up an account and generate leads on WhatsApp Business.How does WhatsApp help you generate leads in South Africa?WhatsApp is a peer-to-peer message app that focuses on creating personal experiences. As a business, WhatsApp allows you to provide a personalised and unique experience to your customers. You can either generate leads on WhatsApp via an Instagram or Facebook advertisement or other platforms, such as your website or other social media platforms with a short link. If you are setting up an ad through Meta, you get an option to redirect ad visitors to your WhatsApp business account. Or, you can include the link directly in your posts and boost the post for some easy advertising.As South Africa finds WhatsApp effective for communications, interested customers are likely to contact your business via WhatsApp. From here onwards, you can focus on personalising your customers' experience and provide them with the relevant services they require from you.For all these WhatsApp business-related activities, you will require a WhatsApp Business Account. Let's see how that works.Let's set up WhatsApp Business in South AfricaTo make a WhatsApp Business account, you need to download the WhatsApp business app. You can search for the business app on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.Once installed, open the app. The initial setup is similar to setting up a personal WhatsApp account. If you already have a personal WhatsApp account, you can migrate that account to the Business app. This will include all the media and your chat history as well. If you are registering the account with a new number, you will have to verify it by putting in the 6-digit code you receive via SMS.In the next step, you have the option to set your profile picture, name, and category of your business. After that, you can start working on your business profile.In the business profile, you can customise your profile picture, name, and your address. Furthermore, you can set your category, description, and business hours. Furthermore, you can also add details like your email, website, and any social media accounts.WhatsApp Business ToolsYou are downloading WhatsApp Business App for a reason. You want the business tools to efficiently manage your WhatsApp business account so that you can focus on other important matters. So, let's explore these business tools.To access WhatsApp Business Tools, tap on More Options on Android or Settings on iPhone, then select Business Tools.WhatsApp Business tools allow you to;Set a Product Catalogue. In the catalogue, you can display your product pictures, name, and price information. You can group these catalogues into categories as you like.Setting a Short Link. A short link allows a customer to connect with you over WhatsApp directly. WhatsApp Business will auto-generate a short link for your business which you can share with your customers, on your website, or via your Facebook Page or Instagram Handle.Using Messaging Tools. The messaging tools help you stay on top of every received message. When it comes to customer service, lower downtimes in sending responses often yield a better result. On WhatsApp, you can set three different types of automated responses: Greeting Messages, Away Messages, and Quick Replies.Creating Labels. Being organised is one way to stay on top of things. One way of doing it is by labelling your conversations. By labelling conversations into helpful categories, you can prioritise services or orders more efficiently and effectively.We can use WhatsApp on three different platforms: Web/Desktop, Android, and iOS. While the general experience is the same, there are a few variations with the setup process. We highly recommend you check out the WhatsApp FAQ section for all your answers.Final WordsWhatsApp Business claims to generate 5x more leads for South African businesses. You can set up a WhatsApp Business account within 30 minutes in South Africa and are ready to go!If you require any help with WhatsApp or Facebook marketing, feel free to connect with us. Meanwhile, if you are looking to open your e-commerce shop on Takealot, we have an excellent course for you. The Takealot Seller Course covers all the fundamentals of being a successful Takealot seller in South Africa. And it is for FREE for a limited time! Take advantage of the offer and find success in selling on Takealot in South Africa.
More detailsPublished - Wed, 26-Jun-2024
Created by - Skill Space
Conversational Marketing for a Small Business in South Africa
Let's talk about Conversational Marketing today. It is the art of providing personalised services and a unique experience to your customers through conversations. In the previous article, we talked about how you can set up WhatsApp Business for your business. Now, let's talk about how Conversational Marketing helps your business in South Africa.It begins with Understanding Conversational MarketingConversational Marketing focuses on opening a peer-to-peer dialogue with your customers to assist them or making a decision with their purchases of products and services. Such personalised assistance establishes a bold yet warm impression on your customers about your business.Conversational Marketing challenges the traditional norms of filling out forms sending emails for queries or seeking assistance from a business. In the modern world, the traditional contact model is slowly becoming obsolete. In 2024, many of us South Africans do not prefer calling or filling out forms to wait for responses. Conversational Marketing bridges that gap and provides a comfortable yet effective dialogue option for your customers.Forms of Conversational Marketing in South AfricaIn the previous article, we briefly talked about how WhatsApp Business could prove to be an effective tool for your business. WhatsApp Business is likely the most successful Conversational Marketing model in South Africa. Almost everyone in South Africa uses WhatsApp. We are familiar with the app; we literally live with the app.Now, if you provide an opportunity to let your customers contact through via WhatsApp within a single click, chances are they are going to take it. Your potential customers can send you a WhatsApp message at their convenience. Although they expect a near-instant response, it is okay to take a few minutes to formulate a proper response to your customer's queries.This is where automated responses also help you to attend to your customers' requests on WhatsApp business.Other alternatives are other Instant Messaging apps, such as Facebook Messenger or Instagram. Furthermore, many websites also have an in-built chatbot that acts as a FAQ answerer or a bridge that connects a user with customer service personnel.Why does Conversational Marketing work in South Africa?Throughout the last decade, South Africa has experienced multiple revolutions in the communication sector. One of the results of this evolution is the Instant Messaging technology. We have been using the technology since the 2010s and it has been getting better, faster, and more reliable over time.It essentially eliminates the need to call (and the need to be present for the call). It is fast, efficient, and very convenient for all of us. The technology allows us to remain anonymous and yet conveniently connect with anyone with little to no effort.People love it. Even introverts do! Instant messaging technology has made our lives convenient and has changed the way we communicate and make purchases. And if a business does not understand that, then we can safely say that the business is stuck in the past. Sure, emails and phone calls are still considered a standard. But even the corporate world has adopted instant messages over relying on emails for all conversational needs.Your customers are used to forming bonds with people via texts and emojis. Now, as a business, if you are willing to provide the same form of communication your customers are comfortable with, then they are going to have a positive impression of your business. It's as simple as that!And that is why Conversational Marketing works in South Africa.The Stats show it!Drift, a US-based B2B sales company has written an elaborate article about Conversational Marketing. We highly recommend you give it a read if you are interested in this topic.According to their article, and we quote, "The B2B buying process has become cold, impersonal, and way more painful for the buyer than it needs to be." This is true. The modern view of a traditional corporate setting and business practices has become stoic and negative.Their study says that, and once again we quote,27% more B2B buyers expressed frustration with old-school forms in 2021 than in 2020;Email usage has dropped by 25% since 2020; andThe demand for immediacy has grown by an average of 64% year-over-year.Stats are just there for your reference. But think about this for a second from a modern buyer's perspective. Your buyers, especially if they are late Millennials or Gen Z, are definitely going to opt for a business that provides a more personalised experience. However, you may experience otherwise if your primary target audience is the Baby Boomer Generation or Gen X.So, Should I be adopting Conversational Marketing in South Africa?You must! This is not even a question anymore. If you want to stay relevant to the contemporary time, you must consider adopting conversational marketing tactics in your business practices.If you are confused, just start with a WhatsApp Business account in South Africa and take it from there. The best part of this practice? It is an easy-to-setup and easy-to-understand process. For more information on setting up a WhatsApp Business account, please refer to our previous article.On the other hand, if you are a small business in South Africa looking to sell on Takealot, we have a perfect course for you. Skill Space's Takealot Seller Course goes in-depth with the procedures of setting up a Takealot Seller account in South Africa. It is free for a limited time, so hurry up and take advantage of this beneficial offer to become a successful Takealot Seller.If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. More information about our contact is available here.
More detailsPublished - Fri, 28-Jun-2024
Created by - Skill Space
Why should you use WordPress to Build a Website in South Africa?
If you have used website builders like Wix or Weebly, you may have come across WordPress. WordPress is a completely free-to-use website builder supported by thousands of plugins and themes and an active developer community. In this article, let's explore the reasons why you should be using WordPress to build a website in South Africa.What is WordPress?WordPress is a website builder; an open-source content management system (CMS). You can create and use a basic WordPress website for free as long as the plugins and themes you use are free. It is a popular tool amongst many as you do not require any coding knowledge or experience to build a website and blog.If you were a blogger in the last decade, there's a high chance you must have used WordPress. WordPress was primarily developed to create blogs, such as news blogs, lifestyle blogs, hobby blogs, informative blogs, and so on. And now, WordPress is capable of making a full-fledged website within hours for any purpose. So, should you be using WordPress in 2024? The answer is absolutely yes, you should. It is a free-to-use website builder with thousands of free plugins and themes. Too good of an opportunity to pass on!But wait, why does it say I have to pay for WordPress?When it comes to WordPress, there are two distinct websites: WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Despite the word 'WordPress' in the domain, the WordPress.com website/service is owned and operated by Automattic, Inc. They provide a modified version of the WordPress software with premium plans to eliminate the hassle of building a website and hosting a domain. The only free thing on WordPress.com is free blog hosting.On the other hand, the WordPress.org domain is owned by the WordPress Foundation. According to their website,"The WordPress Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Matt Mullenweg to further the mission of the WordPress open source project: to democratize publishing through Open Source, GPL software."WordPress.org allows you to build a website as you wish. You have the absolute control over the web design aspect. You are also free to host your WordPress website with whichever domain provider you see fit. So, if you are looking for a free WordPress experience, WordPress.org is the way to go.Why Should I Use WordPress to Build a Website in South Africa?According to WPZOOM, WordPress powers about 43.4% of all websites internationally and dominates the CMS market with a 62.7% share. Why?WordPress is Open-SourceOpen-source software refers to the software's code being available to the public. This means you can modify the source code as you wish and redistribute the software. The open-source idea survives on the basis of people contributing to the software to make it better. And thankfully, WordPress is blessed by thousands of developers and contributors who made WordPress the better CMS platform it is today.Beginner-FriendlyAs established previously, WordPress requires no coding knowledge or any engineering degree. WordPress CMS aimed to simplify website building and designing and has succeeded so far. WordPress is designed for non-technical people. Its user interface is intuitive and friendly.WordPress itself is just a blank canvas with a backend where you can manage your website settings. To add designs to your website, you simply have to download a theme. Furthermore, you can also add functionalities to your website by installing WordPress plugins.SEO-FriendlinessSearch Engine Optimisation is important if you want to make your website visible on a search engine like Google and attract organic traffic. Thanks to the simplicity of WordPress CMS, SEO optimisation on a WordPress website is simple. You can even get plugins like Yoast! SEO to help you optimise SEO for your website.SecurityWordPress consistently upgrades its platform, patching security loopholes, improving performance, or adding new features. You must update WordPress every time there's an update available. Once an update is available, you will get a notification about it on your website's backend. You want your website to be secure amidst numerous data breaches or hijacks happening everywhere. The consistent updates to the platform and plugins and active community keep the platform up-to-date, making it one of the safest and most secure CMS platforms.Supports all Media TypesA WordPress website allows you to load all sorts of web-compatible media files. That means you can put different kinds of images, videos, and text to make your website more appealing towards your audience. The flexible support allows for unlimited customisations, thus helping you make your website uniquely enticing.ConclusionWordPress is a great free website builder in South Africa that allows for immense website customisations at almost no cost. The only real financial aspect you will have to worry about is paying for a website host. The cost-effectiveness and ease of use are exactly why we would recommend using WordPress to build your dream website in South Africa.Skill Space is currently developing a full-fledged course on developing a WordPress website. The course will be out soon, so stay tuned. If you have any questions or require any guidance related to WordPress, kindly let us know by contacting us.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 09-Jul-2024
Created by - Saket Patil
How to Set Up Google Analytics (GA4) in South Africa?
Google Analytics 4 is a crucial analytical tool that can help your business in more ways than one. In this article, we will talk about what Google Analytics is and how you can set up a Google Analytics (GA4) account in South Africa. Let's dive in!What is Google Analytics (GA4)?Google Analytics (GA4) is a powerful analytical tool that is popular for its impactful insights that help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your website performance and marketing strategy. The best part of the tool is that it is free to use. Thus, it would be unwise to not utilise such a powerful tool to grow your business to new heights.Google Analytics generates reports based on your preferences. The reports may include, but are not limited to, the following Key Performance Indexes:Data about sessions and users, such as number of users, page views, bounce rate, page per session, and session duration.Goals progress and conversions, including goal conversion rate, first interaction conversion, last interaction conversion, and assisted conversion.Website performance such as traffic sources, and mediums.Landing Page, including landing page sessions, conversion rate, revenue metrics, bounce rate, and page load time)Browser, such as what kind of browser a user access your website on, or operating system.Geo report includes information about the user's location.The E-Commerce transactions report includes information about conversion rates, transactions, average order value, unique purchases, and more.With detailed insights from GA4, you can understand your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you plan your strategies more effectively and generate better revenue via your online business(es).How to Set Up A Google Analytics (GA4) Account in South Africa? The video above explains how to set up a Google Analytics (GA4) Account in South Africa. Furthermore, the video also discusses how to tag a website to start generating reports via Google Analytics 4.Let's talk briefly about setting up a Google Analytics (GA4) account.On the GA4 Home Page, click on 'Start Measuring'.Select the appropriate account name and data-sharing settings, then click 'Next'.Fill in the details for your Property, then click 'Next'.Select your business objectives, then click 'Create'.Choose your country and thoroughly read the terms and conditions. Then, click 'I accept'.And that's it, now you have created a Google Analytics (GA4) account.Now, we would like to see actual live performance reports from your website. However, that is not possible yet as we have not 'tagged' your website.Setting up Google TagWhat is a Google Tag? It is a unique measurement ID associated with your website to help Google Analytics identify and collect analytical data from your website.Once you finish setting up your Google Account, you will see the analytical dashboard. If none of your websites are 'tagged', there will be no data. In this case, GA4 will advise you to set up Google Tag first to enable tracking.Let's see how you can set up Google Tag.Click on the 'Get Tagging Instructions' button on your screen.Scroll down to 'View Tag Instructions'. Click on it.You will have two options: Install with a CMS/Web Builder or Install it manually.For the 'Install with a CMS/Web Builder' route, you simply have to follow the instructions on the screen. These may differ depending on the web builder/CMS you are using.For the manual installation, you have to copy the Google Tag code and paste it into the section of every page of your website.Once done, you should start seeing live reports shortly.For more information on setting up a Google Tag, we highly advise you to visit the Google Help Centre.ConclusionGoogle Analytics (GA4) is a powerful and free analytical tool. As a small business, hiring actual consultants or experts might take a toll on your budget. However, the GA4 tool may prove to be a valuable substitute to understand and grow your business better. All you need is a Google account and you're set for it.We will be talking more about Google Analytics 4 in our futurearticles. Meanwhile, if you are looking to expand your business, did you know that Takealot could be your next milestone? Skill Space is offering a FREE Takealot Seller Course in South Africa for a limited time. Head over to our courses section to find out more!If you have any questions, feel free to contact us today via the contact form.
More detailsPublished - Wed, 07-Aug-2024
Created by - Saket Patil
How to Set Up an Event in Google Tag Manager in South Africa?
If you want to source statistical data about your website in your Google Analytics 4 dashboard, you have to tag your website. Now, tagging is not as simple as simply connecting your website to GA4. But it is not as difficult as you think it may be. In this article, let's understand how you can set up an event in Google Tag Manager for your website in South Africa.What is an Event in Google Tag Manager?An Event in Google Tag Manager can be defined as an occurrence or an action that happens on your website.For example, if a logs into your website, that's an event. You can define this event in Google Tag Manager. After defining the event, your GA4 dashboard will update the statistics each time someone logs into your website.Now, analytical data can help you visualise your website's performance. However, it is crucial to know exactly what kind of statistics you would want to keep your eyes on. If you want, Google Analytics can source data about all sorts of occurrences and events on your website. But will that help you analyse and improve your website's performance? Only you can answer it.And that's why Google Tag Manager allows you to 'personalise' your analytical data sourcing. Like the example above, you can define certain events and occurrences in Google Tag Manager, and GA4 will only show you the statistics on that matter. So, how do you set up an event in a Google Tag Manager? For a glance at the setup process, download the handy PDF above.How to Set Up an Event in Google Tag Manager in South Africa?To set up an event in Google Tag Manager, you need to have a GTM account in South Africa. Let's take a quick look at the process.Log in to your Google Tag Manager account.Click on the ‘New’ button.Click on Tag Configuration and choose Google Analytics from the menu.Click on Google Analytics GA4 Event in the list.Fill in the required information and configure a Trigger.Click on ‘Save’ and rename the tag if you must.For a complete visual demonstration and explanation, we highly recommend you watch the following video.There are two crucial things when you create a Tag: a Measurement ID and a Trigger.A 'Measurement ID' connects a tag to your website. It helps the tag identify your website. A 'Trigger' identifies the specific event that is defined within its parameters. It also determines when a tag should fire; as in when it should generate an analytical report for the specific action.We have explained the entire process in the video above. Kindly give it a watch for a complete explanation of the matter.How to Test if the Event is Working?To ensure your event is actually generating data, Google Tag Manager allows you to test whether you have set up the tag properly. Let's see how you can test your event in Google Tag Manager in South Africa.In the ‘Tags’ section, click on the Preview button in the top right corner.Copy your website’s homepage URL, paste it, and click ‘Connect’.Once your website opens in debug mode, take the necessary actions to trigger the event.Go back to Tag Assistant and check if the Tag has fired.If all is good, go back to the Tags section and click ‘Submit’. Elseconsider setting up the event again.ConclusionGoogle Tag Manager is the key to making your GA4 statistics work flawlessly and generating helpful analytical data to ensure your website performs as per your standards and expectations.In South Africa, you must ensure that your website complies with local regulations, such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), especially when tracking user interactions.This setup process is applicable globally, including in South Africa. If you have specific local considerations, like language or region-specific content, adjust your tags and triggers accordingly.If you are looking for a Google Analytics 4 Course in South Africa, we got you. Skill Space is currently developing a Google Analytics 4 Course designed to give you an in-depth analysis and practical usage of the tool. Follow the link for more information.If you have any queries, please consider contacting us anytime.
More detailsPublished - Mon, 12-Aug-2024
Created by - Saket Patil
How to Create a Key Event in GA4 in South Africa?
Key events, also known as conversions, are important conversion events that define your website's success. Any event can be a key event but you have to mark it as a key event. Depending on your business goals, you may have different key events and they may change over time. In this article, let's take a quick look at how you can create a key event in GA4 in South Africa.Google Analytics 4, Events, and Key EventsA quick word about Google Analytics 4. It is a free-to-use online software that tags and records events on your website and generates analytical reports for your understanding. A GA4 report can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and enhance your marketing strategy accordingly.Now, as we have seen in our previous article, you have to create events manually to instruct GA4 what it should record. For a complete tutorial, we highly recommend giving the article a read or watching this video for a visual demonstration.Now, let's talk about Key Events. A Key Event is an event you deem important for your business. For example, customers making a payment on your website is important for your revenue projections. Thus, customers making a payment could be a key event for your website.But how do you set up a key event in Google Analytics 4?How to Create a Key Event in GA4 in South Africa?To create a key event in GA4 in South Africa, you must set up your events first. Links to a complete guide on setting up events are provided above.Now, assuming you already have defined a few events in your GA4 account, it is time to mark them as key events. At least some of them. Let's dive into it!Log into your Google Analytics 4 Account.Next, click on 'Admin' from the left-hand menu. The 'Admin' section lies at the bottom of this menu.On the next window, scroll down to the 'Data Display' section, where you will find your 'Key Events' option. Click on it.Now, you will see a number of events that you have set up already. (Image below)Simply mark the events as 'Key Events' that are important for you.And you're done!Wait, the event I have set up is not on this list...Oh, that may happen sometimes, especially if you have set up a brand new event recently. Fret not, there's a workaround to this.Assuming you're on the 'Key Events' window, click on 'New Key Event' from the top right corner of the list.All you have to do is name your new key event. Make sure the name matches the event that you want to mark as a key event but does not appear in the list.And that's it. Now, every time the event triggers, GA4 will consider this event as your key event and generate reports accordingly. Eventually, this key event will show up under the key event list as well.ConclusionA key event in Google Analytics 4 can help you keep records of the most important events on your business website. It is very simple to create an event or a key event in Google Analytics 4. For more information with a visual demonstration, we highly recommend visiting our YouTube channel. New videos are uploaded every week.Besides that, we are also currently developing a Google Analytics 4 course. To further your knowledge of GA4 and master analytical and marketing skills, head over to our Google Analytics 4 Course. It is still a work in progress, so stay tuned with us!For any queries, feel free to contact us today!
More detailsPublished - Fri, 30-Aug-2024
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