Entrepreneurship is on the rise in many African countries, from Nigeria and Egypt to Kenya and South Africa.
Governments, embassies, and corporations in French-speaking countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Senegal are taking various initiatives to build incubators, accelerators, and investment funds that can work with entrepreneurs building startups.
African entrepreneurs who want to build strong and visible brands in the countries where they do business—as well as find investors, business partners, and clients abroad—need to learn how to use LinkedIn, which is now the top social media platform for business decision-makers.
According to the most recent Economic Graph data, LinkedIn has 850 million users and 59 million companies on its platform. South Africa, for example, has approximately 9 million LinkedIn users on the African continent. Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya come in second and third, with approximately 6 million, 5 million, and 2 million users, respectively.
According to the statistics, the majority of LinkedIn users in Africa are concentrated in countries where English is the official or primary language used in the professional environment.
The most basic thing that African entrepreneurs can do to make the most of LinkedIn is to take a professional headshot and upload it to a personal account. Following that, by responding to the posts of others and by publishing content that aligns with your professional interests, it will be easier to build a network of contacts with like-minded entrepreneurs from around the world.
It is also beneficial to have a customized cover page that clearly displays your business skills and interests. Entrepreneurs who can read, speak, and write in both English and French will have a better chance of being discovered by people in the United States, Canada, or other English-speaking countries in Europe if they have a LinkedIn profile in both languages.
I began taking LinkedIn seriously in early 2017, when I had fewer than 500 connections. On LinkedIn, I am now connected with over 15,000 professionals and entrepreneurs from Canada, the United States, Europe, and Africa.
On LinkedIn, I discovered various opportunities, met clients, and became visible in ways that other social media platforms did not allow. LinkedIn has made it a lot easier for posts to reach many people you are connected with directly and those you are not connected with at all. Organic reach increases especially if you create content regularly.
In today’s highly competitive business environment, African entrepreneurs cannot afford to ignore their branding, marketing, or communication strategies.
Mastering LinkedIn is a required skill now more than ever for ambitious African startups that want to differentiate themselves by making their expertise and solutions in the marketplace known not only locally but also globally.
–Noel K. Tshiani–
