Wits lecturer says SMMEs must go online

It would be beneficial for SMMEs to migrate to digital, according to Wits University lecturer and business development manager Helga Louw.
This was because more than half of the country’s population was online, and the current economic climate was suitable for e-commerce.
Louw, who has experience in marketing management on both traditional and digital marketing platforms, said that consumers spend a lot of time online.
“Consumers are online, and they are online a lot (either) socialising, networking, shopping, playing games, searching for things and transacting,” she said.
When they looked for something, they were likely to start with an online search for products or services near to their location.
“They also put great stock in social proof in the form of online reviews and comments on social media. Businesses that do not have an online or social media presence will likely be missed,” Louw said.
“To be visible to potential customers and reach them, businesses must be where their customers are, which is online.”
Louw also said that the face of traditional marketing strategies had changed with the introduction of digital sales platforms and e-commerce sites.
“The digitisation of the consumer and workspace has turned traditional marketing on its head,” she said.
“With advances in digital technologies, today’s consumers are in control of their journey to purchase. Whether they end up buying online or at a bricks-and-mortar store, most of them begin their searches online where they are able to explore as many categories, brands and products as they want.”’
Statistics show that the online presence of South Africans has increased.
A recent study by independent market research company World Wide Worx, which collaborated with Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, showed that 56.3% of South Africans were online last year.
This was expected to increase to 62.3% in 2025.
It also revealed that 40% of the population was active on social media, and the average daily time spent on the internet was nine hours and 22 minutes.
This means that 22.89 million people out of an estimated population of just over 57 million use the internet frequently.
Louw said that while many marketing specialists have digital marketing experience in one or two select fields, it was important for today’s marketing role players to have a deeper understanding of the ins and outs of digital marketing.