Digital technology in Senegal has been booming for several years now. The Covid pandemic accelerated this phenomenon, as many activities came to an abrupt halt. Internet penetration in Senegal is around 50%, and nearly 75% of users connect via their mobile phones. These steadily increasing figures reflect the government's commitment to promoting digital technology in Senegal through significant investments. This represents a real opportunity for all sectors, provided this tool is used effectively. In this article, we will explore the opportunities that digital technology offers to real estate professionals in Senegal.
1) A BROADER TARGET AUDIENCE
This is one of the major advantages of digital marketing: the ability to reach a broad audience , extending beyond national borders. By creating a Facebook or Instagram account, a real estate agency can communicate with a much wider audience than through simple word of mouth. Of course, word of mouth should never be dismissed, because if people are talking about you, it means you've provided satisfactory service.
Furthermore, digital technology allows real estate professionals to target specific demographics, for example through sponsored posts on social media. Given that over 90% of social media users in Senegal access these platforms via smartphones, ignoring this communication channel would be a mistake.
2) VARIOUS CONTENT FOR DIFFERENT TARGET AUDIENCE
This is one of the great advantages of digital technology. With the internet, we can share articles, photos, videos, and more. All this diverse content allows for an infinite number of communication strategies for real estate professionals. For example, offering high-quality content on Instagram allows a real estate agency to send a very positive message about its marketing methods.
Each piece of content will therefore allow a professional to reach a different target audience.
3) MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE COMMUNICATION
Communicating online is much more affordable than traditional advertising (magazine ads, billboards, etc.). If you don't have the budget for a website, posting ads on social media is free. This represents a significant saving for real estate agencies, which benefit from unlimited communication, 24/7.
4) A SECTOR THAT IS TRANSFORMING…
As mentioned in the introduction, digital technology plays a very important role in Senegal, stemming from the government's commitment to creating opportunities , such as combating unemployment. Indeed, the rise of the digital sector is generating numerous jobs.
More and more real estate agencies in Senegal have seized this opportunity and added a digital dimension to their communication strategy. Just a few years ago, searching for a property (for sale or rent) necessarily involved a broker or word of mouth. Today, although this hasn't disappeared entirely, we see a growing number of people searching for housing online. As a result, they visit agency websites, online real estate portals , or dedicated Facebook pages.
5) … BUT WHICH MUST ADAPT TO THE LOCAL CONTEXT
The land of Teranga (hospitality) is not called that for nothing. The warmth of its people and the connections between them are what make Senegal so beautiful. Therefore, digital technology should serve this culture, and certainly not the other way around!
Communicating digitally without considering human contact will ultimately bring little benefit to a real estate agency. This is even more true in the real estate industry, where trust is paramount given the sums of money involved.
It is therefore important to bear in mind that digital technology must adapt to this local context in order to reap all the benefits.
So now you know the challenges and opportunities that digital technology offers in the Senegalese real estate sector. In addition to the points discussed earlier, having a digital presence will give you added credibility with individuals. They will see your agency as committed to communicating on all fronts, provided that this communication is of high quality.
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