Standard Bank gives small businesses a boost for Black Friday
Digital marketing has become one of the most effective ways for businesses to promote their goods and services.
Ahead of Black Friday this year, Standard Bank is making it easy for customers to take their businesses online with free* access to their SimplyBlu solution. They are also helping to upsize their customers’ marketing efforts by giving them R500 worth of Google Ads, absolutely free* – just in time for the biggest retail event of year!
“We know that small businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19 and by the lockdown. Standard Bank wanted to do something to help our customers upsize their marketing and effectively promote their offerings ahead of Black Friday. Through Google Ads they will be able to generate excitement among their prospective customers and boost their online sales leading up to the festive season,” says Nelisa Zulu, Head of Merchant Solutions SA at Standard Bank.
SimplyBlu is Standard Bank’s innovative eCommerce-in-a-box solution which enables businesses to easily start and manage an online business, all from a single, secure platform. With SimplyBlu, Standard Bank aims to remove the many barriers to entry for small businesses wanting to sell online by creating access. Access to an online presence, access to payments and now access to more customers with free Google Ads!
Google Ads is an online advertising platform that makes it easy for customers to showcase their businesses, target new customers and drive traffic to their online stores. It puts businesses in front of customers when they are searching for products and services on Google Search or Google Maps. Google Ads also works with almost any advertising budget, because you only pay for the results, like clicks to your website or calls to your business.
Nelisa Zulu says: “Social distancing and other safety measures mean that many more consumers will be opting for online shopping options this Black Friday. They will also be deliberate in their choices as they look for the best possible deals. By combining SimplyBlu and Google Ads, business owners will be able to stand out and cut through the clutter, making sure that their customers are aware of any specials or promotions that they are running.”
Google Ads has been shown to drive increased website traffic and grow online sales by directing consumers directly to a company’s website and, when coupled with SimplyBlu’s services, can help small businesses compete in the market.
“With SimplyBlu,” says Zulu, “you can build your own online store from scratch using built-in templates, themes and easy drag-and-drop product functionality. No development, coding or technical skills is required. SimplyBlu boasts a multitude of features, including a free domain, webhosting, and payment gateway. You can also load an unlimited number of products onto your online store and share products directly to social media.”
SimplyBlu can also be used by businesses that already have websites but still require payments. There are many developer friendly APIs and popular shopping cart plug-ins available to easily add payments to an existing website. With SimplyBlu, business owners can accept all local and international credit, debt and virtual cards.
“We have built an online ecosystem that allows our customers to operate their businesses from anywhere at any time. Almost every aspect of their business can be handled digitally, and this Black Friday they will be able to capitalise on the digital transformation journey to drive sales among their own customers,” Zulu concludes.
To apply for the exclusive free* SimplyBlu + Google Ads offer click here and get started now!
*Terms and conditions apply.