– by Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer
UKZN’s Extended Learning in partnership with business incubator, Bizfarm, DigifyBytes and Facebook, hosted a social media workshop on how to Boost your Business.
The workshop, run by Makhathini Media’s Ms Owethu Makhathini, focused on harnessing Facebook as a tool to increase sales and let prospective buyers know about a business.
Makhathini emphasised the importance of connecting with an audience and knowing one’s own story. ‘When you know what your story is, you know what success looks like,’ she said. ‘Be authentic and don’t use someone else’s story.’
She stressed the importance of establishing business objectives before embarking on a social media campaign – the fundamentals of business need to be in place before running marketing campaigns.
Makhathini’s top tips included uploading short videos, between 30 seconds and two minutes, and ensuring content appears correctly on various platforms, with particular focus on mobile phones.
Makhathini (24) has established herself as a serious player in the social media world. Known for her sharp digital media, marketing and copy writing acumen, she has used her skills to create a business geared at improving the skills of young people.
To attend forthcoming workshops, check the UKZN noticeboard or email Thando at MakhazaZ@ukzn.ac.za to be added to the UKZN Extended Learning mailing list.