Greetings to my Nairaland friends and everyone else. This wonderful forum has play a significant role in my journey as a digital marketer and Google ads specialist in Nigeria.

On this thread i am going to share my experience and also discuss about some of the notable challenges Nigerians are facing when it comes to advertising on Google.

I welcome every questions related to Google search ads, YouTube ads, display ads, shopping ads, apps install ads, and local maps ads.

Please don't spam this thread with advertising.

Happy following...

I started using Google ads in 2013 for driving traffic to my blog. Along the way, i developed strong interest in the platform and decided to learn more about it.

With my prior knowledge of article writing, keywords research and search engine optimization for blogging purpose, using understanding Google ads as a beginner wasn't a big issue for me.

So i proceeded to learning more about it by conducting research mostly on Google and YouTube.

In 2014, i joined Fiverr to work as a freelance blog post writer, and after some months, i decided to switch to Google ads manager since at the time, Google ads manager are very few on Fiverr.

Within a few days of creating my Google ads gig on Fiverr, i got my first order from someone in Canada.

Luckily enough for me, this person has never used Google ads before at the time, so he doesn't have much expectations.

He wanted to give it a try to know if it will be profitable for him to continue using it.

He proceeded by creating his AdWords account and submitted the details for me to start the work.

I got everything setup within some minutes and the ads started running that same day.

Within a week, the client started seeing some patronage in his physical store in Manitoba, Canada. By the way, he owns a computer repairs business and looking for more patronage.

With the improvement in patronage as reported by the client, i feel much relieved and develop even stronger interest in mastering Google ads.

As at the time in 2014, I don't know much about what is possible with Google ads. I was running only search ads for my clients.

I started learning more each time a new client with previous experience hire me.

For example, there was a time a prospect asked me if i could help him run ads on YouTube and setup frequency capping to 2 impressions per user per day.

I don't know what he was talking about at the time, but i quickly went to do research and learn how to do it.

Each time a prospect ask me some questions that seem strange to me, i pick up my computer and learn more about it.

I do thorough research and implement some of those things on my Canadian client's account because he has developed some trust in my work and since he doesn't have much expectations, i was able to implement new things on his account.

His account help me learn and develop different skills.

And because he's ordering my gigs monthly, it helped me rank high on Fiverr at the time and i started getting more orders that also encouraged me to become more skillful with Google ads.

Ride on Sir.
I still remember you way back.
Very resourceful.

As a novice Google ads manager in 2014, i never knew about the other means of gaining access into a Google ads account except by using their login email.

I got to know about using the customer ID to gain access into a Google ads account when a particular client refused to send his login email and password. He provided his ID only.

Then i discovered that i could actually use their IDs to gain access instead of their email. In fact, using their email addresses to login is a hellish task as Google always ask for login confirmation. This was a hectic task because of time differences, so i usually work between 1 and 3 am so as to gain login access when my clients are online.

Thankfully, after learning about using their IDs to gain access, i no longer request for their email and password.

I started gaining access without stress.

While i was learning about the ways to gain access to a Google AdWords account without using the login emails, i discovered Google partner program.

Then i applied.

I started managing Google ads account from my company account.

I went ahead to read about the requirements to becoming a certified Google partner and i prepared myself for it.

Among the requirements are;

1. Minimum of 10,000USD ad spend in 90 days. This is aggregate for the entire account i manage.
2. Minimum of 12 months as a registered Google ads manager.
3. Meeting the minimum performance threshold which is determined by Google.
4. Passing the certification exams.

I met the minimum spending but since i am new to Google partner, i needed to continue being active for at least 12 months while also meeting the other requirements.

After about 18 months of actively managing Google ads for multiple people, and meeting the performance, spending and minimum active period requirements, i wrote the certification exams and became certified.

At the time, i was one of the 9 certified and badged Google partners in Nigeria alongside Wild Fusion and some other companies.

Google allocated 2 of their staffs to me for strategy development and quarterly business review.

ojasweb:
After about 18 months of actively managing Google ads for multiple people, and meeting the performance, spending and minimum active period requirements, i wrote the certification exams and became certified.

At the time, i was one of the 9 certified and badged Google partners in Nigeria alongside Wild Fusion and some other companies.

Google allocated 2 of their staffs to me for strategy development and quarterly business review.

Much respect Sir!
I knew you'll become certified.
Na man you be!

cool, very cool.ride on sir.

As at 2016, i was one of the top Google ads managers on Fiverr. And that time i was getting all my clients from Fiverr.

On a particular day, a client purchased my premium package, at the time $250/month.

He didn't submit his Google ads customer ID, instead he submitted his phone number and wrote.

"If you like, call me".

This is a big temptation. Could it be a setup by Fiverr team?

Well, i say to myself, whatever it is, i will call this person. By the way, my Fiverr account is showing USA at the time.

What do i do now?

I picked my phone and called the buyer with my Skype number.

He was so happy to speak with me. He let me know he has been using Google ads since 2006 but he's just too busy now and he needed someone to take charge.

So he gave me the ID and i started managing his accounts. He is the first client that tells me not to worry about the advertising budget. He said you can spend 1k USD or more.

He didn't communicate with me on fiverr. We started communicating via email and i still manage his accounts as at the time of writing this post.

In 2017, a client ordered my gig on Fiverr and i delivered within 2 days.

He was a complete novice to Google ads, and immediately i delivered the order, he requested for a revision asking that he doesn't see results.

I explained to him that his ads have not started running and that he only ordered ads setup (no ongoing management involved), however since he's new to Google ads, i will help to manage his ads for 7 days for free.

He still didn't understand and the next thing he requested for cancellation. I declined and it became an issue that draws the attention of the Fiverr team.

The issue resulted in cancellation by customer support, despite the fact that i delivered what was promised, and even beyond.

It doesn't end there, it got my Fiverr account deported to Nigeria.

This happened around May, 2017.

Since then, sales dropped dramatically. I do not get new customers on Fiverr but returning Customers.

My Canadian customer didn't even care. He never challenge my location. Some challenge my location.

That fiverr deportation reduced my seriousness on Fiverr and i only work with my returning customers as new ones are not longer coming frequently.

Despite the fact that i no longer get new customers frequently in Fiverr, i already have about 5 customers that use my service every month.

I continued managing their accounts, improving my skills and delivering good results for my returning clients.

At that point, i no longer rely on fiverr again for customers acquisition.

In 2018, i decided to start something new.

I have never record videos before and i am a shy person. But i decided within myself that i will start recording videos and posting on YouTube.

I recorded the first video but not good enough. Instead of deleting it, i simply told myself "perfection is a problem".

That was January 2018.

Then i published the video as is and i started doing more Google ads videos and uploading.

In my videos i try to address some specific problems, some based on questions clients ask and some to solve some rare issues.

Then i recorded my first Google ads training course on how to advertise adult products on Google.

The course helped a lot of people and also helped me get new clients that pay me way more than i was being paid on Fiverr.

In September 2018, Google announced that they will no longer allow advertising of phone and computer repairs services on their platform.

This is a major update. They started disapproving any ads related to computer and phone repairs gradually.

Fortunately, it doesn't affect my Canadian client's account until January 2019.

Immediately it affected his account, i decided that i cannot just let this happen. He's obviously the first person that encourage me to take Google ads seriously.

Then i started doing more research on how to help his ads continue to run despite the Google's new policy.

I succeeded in discovering a strategy and i applied it to the accounts and i continue to manage his ads and driving more customers for his business.

This new discovery helped me create my second Google ads training course which is a grey hat strategy for advertising on Google.

While Fiverr refuses to give me new clients, my training courses started attracting more quality clients to me.

I upgraded my charges, however as a form of loyalty to those who believed in my while i was a beginner, the charges remain the same as the initial charge.

The client who asked me to call him after making payment on fiverr later asked me to also manage one of his staff by monitoring his work and giving instructions on what next to do. He paid me additional fee for the task and everything is working smoothly.

In March 2020, my Canadian client has no option but to close business due to COVID19 directive and the nature of his business.

However my other clients continue to advertise without slowing down.

I also get some new clients during the COVID lockdown.

Since 2014, I haven't been managing ads for Nigerians for one major issue; insufficient budget.

However around April 2020, a guy contact me on Facebook to help manage his Google ads account. At this time a lot of people recommend me to their friends. Some recommend my course and some my service.

His budget meets my minimum requirements, so i started working with him. He's the first person i work with in Nigeria.

The other company i could have worked with in Nigeria was Giant Beverages, however due to his selfish interest, the marketing manager discouraged the director from continuing with the advertising. Though the director was the one who found me when he was looking for Google partner.

The director later used my service but for a short time offer.

Back to the Nigerian guy.

I started managing his accounts and his monthly spending was between $2000 and $7000.

The result was massive until he closed the door for the program in March 2021, and we started promoting another program in June, 2021.

So far i have shared the summary of my experience as a Google ads specialist in Nigeria.

In the next few updates i will share some of the challenges Nigerians are facing when it comes to advertising on Google.

EGBEDA101:



Much respect Sir!
I knew you'll become certified.
Na man you be!

Thank you brother.

This is good. I am following...

MO ti WA motivated

Following...

As promised earlier on the thread, i will be sharing some of the commonest challenges Nigerians are facing when it comes to advertising on Google.

The first issue i have heard people complaining about almost all the time is inability to pay for ads or card declination.

Unlike Facebook, Google ads doesn't support Naira for making payment.

Get me right.

You can use your Naira master card to pay for Google ads, however they will never charge your card in Naira. Instead they will charge the the card in other supported currency that your Google ads account is using.

For example, if your Google ads account is UK own, they will charge your card in GBT instead of Naira. And because of this, the monthly CBN limit will affect your spending.

While this remains a main setback for people who are willing to spend more on advertising, the main issue is the card declination or inability to add a payment method.

I explained more about this in one of my training courses.

thanks

I am following

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Click to check it. You will be glad

puppie017:
MO ti WA motivated

That's the goal.

ojasweb:


That's the goal.

Sir I've seen your helpful contribution on this platform, and too bad i missed an opportunity on a thread you offered to help for free.
Please kindly suggest an online skill I can learn that I can build a career from (as an average Nigerian)
would love to hear from you

An thread and More. Fire on OP

I only got interested into Google Ads last year when I saw a few colleagues making a killing with it. Unfortunately all efforts to delve into Google Ads and record the same success i have had with Facebook Ads has been futile.

I hope coming across this thread will help break the jinx

ojasweb:
As promised earlier on the thread, i will be sharing some of the commonest challenges Nigerians are facing when it comes to advertising on Google.

The first issue i have heard people complaining about almost all the time is inability to pay for ads or card declination.

Unlike Facebook, Google ads doesn't support Naira for making payment.

Get me right.

You can use your Naira master card to pay for Google ads, however they will never charge your card in Naira. Instead they will charge the the card in other supported currency that your Google ads account is using.

For example, if your Google ads account is UK own, they will charge your card in GBT instead of Naira. And because of this, the monthly CBN limit will affect your spending.

While this remains a main setback for people who are willing to spend more on advertising, the main issue is the card declination or inability to add a payment method.

I explained more about this in one of my training courses.

Can one not have a Nigerian google ads account and pay in naira?

ojasweb:


That's the goal.

Do you also run ads on Facebook?

Also following...

WizkidNews:

Sir I've seen your helpful contribution on this platform, and too bad i missed an opportunity on a thread you offered to help for free.
Please kindly suggest an online skill I can learn that I can build a career from (as an average Nigerian)
would love to hear from you

There are a lot of good online skills but the major thing you need to consider is the ease of monetisation.
Personally, i like website optimization for conversion. I also like funnels design and optimization. I like web analytics. I like anything that have to do with automation such as email autoresponders.

For me, i usually learn based on the things I have passion for and my personal ability. So if you're looking to build a career around a skill, i suggest you look for the ones that you won't easily get tired of.