By Kenneth Oboh

How to turn your socials into a revenue driver for your business

When Busayo Durojaye co-founded Loopify, a marketing technology company serving over 5,000 SMEs across Africa, the UAE, and advanced markets like the UK and US, he wasn’t just building a product—he was unlocking a new way for small businesses to grow through social media.

Social media may have started as a place to connect with friends, but for today’s entrepreneurs, it has evolved into much more—a storefront, a marketing engine, a customer service hub, and in many cases, the foundation of the entire business. Whether you’re a one-person fashion brand in Lagos or a beauty startup scaling in Nairobi, the ability to connect directly with your audience, tell your story, and drive real business outcomes has never been more accessible.

But accessibility comes with saturation. Standing out requires more than just posting daily. Based on Busayo’s experience building Loopify and working closely with thousands of SMEs, here are five hard-earned lessons on how to turn your digital presence into a revenue engine.

• Social Media Is an Extension of Your Brand

Every post, comment, and interaction is part of your brand story. For small businesses without a physical location or traditional advertising presence, your online footprint often serves as your first—and sometimes only—impression.

Intentional brands win. Whether it’s a B2C fashion line using Instagram Reels or a B2B service provider sharing insights on LinkedIn, your digital presence should reflect your business values and personality. That means consistency in visuals, tone, and messaging.

Busayo’s early career working with SMEs in Nigeria, a market with low trust and limited infrastructure, deeply informs this view. In markets like Nigeria, many businesses bypass websites and operate directly from social platforms like Instagram. This has made it essential for businesses to invest in the look, feel, and trustworthiness of their pages. Social media isn’t just marketing—it’s the shop floor, the sales team, and the customer service line rolled into one.

Loopify helps businesses clarify their identity, build better pages, and convert engagement into revenue through AI-powered marketing tools tailored for mobile-first entrepreneurs.

• Consistency Beats Virality

Going viral isn’t a strategy—it’s a lucky break. Too often, SMEs fall into the trap of chasing trends, hoping for a quick win. But sustainable growth on social media comes from consistency—showing up regularly, building trust, and staying top-of-mind.

One of Loopify’s long-term customers, a luxury furniture brand, didn’t go viral overnight. Instead, she committed to months of consistent content—behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, tutorials. Using Loopify’s advertising tool, Boost, she was able to turn that engagement into visibility and new customer acquisition. She attributes a 40% growth in her business to this steady approach—and credits Busayo for helping her align her content with her unique value as a premium brand.

“It’s the customers you obsess over—not the technology,” Busayo says. “The technology is just a means to serve them better.”

• Engagement Is a Two-Way Street

Many businesses treat social media like a digital noticeboard—posting updates and moving on. But the most successful brands treat it like a conversation.
Listening matters. Reading comments, replying to DMs, monitoring brand mentions—all of these contribute to better products and stronger relationships. Several Loopify users have improved packaging, changed pricing strategies, or adjusted their messaging simply by paying attention to what customers were saying online.

This insight has inspired Loopify’s upcoming AI marketing assistant—an automated tool that can respond to inquiries, follow up on leads, and help close sales. “For small business owners, time is limited. A responsive assistant can free up that time and increase conversions,” Busayo explains.

• Social Proof Drives Sales

People trust people. In a world flooded with choices, social proof—through reviews, testimonials, and creator content—is often the deciding factor in a purchase.

To help SMEs tap into this, Loopify launched Nova, an AI-powered creator platform that connects businesses with vetted content creators. Since its launch, Nova has facilitated the production of thousands of videos for SMEs, giving them a consistent stream of ad-ready content and a stronger brand presence online.

Nova was built after user research revealed a major pain point: businesses were struggling to create engaging content at scale. Within three months of launch, Nova doubled Loopify’s revenue—a testament to the power of customer insights turned into product innovation.

Even without influencers, showing real customers using your product—through UGC, reposts, or reviews—adds credibility that no brand-speak can replicate.

• You Don’t Need a Website to Start

Websites are great, but they’re not always necessary—especially in markets where mobile and messaging platforms dominate. Many businesses in the Loopify network run entirely off Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp Business and still generate consistent sales.

What matters more is reducing friction: make it easy for customers to understand your offer, trust your brand, and place an order. That means having a well-organized profile, clear CTAs, pinned product information, and quick replies.

Loopify itself was born from this insight—the rise of scrappy, mobile-first entrepreneurs who didn’t need a fancy website to grow, just the right tools to maximize what they already had.

Final Thoughts

Social media is no longer just for socializing—it’s a business engine. For small business owners, it’s one of the most accessible and effective ways to build brand awareness, connect with customers, and drive growth.

The playing field has never been more level. You don’t need a huge budget—just the right strategy, consistent action, and a clear brand voice. SMEs that embrace social media not as a nice-to-have but as a key part of their business strategy are the ones poised to scale.

As Busayo puts it, “If you can turn everyday conversations into business growth, that’s where the magic really happens.”