Lately, a customer doesn’t have to walk into a store to find a business, product or service. With a phone in hand and access to the internet, they can search for a product, check a business’s social media page, look at reviews, compare options and decide what to buy, all without leaving their home.
Currently in Nigeria, according to DataReportal’s Digital 2026: Nigeria report, 165 million cellular mobile connections were active in Nigeria in late 2025, representing 69.2 per cent of the population. The country also had 109 million internet users, with internet penetration standing at 45.5 per cent. In addition, there were 47.8 million social media user identities in October 2025, representing 20 per cent of the population. These figures show how connected Nigerians have become and how many potential customers are already using the internet to search, discover and interact with businesses. So, why is your business not there?
For many customers, the search for a business now begins with a phone. A person looking for a restaurant, fashion brand, salon or professional service can simply type what they need into a search engine and get several options within seconds. Social media has also become an important discovery point, with platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook allowing customers to come across businesses through posts, recommendations and shared content.
For businesses, this creates an opportunity to reach potential customers who may never have passed their physical location or heard about the brand before. A customer could be sitting at home, commuting to work or simply scrolling through their phone and come across a business they had never heard of before. In other cases, the customer already knows what they want and is actively searching for a business that can provide it. Search engines therefore play an important role in the customer journey. Someone searching for “restaurants near me,” “fashion stores in Lagos”, or “digital marketing agency” is already showing an interest in finding a particular product or service. The businesses that appear during that search have an opportunity to enter the customer’s consideration.
Social media works differently but is equally important. A customer may discover a brand through an Instagram post, a TikTok video, a recommendation from another user or even a sponsored advertisement. Social media allows businesses to show their products, communicate their personality and interact directly with potential customers. However, discovery is only one part of the process. Having an Instagram page, for example, does not automatically mean a business has a complete online presence. A potential customer may see a brand on Instagram and still search for it elsewhere before deciding whether to buy. They may want to confirm the business location, check its reviews, find a phone number, look at its website or find out whether the business is still operating.
This is why simply having followers or regularly uploading pictures may not be enough. A social media page can introduce a business to a customer, but it may not answer every question that customer has. If the page is inactive, contains outdated information or provides no clear way to contact the business, the customer may lose interest. The same applies when a customer searches for a business on Google and finds very little information. The absence of a business from search results does not necessarily mean the business is not legitimate, but it can make it harder for a potential customer to verify who they are dealing with.
A stronger online presence brings different platforms together. A website can provide detailed information about a company, its products or services, contact details and other important information. Social media can keep customers engaged and give them a more direct view of the brand. A Google Business Profile can make it easier for customers to find the business, see its location, contact information, opening hours and reviews. These platforms do not have to compete with one another. They can support different stages of the same customer journey. A person may first discover a business on Instagram, search for it on Google, visit its website and then contact the business through WhatsApp. What looks like several separate online actions can actually be part of one decision to buy.
Trust is a major part of that decision. Customers are more likely to feel confident when the information they find across different platforms is consistent and up to date. A business with a clear website, active social media pages, accurate contact details and genuine customer reviews can give potential customers more reasons to take the next step.
This does not mean every business needs to be present on every platform. What matters is understanding where its customers are searching and making sure the business can be found there. An online presence should not simply exist; it should provide useful information and make it easier for customers to move from finding a business to trusting it.
The customer is already online, searching, comparing and making decisions. The question for businesses is whether they will be visible when that search begins. Because in a market where customers can find several alternatives with a few taps on a phone, being difficult to find online can mean being easy to overlook offline.