How SMEs are exploring global markets with mobile technology

Facebook recently added more cross-border tools to its advertising platform to help businesses find new international customers quickly and easily.

Global expansion used to be reserved for the big companies but technology is reducing that divide and is providing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) more and more ways to connect with customers all over the world. The rapid growth is the adoption of mobile technology has created a massive opportunity for businesses to engage with customers in any country.

The right people anywhere and everywhere

It would previously have been impossible for a small business to reach a million people in four days with its message. But that is precisely what happened during the 2016 Black Friday season to a Swedish app development company, Mapiful. The company was able to reach a new global audience with its campaign by teaming up with Scandinavian agency Preci Digital who were able to make good use of Facebook’s cross-border tools. Facebook tools such as Lookalike Audiences allows companies to reach people who are similar to its existing customers.

By combining the lookalike tool with cross-border tools, Mapiful were able to reach customers in other countries that were most likely to an interest in their product. Mapiful reported that the results were sales that quadrupled those in the same period in the previous year. As the global economy becomes more connected thanks to digital technologies, SME’s can look beyond customers in their own town, city or country.