do something, watch something, or buy something.
The brands that succeed in this AI-first, mobile-dominant world are the ones that win these micro-moments.
Think of a restaurant that appears at the top of Google Maps when someone searches“ best lunch near me,” complete with glowing reviews and mouthwatering photos. Or a fashion brand that gets included in an AI-generated list of“ affordable Kenyan designers with fast delivery.” Or a fintech app that is consistently mentioned in blogs, YouTube explainers, and ChatGPT responses when someone asks“ how to save for my first car.”
These brands didn’ t just show up. They showed up intentionally. With relevance. With clarity. With consistency.
Visibility is now a layered game. You still need strong SEO( yes, SEO still matters), compelling social media, and clear brand positioning. But you also need alignment with AI discovery and cross-platform consistency because the purchase path is no longer linear, and trust is built in pieces across touchpoints.
Attribution is Messy, But That’ s Okay
In today’ s landscape, clean attribution the kind where you can point to one channel and say,“ This is what led to the sale” is becoming increasingly rare.
A customer might discover your brand through a trending TikTok, click a link in a blog, sign up for your newsletter, and then finally purchase after seeing a targeted WhatsApp promotion. So, which channel gets the credit? In truth, all of them do.
Rather than obsessing over singular attribution, shift your focus to overall contribution. Ask yourself: Are we showing up consistently across the platforms our audience uses? Are we reinforcing a clear and consistent message, even when the tone or format changes? Is our brand recognizable and trusted across all channels? It’ s time to evolve from chasing attribution to designing synergy.
A Case in Point: The Nairobi Bookstore That Doubled Sales
Consider the story of a small independent bookstore in Nairobi. Despite having a loyal customer base and strong community support, foot traffic and sales had plateaued. They were active on Instagram, sent regular newsletters, and hosted in-store events yet conversions remained stagnant. So they audited their strategy.
They soon realized that their Instagram presence lacked discoverability. There were no strategic hashtags, no geotags to tap into local searches, and overall engagement was minimal. Their website wasn’ t optimized for search engines, meaning it failed to rank for the keywords their potential customers were using. On top of that, they were absent from AI-generated lists like“ top bookstores in Nairobi,” which are increasingly shaping consumer decisions. Even their customer reviews were few and scattered across platforms, offering little social proof to build trust or influence purchase decisions. They cleaned up.
They added keyword-rich blog content like“ Best African literature titles 2024” and“ Top bookstores in Nairobi open on weekends.” They launched a TikTok series spotlighting hidden gems for local readers. They actively requested Google reviews after each in-store purchase. They aligned their visuals, messaging, and value proposition across platforms.
Six months later, they doubled both online orders and in-store visits not because they did more, but because they did what mattered, more intentionally.
The Clean-Up Framework: Three Questions to Ask Now
If your marketing feels chaotic or underwhelming, you’ re not alone. But the solution isn’ t always a full reinvention, sometimes, it’ s a strategic cleanup. Here are three questions to guide the process:
Are we showing up where people actually search not just where we’ re comfortable? Run searches for your category on Google, YouTube, ChatGPT, and social platforms. Is your brand showing up in the spaces your customers frequent?
Are we creating content that answers real questions or just broadcasting promotions? AI platforms and savvy consumers alike reward brands that educate and engage. Prioritize content that solves problems or informs decisions.
Is our brand identity reinforced across every channel or is it fragmented? Whether someone sees your ad on Instagram, your listing in an AI response, or your website on Google, the brand story should be cohesive and unmistakable.
Strategic marketing today isn’ t about being everywhere. It’ s about being everywhere that matters with a consistent voice, clear positioning, and visible value.
What This Means for Brands
This new terrain presents an opportunity especially for nimble, digitally conscious brands.
We’ re no longer beholden to legacy systems or old-school rules. Many African brands are rooted in real communities, responsive to trends, and agile enough to adapt. You don’ t need the biggest marketing budget to win. You need insight, focus, and the discipline to clean up what’ s not working.
Whether you’ re running a startup, an e-commerce brand, or a lifestyle business, your customers are moving fast. They’ re using AI, search, social, and messaging platforms to make decisions. Your job isn’ t to shout louder. It’ s to show up smarter. And in 2025, the smartest way to show up is with clarity not clutter.
Final Thought: Marketing Is Not Just Discovery It’ s Design
We often regard marketing as the engine of discovery; the strategies, touchpoints, and narratives that place our brand in front of the right eyes. But in truth, marketing goes far beyond that. It’ s how people remember us. It’ s what shapes their decision to come back, or not. It’ s the lasting impression we leave behind long after the click, the scroll, or the purchase.
Cleaning up your marketing strategy doesn’ t mean tearing everything down. It means taking a thoughtful pause. It means stepping back to ask the tough, honest questions: Are we showing up in the places that matter? Are we creating value, or just noise? Are we building connections, or chasing attention?
When your strategy feels scattered, it’ s easy to fall into panic mode. But clarity doesn’ t come from doing more it comes from doing what matters, with focus and purpose. Start small. Audit what you have. Let go of what’ s not working. Re-center on where your audience truly is and how you can show up in ways that feel helpful, human, and aligned.
Because at the end of the day, success isn’ t about being everywhere it’ s about being unforgettable where it counts.
Anne Joyce Wambui is a seasoned marketing and communications expert currently residing in Toronto, Canada. You can commune with her email at: Wambui. Shee @ gmail. com.