Challenge for digital minds

How students can hone their entrepreneurial and digital marketing skills were the focus of Google Online Marketing Challenge, a global challenge that commenced at University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) of recent at the instance of school's Google Students Ambassadors (GSAs), Patience Itodo-Ene and Abideen Olasupo.

Google as well is a leading online search engine and Internet firm, which renders wide range of services to users, including personalized blog sites and advert interface.

Each team comprising of six members would be given $250 advertising budget by Google during the campaign, which they must use to advertise any business and non-profit organization of their choice for three weeks. The contestants would use Google products and features, such as Ad Words and Google+ to create online marketing interface with the aim to attract online traffic to the page and advertise its content to Internet users.

Representing The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali, was Prof (Mrs) Nahimat Ijaiya, The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) who said that the university would support interested students to improve their knowledge during the course of training. She added that the participants to use the opportunity effectively as, noting that Information Technology (IT) is becoming a platform supporting the youth to be self-reliant after school; while encouraging them not to entertain laxity in their academic pursuits.

The lead GSA of the University, Olasupo Abideen, said that the goal of the challenge is to target young people to improve their skills in advertising and helping clients who do not have experience in online marketing to advertise their products, help them build service database and make them self-reliant.” Abideen added that the participants would benefit greatly from the challenge; this he said requires the spirit of dedication, interaction, co-operation and collaboration. He enjoined the contestants to take the contest seriously to learn skills that could turn them to employer of labour after school. He urged the management to give its support to the contest.

Highpoint of the event was the launch of Google AdClass, a series of interactive lectures aimed at introducing students to online marketing through Google advertising platforms. The series of training was scheduled to run for eight weeks and it will familiarize students with Google advertising tools, such as AdSense, Ad Mob and Analytics.

Jelil Adedoyin, a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), an Ad words certified digital marketer, engaged the participants on the history and importance of gains of online marketing, noting that the rapid rate of internet usage made it imperative to use online medium to advertise wide range of products. He urged the contestants to take the challenge serious, and said that “It would be an added advantage to individuals participating in the contest” as he would be taking the students through the course of training exercise.

Other guests at the programme included the Dean, Students' Affairs Unit, Prof O.A. Omotesho, and the Sub-dean, Dr. A. Yusuf, Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Prof Y.A. Jimoh, represented by the Sub-dean of the faculty, Dr. T.K. Ajiboye.

Reported by Afolabi Aminat, 400L Chemistry
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