How I took pay cut to grow my career — Oguntan

Joshua Oguntan is a digital marketer and Director, of Myndzone Media. He tells TOFARATI IGE about his career, digital marketing, and other issuesTake us through the trajectory of your career as a digital marketing expert.
I started my career as a blogger in 2015. I took time to understand social media and audience targeting through Facebook advertisements. I then secured my first full-time job at Obalende as a Digital marketer. After about seven months, I heard about an opportunity to intern at Pulse Nigeria, which also had a digital marketing arm. It was one of the biggest marketing agencies at the time, so I left my salary of N150,000 to intern for N49,500 to acquire more knowledge about content and digital marketing.
I later moved to Folio, a CNN affiliate, and from there to Crown Interactive, Universal Music Nigeria, and back to Crown Interactive as the head of marketing. I also worked at Zikii Media as the marketing manager, while working on building my agency, Myndzone, with my partner, Deji Olawale.
What got you interested in digital marketing?
Digital marketing offers a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and data-driven decision-making. The ability to reach a global audience and track the effectiveness of campaigns intrigued me. The dynamic nature of digital marketing, with its constant innovation and evolving landscape, further sparked my interest.
In what ways do you think professionals, across different sectors, can make the most of digital marketing?
Professionals across various sectors can make the most of digital marketing by understanding their target audience and leveraging data to create personalised and targeted campaigns.
Also, they can develop a strong online presence through websites, social media, and content marketing.
Thirdly, they can utilise search engine optimisation techniques to improve visibility and organic traffic.
This is in addition to embracing social media platforms to engage with their audience and build brand loyalty; as well as implementing email marketing strategies to nurture leads and maintain customer relationships.
Finally, they can also explore paid advertising options, such as search engine marketing and social media advertising to expand their reach and drive conversions.
What are the mistakes people commonly made, as regards digital marketing?
They include a lack of clear goals and strategy. Without clear objectives and a well-defined strategy, digital marketing efforts may lack focus and fail to achieve desired results.
Also, they neglect audience targeting. Meanwhile, failing to understand one’s target audience can lead to ineffective campaigns that don’t resonate with the intended recipients.
Ignoring mobile optimisation is another mistake people make. With the increasing use of mobile devices, it is crucial to ensure websites and marketing materials are mobile-friendly for a seamless user experience.
Not utilising data analytics to measure performance and make informed decisions can hinder progress and prevent optimisation as well.
Inconsistent branding across different digital channels can confuse and disengage the audience. It is important to maintain a cohesive brand image.
What are the opportunities available for digital marketing in the music industry?
Digital marketing provides several opportunities for the music industry, including streaming platforms and playlists. Artistes can leverage platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube to reach a global audience and promote their music through curated playlists and personalised recommendations.
Social media engagement is key too. Social media platforms provide a direct channel for artistes to engage with fans, share updates, and behind-the-scenes content, and promote forthcoming releases and events.
Other options include influencer collaborations, content creation, and targeted advertising.
Many Nigerian artists are only just realising the importance of making income from digital streams. What advice can you give them in that regard?
Artists looking to monetise their digital streams can embrace digital platforms by utilising streaming services, social media, and other online platforms to distribute and promote their music to a wider audience.
They should also seek to understand revenue streams by educating themselves about the different revenue streams available in the digital music landscape, such as streaming royalties, digital downloads, sync licensing, and merchandise sales.
They can also build a strong online presence by developing a compelling artiste website.
You are an affiliate professional member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. How has that impacted your career?
Being an affiliate professional member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing has positively impacted my career in several ways. First, it has provided me with access to a valuable network of industry professionals. Through events, conferences, and online communities, I have been able to connect with like-minded individuals, share knowledge, and build relationships that have opened doors for collaboration and career opportunities.
Also, my affiliation with the CIM has enhanced my professional credibility. Being part of a prestigious organisation recognised for its standards and ethical practices has helped establish trust and confidence among clients, employers, and colleagues.
Additionally, being a member of the institute has granted me access to a wide range of resources and continuing professional development opportunities. This has allowed me to stay up to date with the latest industry trends, insights and best practices. The institute’s training programmes and certifications have helped me expand my knowledge and skills, enabling me to deliver better results in my digital marketing endeavors.
Overall, my membership of the institute has played a significant role in my career growth, providing me with a supportive community, professional recognition, and ongoing learning opportunities.
What were your major achievements as the Head of Digital, Universal Music Nigeria?
I successfully serviced various releases and created digital strategies and rollout plans for releases such as Justin Beiber’s Justice, as well as Tiwa Savage’s Somebody’s Son, and the Water and Garri EP. A major highlight for me was Tiwa Savage’s Somebody’s Son campaign. The strategy took a lot of work to build, and I am glad it was a major success across several regions.
You also worked as the Head of Marketing at Crown Interactive. What legacy did you leave behind in that position?
In one sentence— ‘Nothing is impossible’. The organisation had a software-as-a-service product called CICOD, and it had not been easy to penetrate the market because of the slow technology adoption in Nigeria, but regardless, we were able to gain transactions for our very first marketing campaign with over 10,000 leads to try out the product after its launch.
Tell us about your time as the Marketing Manager at Zikii Media.
It was not a very long time, as I had to step up to assume an executive role in my agency, but it was a good time. I was able to put in a better structure and devise a better rollout strategy for the releases they had at the time, which included artists such as Iyanya, Sarkodie, and R2Bees.
What are the personal qualities that have helped you get to this stage of your career?
I have some principles that guide my everyday life, and they are communication, innovation, honesty, and empathy. These have helped to shape my personal life and career.
When do you regard as the lowest moment of your career?
After some months working at Pulse, I was called into the conference room and handed a letter. They had to let me go because they were downsizing, and I saw my entire career flash right in front of me. As that wasn’t the plan I had, RDM, the marketing arm of the company, saw value in me and transferred me to continue my internship.
What are your other interests?
I love watching movies, driving, listening to music, and organising events.

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