How to Hire a Digital Marketer in Nigeria To Boost Your Business

If you are trying to grow your business in Nigeria in 2025, one of the smartest investments you can make is to hire a digital marketer.

If not, you are losing sales to someone with worse quality and better visibility if your customers cannot find you online.

It doesn’t matter that you have the best product or service. Your competitors are being seen, but you are not.

However, hiring a digital marketer is not about ticking a box. It is about finding someone who can actually drive growth: build awareness, bring leads, and make you money.

So, how do you hire a digital marketer in Nigeria that can actually deliver?

Let’s get into it!

What Kind of Digital Marketer Does Your Business Need?

Before you hire, answer these 3 questions:

• What is your growth goal right now?

Are you trying to grow brand awareness? Increase sales? Build a community? Different goals require different skills.

• What channel has the most potential for you?

• • If your target customers are searching for what you offer, hire someone strong in SEO and content.

  • If you need fast traffic or leads, look for someone who can run Facebook, Instagram, or Google Ads.

  • If brand visibility is your priority, you want a social media marketer who understands audience engagement.

• What level of support can you afford?
  • For short-term or specific projects, a freelance digital marketer can work.

  • For full-scale strategy and daily execution, you may need a full-time hire or an agency.

The clearer you are, the better your chances of finding a marketer who fits.

Types of Digital Marketers (And Who You Should Hire)

Let us be clear. Not every marketer can do everything.

And trying to hire a “one-size-fits-all” marketer is how a lot of Nigerian startups waste money.

Here are the main types of digital marketers, and what they actually do:

• Performance Marketer / Paid Ads Specialist

If your goal is to drive traffic or leads through Meta Ads, Google Ads, or LinkedIn Ads, this is who you need.

When to hire:

• • You already have a working product or sales funnel

  • You want to scale leads or sales with paid traffic

  • You need fast feedback on what channels are working

Do not hire if:

• • You do not have a landing page or funnel that converts (except you want to build one soon)

  • You cannot handle an influx of leads (yet)

• Content Marketer

This person focuses on SEO, blog strategy, lead magnets, and thought leadership. They help you get seen organically, especially on search engines.

When to hire:

• • You want to show up on Google for your core keywords

  • You are building long-term authority in your niche

  • You need help turning content into real leads

Do not expect overnight results. Content compounds over time, but it works if you have the right person.

• Social Media Marketer

They run your Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok. They know how to turn scrolls into brand love and sometimes leads.

When to hire:

• • Your business is highly visual or community-driven

  • You have a product or brand that thrives on interaction

  • You want to stay top-of-mind with your audience

If your goal is purely leads, make sure they understand performance metrics, not just aesthetics.

• Full-Stack Digital Marketer

This is someone who can run ads, write copy, optimize funnels, and manage social or SEO. They are a bit rare and expensive. Most people who say they are full-stack are just generalists.

When to hire:

• • You are an early-stage startup and cannot afford to hire a full team

  • You are working with a proven marketer or firm (e.g., through Betternship)

  • You have enough budget to pay for results, not experiments

What Skills Should You Look for When Hiring a Digital Marketer?

Look for the right fit for your business model, product, or service, early stage or scaling.

Break it down by actual business outcomes, not vague skills:

• If You Want Traffic That Converts:

Look for marketers who understand:

• • SEO strategy: from keyword intent to content clusters

  • Backlink building and off-page optimization

  • Funnel-aware content: not just blog posts, but conversion paths

  • Google Analytics 4 and Tag Manager: for clear ROI tracking

  • CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization): especially for service websites and landing pages
    

• • Content writing that drives traffic and signups

Avoid hiring someone who only talks in impressions and reach. Ask them how they’ve increased qualified leads and what “qualified” even means in your industry.

Do not confuse content creators with SEO strategists. You need both, but for different reasons..

• If You Are Running Paid Campaigns:

You need someone with hands-on experience in:

• • Meta Ads and Google Ads (especially in the Nigerian market)

  • A/B testing creatives, audiences, and landing pages

  • Conversion tracking (Google Tag Manager, GA4, Facebook Pixel)

  • CRM integration and lead nurturing (e.g., HubSpot, Mailchimp)

  • CAC and ROAS reporting

  • Campaign recovery: what to do when performance tanks mid-way

These marketers understand how to spend ₦100,000 and turn it into ₦500,000 in revenue, not just reach.

Do not hire someone who only knows how to set up an ad. 

Hire someone who knows how to manage one after Day 7, when fatigue sets in and metrics start dipping.

• If Your Brand Relies on Visibility and Trust:

Then your marketer must be strong in:

• • Strategic content marketing (with intent-based content, not trends)

  • Audience research and platform-specific content adaptation

  • Storytelling that reflects local nuance and buyer psychology

  • Social media that goes beyond visuals — into positioning, timing, and tone (not just posting graphics)

  • Community growth (especially for startups building around a product or culture)

 

And make sure they know what works in Nigeria, not just what went viral in the U.S.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Digital Marketer in Nigeria?

Let us break it down by type and experience:

• Full-Time In-House Marketer (Nigeria)

If you are hiring full-time, here is what the salary range looks like in 2025:

• • Entry-Level (0–2 years): ₦150,000 – ₦300,000/month

  • Mid-Level (3–5 years): ₦350,000 – ₦600,000/month

  • Senior (5+ years or with proven track record): ₦700,000 – ₦1.5M/month

Add extra costs for tools, training, and bonuses based on performance.

• Freelance or Contract-Based Digital Marketers
  

• • Basic Social Media Management: ₦80,000 – ₦200,000/month

  • SEO Blog Writers: ₦10,000 – ₦60,000 per article

  • Meta & Google Ads Specialists: ₦200,000 – ₦600,000/project or retainer

  • All-in-One Freelancers (strategy and execution): ₦400,000 – ₦1M/month depending on deliverables

If you are searching how much does it cost to hire a digital marketer, this is your answer.

Now, let us move to how you can avoid wasting that money.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Hire a Digital Marketer in Nigeria

Most failed hires do not happen because the marketer was bad; they happen because expectations were misaligned or key red flags were missed.

🚫 Mistake #1: Hiring someone based only on their personal brand

Many talented creators are not great marketers, especially not for someone else’s business. Ask what they have sold beyond themselves.

🚫 Mistake #2: Confusing activity with strategy

Posting every day is not a strategy. Running ads is not a strategy. Ask what their funnel looks like. Ask how they plan to turn attention into action.

🚫 Mistake #3: Not checking for context experience

A marketer who scaled a Nigerian FMCG brand might not know how to grow a B2B SaaS startup. Look at their past clients and what the outcomes were.

🚫 Mistake #4: Hiring without a goal

If you cannot define success, neither can they. Before you hire a digital marketer, define your core objective: leads? traffic? visibility? retention?

Where to Find Digital Marketers in Nigeria That Actually Perform

There is a difference between finding a digital marketer and finding one who can actually move your numbers.

If you are wondering where to find digital marketers in Nigeria, here are your options:

• Referrals

It is still one of the most reliable if you can verify the results.

• Freelance Platforms (e.g. Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal)

You will get cheaper options here, but it is hit or miss. And most lack local market context.

• Social Media (especially LinkedIn and Twitter)

Search keywords like “digital marketing services” or “freelance digital marketer in Nigeria.” 

• Recruitment Partners like Betternship

If you are serious about outcomes, the best way to find digital marketers in Nigeria in 2025 is to work with someone who understands what makes a marketer actually effective.

At Betternship, we help you hire a digital marketer, not just someone who can post content, but someone who understands business strategy, lead generation, and how to drive conversion across platforms.

Whether you need someone full-time or freelance, we match you with marketers who are:

• Aligned with your goals

• Skilled across key channels (ads, SEO, social, or content)

• Trained to work with Nigerian and global startups

A Quick Checklist Before You Hire

Whether you want to hire a digital marketer full-time or on contract, run through this:

• Do I have clear business goals that this marketer can support?

• Do I know which channel(s) matter most to me: SEO, paid ads, social, email?

• Can I afford to pay for real skill, not just trial-and-error work?

• Do I want someone junior to train, or someone experienced to hit the ground running?

If you can answer those, you are ready to hire. And if you are still unsure, we can help you figure it out.

Hire a digital marketer here

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Book a quick call to find out what kind of marketer fits your business best

Let us help you turn visibility into revenue, with marketers who get the job done.