Meta, an American multinational technology company, said it will be launching Facebook Business Coach, an innovative and easily accessible way for owners of Small, Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs).
This, it said, will help them learn more about how to grow their businesses online with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Meta in a statement on Tuesday said the innovation would be made available in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and other English speaking countries.
Meta is the parent organisation of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other subsidiaries.
It said that as a free curriculum platform, it featured step-by-step courses and tutorials as well as helpful infographics, videos, and audio clips.
According to Meta, the learning material is recommended based on the user’s needs and queries, with an option to navigate the curriculum.
The WhatsApp bot provides SMBs with an easy way to quickly learn the basics.
It said that users could also access more in-depth training and would be officially certified with Meta Blueprint courses online.
Meta said the content was created to assist business owners with multiple queries from how to create attention-grabbing business pages on Facebook and Instagram, to how to use Messenger and WhatsApp to communicate effectively with clients.
Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director, Meta Africa said: “In today’s social-media-driven environment, information on building your brand on online platforms can be crucial in what sets a small business apart and drives success.
“At Meta, we’re passionate about empowering SMBs in Africa with the skills they need to succeed online.
“We know that they are the backbone of the African economy and the drivers for economic growth.
“We hope the Facebook Business Coach will be their partner along this journey, providing the training they need through their mobile phones,” Ntshingila said.
The director said the Facebook business coach educational tool on WhatsApp was available to any individual, adding that this represented one of the ways Meta provided opportunities for education and business growth through its platforms.
Ntshingila said the Facebook business coach on WhatsApp, remained a free-to-use, low data cost educational chatbot tool that users could interact with in a simple, conversational and convenient way.
The director added that SMBs would have access to automated, self-paced lessons that taught them how to establish a presence in today’s ever-evolving digital economy.