Seorill / Services / Paid search
Paid search (Google Ads) for trade shows, conferences and events in Africa
Google and Microsoft search campaigns built around what your buyers are already typing: show names, sector terms, venue names and 'exhibition in Lagos' style queries. Bid strategy is tuned to cost per registration and cost per exhibitor lead, not clicks.
Why it matters
Paid search for event organisers
Search is where buyers go when they already intend to attend. Someone typing the name of your show, the name of the venue, or 'packaging exhibition Lagos 2027' is worth more than a thousand impressions on a feed. Paid search captures that intent and puts it into your registration funnel.
We run Google Ads and Microsoft Ads for event organisers across six African markets. Campaigns are structured by audience (visitor, exhibitor, sponsor, delegate), bid to a cost per registration or cost per lead target, and reported weekly against the numbers your board cares about.
What is included
Keyword research for events
Show names, misspellings, competitor shows, venue names, sector terms and city plus event type queries in each market's search language.
Campaign structure by audience
Separate campaigns for visitors, exhibitors, sponsors and delegates so budgets and messages never mix, and so you can see which audience each naira bought.
Brand protection
Bidding on your own show name so competitor events, ticket resellers and directory sites do not sit above you in the final month.
Landing pages and conversion tracking
GA4 and platform conversion tracking through the registration platform, with landing pages built to register, not to browse.
Performance Max and YouTube
Used for reach into new audiences once search demand is captured, with strict exclusions so brand traffic is not double counted.
What it moves
Outcomes we are measured on
- Visitor registrations at a known cost per registration
- Exhibitor and sponsor enquiries with source attribution
- Delegate and ticket sales for paid conferences
- Awards entries in the entry window
Best fit
Events this suits
When it runs
Across the show cycle
- Nine months to one month out
Pre-show
- Doors open
Show days
- The two weeks after
Post-show
- The other ten months
Between editions
Markets
Paid search in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda and Egypt
The same service, run differently in each market because the audience, the platforms and the costs are different. Each country has its own page.
Paid search in Nigeria
Strong intent volume for Lagos exhibitions in packaging, food processing, construction and energy. Search carries a real share of registrations here, unlike smaller markets.
Event marketing in NigeriaPaid search in Kenya
Consistent search intent for Nairobi trade fairs and conferences, especially in agriculture, energy and development.
Event marketing in KenyaPaid search in Ghana
Lower volume than Lagos or Nairobi, so search is used for high-intent exhibitor and delegate capture rather than mass reach.
Event marketing in GhanaPaid search in South Africa
The highest search volume on the continent for exhibitions and conferences. Search takes a large share of registrations and is heavily competed.
Event marketing in South AfricaPaid search in Rwanda
The two channels that reach the policy, development and business audiences Kigali events attract.
Event marketing in RwandaPaid search in Egypt
High volume in both languages for Cairo exhibitions, especially in construction, energy and food.
Event marketing in Egypt
Questions
Questions about paid search for events
Short answers. Ask us anything else on a call.
How much search volume is there for events in Africa?
It varies by market and sector. South Africa and Nigeria have real volume for exhibitions in construction, energy, packaging and food. Kenya is strong for agriculture, energy and development. In smaller markets search is used for high-intent capture rather than mass reach, with social carrying the volume.
Can you run search campaigns into other countries for an international visitor drive?
Yes. Campaigns are split by country with local currency budgets, language variants where needed, and country-level reporting so you can see which market is worth more spend.
What does paid search cost for an event?
Media is billed at cost with full platform access for you. Our fee is a per-edition campaign fee tied to scope, plus a management percentage above an agreed spend threshold.
Related
Services that usually run alongside
Start here
Send us the show.
Event, dates, targets and a budget if you have one. You get a one-page plan with scope, deliverables and a price within five working days.
Prefer email? hello@seorill.com