AfricaOracle’s non-profit business, Africa 2020 along with four Google student, took part in the program as one of four businesses, and won. The vision of Africa 2020 is to contribute to the transformation of the image of Africa, by providing readers with positive stories relating to the continent.

The Top Black Talent Program, which aims to identify and develop the UK’s top black university students interested in business careers, was held in March 2015.

Participants, who were paired up with businessmen and women including AfricaOracle’s Joyce Sarpong, took part in a seven-week mentoring program at Google’s London headquarters.

Four student teams were created and partnered with black female entrepreneurs, with each team tasked with competing in the Google Online Marketing Challenge.

The Google Online Marketing Challenge, which has been running for 8 years, has seen over 100,000 students and professors from over 100 countries create online marketing campaigns using Google AdWords and Google+.

As part of this challenge each team was provided with $250 worth of AdWords advertising budget, and were tasked with running an online advertising campaign for the business owners.

AfricaOracle Managing Director Joyce Sarpong said: “The marketing strategy devised through the program increased the brand awareness of AfricaOracle and Africa 2020, and increased readership numbers of our main online publication, Africa 2020 magazine.

“The Top Black Talent Program has equipped me with a better understanding of Google AdWords and how they can help grow my business online.”

For more information about the Top Black Talent Program, please click here. 

Google also runs programs including the Google Online Marketing Challenge (GOMC) all year round, where they offer people the chance to take a Digital Marketing Course, after which they will become AdWords certified.