The verdict in three sentences
In Kaolack, most customers looking for a shop on their phone go through Google Maps and call one of the three businesses shown on the map. A Google Business Profile is free, but it only brings calls if it is verified, complete and maintained. For 25,000 FCFA (about EUR 40 / USD 45) and 5 hours, the course Get found on Google and Google Maps in your city, taught in French, shows you how to do it yourself instead of paying a provider for every change.
Why your business is invisible in Kaolack
Trader at the central market, pharmacist in Léona, mechanic on the Fatick road or restaurant owner near the bus station: your customers type "trade + neighbourhood" or "near me". These local searches are rising fast since the smartphone became the main access to the internet in Senegal. Google then shows a map with three businesses, chosen on three criteria: listing relevance (category, services), distance and prominence (reviews, photos, activity).
The most common causes of invisibility are simple: no listing at all, a listing created by a customer with the wrong category, a misplaced pin because the street has no number, wrong opening hours or no replies to reviews. The course handles these cases one by one, including placing a pin without a standard address, a common situation in Kaolack.
| Listing status | What the customer sees | Likely effect (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| No listing | Only your competitors | Zero calls from Google |
| Unverified or duplicate listing | Conflicting information | Lost customers, calls to an old number |
| Verified listing, wrong category | Absent from "trade" searches | Visible only on your name |
| Complete listing, no reviews | Visible but not reassuring | Few clicks against rated competitors |
| Complete listing, recent reviews and photos | In the neighbourhood top three | Regular calls and directions |
| Listing maintained 20 min a week | Visible activity, answered questions | Stable position over time |
What each option costs in 2026
The listing itself costs nothing. What you pay for is the time and skill to set it up properly, then keep it alive. Here are the realistic options for a Kaolack merchant.
| Option | Indicative 2026 price | What you get | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it alone with free videos | 0 FCFA | A basic listing | Often incomplete, pin and category poorly set |
| Local provider to create the listing | 30,000 to 75,000 FCFA (EUR 50 to 110) | A listing created | You depend on them for every change |
| Monthly management by a provider | 15,000 to 40,000 FCFA per month (EUR 20 to 60) | Updates and review replies | 180,000 to 480,000 FCFA per year |
| Kolonell course, level 1 | 25,000 FCFA (EUR 40), 5 h | Full method, final project, certificate | About 1 h a day for one week |
| Full Digital marketing and social media track | 350,000 FCFA (EUR 530) instead of 450,000 | 5 levels, up to marketing manager | Longer commitment |
The course is level 1, Beginner of the Digital marketing and social media track. No prerequisite: an Android or iPhone smartphone, a Gmail account and a place where you receive customers or a service area are enough.
What you learn in 5 hours
The course has four modules, with exercises after each lesson and a final project: your own complete, verified and monitored listing.
| Module | Content | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1. How customers search for you | Google's three criteria, five target searches | Audit of your visibility and competitors |
| 2. Create or claim the listing | Creation without duplicates, verification, pin placement | Single verified listing, clear access landmark |
| 3. Fill every section | Categories, attributes, services, hours, photos | 100 % complete listing |
| 4. Keep the listing alive | Customer reviews, replies, posts, call and direction tracking | 20-minute weekly routine |
You also use WhatsApp Business to ask loyal customers for reviews, a simple lever many Kaolack businesses overlook.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Mini case study
Modou, 38, runs a hardware store in the Kasnack neighbourhood of Kaolack (illustrative case). A provider offers to create his listing for 50,000 FCFA, then manage it for 25,000 FCFA a month, so 350,000 FCFA in the first year (about EUR 530). He takes the course for 25,000 FCFA, creates his listing, places the pin next to the nearby petrol station as a landmark and asks his 15 best customers for a review on WhatsApp. He saves about 325,000 FCFA over a year (EUR 500). If the listing brings him just two extra sales a month at an 8,000 FCFA margin each, so 16,000 FCFA of monthly margin, the course pays for itself in under two months. This is an estimate: the outcome depends on your business, local competition and how regularly you maintain the listing.
FAQ
My shop has no precise address in Kaolack. Can I still appear on Google Maps?
Yes. Module 2 shows how to place the pin manually and add an access landmark that customers and delivery riders understand. Many businesses in Senegal are in this situation, and it takes under 30 minutes to fix.
How long does the course take?
About 5 hours in total, including just under 3 hours of lessons. At one hour a day you finish in a week, then maintaining the listing takes 20 minutes a week.
Is a Google Business Profile paid?
No, it is free. You only pay for the course, 25,000 FCFA once (about EUR 40), instead of 30,000 to 75,000 FCFA to a provider for the creation alone.
Can I take the course from Mali, Côte d'Ivoire or Burkina Faso?
Yes, the course is online and open to learners in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso. The methods work in any city, from Kaolack to Bouaké, Ségou or Bobo-Dioulasso.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes, a verifiable certificate is issued after the final project. It counts as level 1 of the track, offered at 350,000 FCFA for all 5 levels instead of 450,000 FCFA.
Take the next step. Enroll in Get found on Google and Google Maps in your city: 5 hours, 25,000 FCFA (about EUR 40 / USD 45), verifiable certificate, taught in French. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
