Meta and atomcamp have held the second refresher session of the Small Business Growth Academy (SBGA) in Islamabad, continuing their efforts to help small and medium-sized businesses develop practical digital marketing capabilities. The latest session brought together local business owners and entrepreneurs for expert-led training focused on using digital platforms to reach customers, improve online visibility and support business growth. The programme is designed to help participants understand how Meta’s business tools can be applied to everyday commercial activities, with sessions covering content creation, digital marketing strategies and the use of online platforms to engage potential customers. The Islamabad gathering followed an earlier phase of the programme and provided another opportunity for participants to exchange experiences, discuss business challenges and explore practical approaches to building their digital presence. atomcamp, which serves as the programme’s implementation partner in Pakistan, said the session delivered on its commitment to return to Islamabad and continue providing businesses with access to specialised training and hands-on learning.
The Small Business Growth Academy is a Meta-supported initiative aimed at helping small businesses use digital and AI-enabled tools to improve their marketing activities, connect with customers and expand their reach. Its training curriculum covers several areas of digital business development, including Facebook and Instagram business profiles, WhatsApp Business, content strategy, lead generation and paid advertising. Participants are introduced to methods for developing engaging posts, Stories and Reels, while also learning how to plan advertising campaigns, identify relevant audiences, manage budgets and assess campaign performance. The programme also includes guidance on AI-powered creative tools and advertising workflows, enabling business owners to explore ways of producing marketing material and managing promotional activities more efficiently. Other areas include Meta Advantage+ campaigns, advertising policy compliance and strategies for using short-form video to attract customer attention. The practical focus is intended to help participants move beyond general awareness of social media platforms and understand how their features can support specific business objectives, from generating enquiries and promoting products to improving customer communication and supporting sales.
The initiative is part of a wider effort to provide digital skills training to Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Meta announced the Small Business Growth Academy in August 2026, with atomcamp responsible for programme implementation and support from organisations including Ignite National Technology Fund, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, Pakistan Software Houses Association, Pakistan Software Export Board and DialZero. The programme was designed to reach more than 1,000 SMEs across major cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Hyderabad, Peshawar and Quetta. Its target audience includes businesses operating in retail, fashion, food and beverages, textiles, agriculture, handicrafts, services and technology, alongside home-based and women-led enterprises. The initiative offers training without a participation fee, with the aim of making digital business education accessible to companies that may have limited resources for professional marketing support. The programme combines online instruction with city-based in-person refresher sessions, giving participants opportunities to revisit key concepts, take part in practical activities and connect with other business owners.
Through its role as implementation partner, atomcamp is coordinating the delivery of the programme and bringing Meta-approved training content to participating businesses. The refresher sessions are an important part of this structure because they provide a setting for entrepreneurs to discuss how they can apply the skills covered during the initial training to their own products, services and customer bases. The Islamabad session also reflects the programme’s city-by-city approach, which is intended to extend access to digital business training beyond a single location. For smaller enterprises, effective use of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp can provide additional ways to communicate with customers, promote products and reach audiences beyond their immediate markets. Knowledge of advertising tools, audience targeting and AI-assisted content production can also help business owners make more informed decisions about their marketing activities. As the Small Business Growth Academy continues its activities across Pakistan, Meta and atomcamp are seeking to build a wider network of entrepreneurs equipped to use digital platforms in their business operations, while supporting greater participation by women-led and emerging businesses in the country’s expanding digital economy.
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