It has been four devastating months since the federal government's intelligence system blocked access to certain websites.

The use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) has become compulsatory to access social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Telegram, which works by off-shooting the server's location to a proxy in a different country.

The restrictions have thrown several businesses that rely on digital marketing off track, feigning the client's origin.

Abraham Kibru is a manager at Benetsa Marketing & Communications Agency, which specializes in outsourced digital marketing work and consulting for companies looking to develop an in-house digital marketing team.

Their services, offered across all social media platforms for the past five years, can cost up to 20,000 Br. He observed that TikTok's algorithm relies more on users' frequency and consistency rather than location, making it easier to reach targeted clients even when using a VPN.

"We redirected our preference," he told Fortune.

In Ethiopia, TikTok boasts over a million regular users. Abraham notes that the increasing acceptance of digital marketing as a crucial aspect of viable promotional endeavours sparks hope for the nascent market. Despite anticipating a decrease in business demand due to restrictions, the company has not experienced any lull in demand.

It is estimated that around seven million individuals in the country utilise at least one social media platform. Additionally, Facebook's Ad has a reach of 28.8pc of the local internet base.

In spite of a decline in the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, some industry insiders suggest that clients continue to flow in due to a lack of understanding about the nature and mechanics of targeted Ads.

The number of internet users increased in Ethiopia by half a million between 2022 and 2023. There were 20.86 million internet users in Ethiopia at the start of this year, with the national internet penetration quivering at around 16.7pc, according to Dareportal. It is an Asia-Pacific-based online library which posts statistical reports on national topics.

Ethiopia is one of the 23 countries to have imposed a partial or complete blockage of internet coverage in their respective countries last year. A staggering 3651pc peak from the average VPN demand is reported between February and March by Top10 VPNs.

A local youtube channel, And Afta Media Founder, Benti Abera indicated a 10pc decline in viewership from Ethiopia, while a complimentary increase from countries such as the US account for 40pc over the last four months.

"There is definitely a rise in Ad revenues," he told Fortune.

YouTube employs Revenue per Mille (RPM), incorporating channel memberships, premium revenue, super chat, and stickers to project earnings per 1,000 views. It does not issue earnings to creators who have not passed the 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hour threshold.

Cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) calculates the money advertisers spend to be featured in YouTube Ads. The rate for Ethiopia is exactly one dollar and one cent while neighbouring South Sudan titers around the two dollar mark.

Benti notes that Afta, with nearly 900,000 subscribers, may not be a prime target for companies looking to advertise their products in the Ethiopian market. However, he remains optimistic that revenue from advertisements will increase due to the growing popularity of VPNs. Benti also observes that local real estate companies, which heavily rely on digital marketing, have a chunk of the audience residing abroad.

The products advertised appear to be reaching a consumer class willing and capable of purchasing, Benti said.

Authorities on several posts told Fortune their institution is not accountable for the restriction citing it as a security matter. Balcha Reba, director general of the Ethiopian Communication Authority, acknowledged the restriction of social media services without ascribing responsibility to the Authority.

"It is not us," he told Fortune.

The Ministry of Innovation & Technology also denies culpability for the restricted social media access either.  According to Tesfaye Alemnew, Communication Director at the Ministry, the task is not within the scope of their responsibilities, as they are not an "(Internet Service Provider)ISP entity."

Despite several attempts to contact the Information Network Security Agency (INSA), no comment was given on the development of this story.

While content creators' videos on YouTube seem to surmount the sudden changes to the digital landscape posed by restriction-induced VPN use, others are being hampered by a lack of access to social media servers.