Small-business owners can use many digital marketing strategies to make their company both visible and memorable in today’s competitive marketplace. While large corporations can afford expensive “traditional” marketing campaigns, small businesses often have the advantage of being more flexible when it comes to digital marketing.
Fortunately, there are many strategies that aspiring business owners can turn to for their digital marketing needs. This is because many of the most popular techniques can be implemented for a fraction of what they would cost to implement using traditional methods. That said, here are seven of the best digital marketing strategies that small businesses can use for their benefit:
1. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing (SMM) is perhaps the quickest and easiest way for small businesses to effectively promote their brand without going broke. Sites such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter have become great tools for customer interaction and advertising.
LinkedIn is beneficial for companies hoping to establish a business-client relationship with other professionals. On the other hand, Twitter is a prevalent method of sharing or receiving news and information, making it an excellent way for companies to share their knowledge with customers.
Moreover, Instagram and Facebook are both very effective ways for entrepreneurs to showcase their products and service, especially since these sites have become such popular mobile platforms. YouTube is another excellent platform for businesses to share information with their customers through tutorials and webinars.
2. Local SEO
It can be challenging to get your business listed and ranked on Google when you’re a small company. However, many SEO strategies will help your business show up in local searches, giving you more opportunities to connect with customers in your area.
Plus, as more and more people search for things on their mobile devices, local SEO will become undeniably crucial because it’s easier for customers to find stores or services within their community rather than have to go to another city for their needs.
3. Pay-per-click (PPC) Advertising
PPC, when used correctly, is one of the most cost-effective and profitable digital marketing strategies for small businesses. By defining your company’s target demographic with keywords, paying for ads that are relevant to specific search queries, and tracking your return on investment (ROI), you can build a targeted campaign that increases sales quickly.
Working with established PPC services can take your company’s web presence to another level while still being affordable. PPC uses keywords and phrases to bring traffic from other websites directly to your site, making PPC campaigns ideal for allowing a small business’ website to become visible to search engines.
4. Content Marketing
Content marketing is a form of promotion that involves consistent publishing and sharing of relevant information. This helps attract your ideal customers while building the company’s brand identity. By creating content for websites, blogs, newsletters, e-zines, videos, and other digital media, companies can tell their story to potential clients.
Think about it: If you were looking for a product or service like the ones you offer, what would you search for? You’d probably look for answers on Google and other search engines, as well as online communities and social media sites.
With content marketing, your company can fill that need by communicating regularly with potential customers through different websites and outlets. And the best part is that it’s an effective way to attract new clients to your business.
5. Mobile Applications
Another way that small businesses can use digital marketing is by offering a mobile application to users. While apps have traditionally been an expensive investment, with the rise of “freemium” models, they’re now becoming accessible for even the smallest businesses. With mobile apps, small businesses can make themselves more visible in a packed marketplace and reach customers who are already engaging with other brands on mobile devices.
6. Digital Coupons
As coupon sites gain more popularity, the market gets flooded with bigger and better offers, which can make it harder for consumers to find the best deals. This is because so many coupons are being digitally distributed to users that have signed up for local deals.
One way for small businesses to make sure they’re getting their share of the market is by offering digital coupons that are easily accessible online. Digital coupons can help small businesses gain new customers and keep them coming back for more.
7. Email Marketing
Email marketing is an excellent tool for small businesses because it can be used in different ways. Whether you’re just getting started with digital marketing or have been using social media and pay-per-click strategies to promote your business, email marketing could be the key to growing awareness and sales.
Different types of emails can be sent throughout the year to keep your customers engaged in your products and services, while newsletters can be used to provide information on deals, new arrivals, seasonal items, etc.
Digital marketing for small businesses is an essential aspect of modern business strategy. With mobile technology making it possible for consumers to find businesses wherever they are—from local eateries to retail stores—small businesses can utilize a range of digital channels to help gain market share and engage with their customers in new ways.
