As digitalization continues to be essential in the business world, it is important that businesses utilize the tools available to them on the internet and social media platforms. By increasing the accessibility and interactive components on your business’s website, as well as taking advantage of social media platforms, small businesses can continue to grow in both the real and virtual world. To learn more about digitizing your small business, continue reading.
For any business to remain competitive, a strong digital marketing strategy is essential. Our top 10 tips will help kickstart the marketing efforts of any small business.
If you’re a small business owner, then a good digital marketing strategy is essential if you want to stay ahead of the competition. As technology continues to rapidly develop, social media platforms grow and online communication booms, you need to ensure your digital presence is the catalyst for business success.
In fact, 63% of businesses have increased their digital marketing budgets in the last year, so by failing to do so you may run the risk of getting left behind.
If you’re stuck for inspiration, then our list of digital marketing tips will ensure your small business doesn’t miss out and you remain competitive in an ever-changing world. Here are 10 effective ways to kick-start your digital marketing endeavours, with all the tips and tricks you need to promote your brand online.
1. Research your competitors
If you want to stand out from your competitors, then getting to know their brands and what they offer is a good place to start. This digital marketing tip is especially relevant for startups that may be new on the scene and finding their feet.
As a local business, you’ll want to showcase additional value in your chosen market, offering your customers something that your rivals don’t. By taking a closer look at a competitor’s business model, you’ll be able to notice missing elements from their service that you could potentially capitalise on.
When you have a good understanding of what your competitors are doing, you can then tailor certain elements of your digital marketing strategy to take advantage of their weaknesses. A good way of conducting competitor research is online, taking a look at how they advertise, their website, social media presence, and customer reviews.
2. Speak to customers and understand your audience
Arguably, there are very few digital marketing tips for small businesses more important than this. Speaking to existing and prospective customers is absolutely essential, as you need to know everything about your target audience. This includes who they are, what they like, what their expectations are, what they want to see, and so much more.
You may think you already have a good understanding of your target audience, but taking a deeper dive into their behaviours and opinions will help to build long-lasting relationships and improve your customer retention. As a small business, you’ll need to know your local target audience extensively, so you can encourage them to buy your products and spread the word.
Interviews, surveys, and customer feedback are great ways of getting to know your audience better. If you want, you can tailor your research methods towards a particular theme or area of your business.
It’s important to remember that different online platforms will attract different customers. For example, posting a survey on social media is likely to encourage interactions with different people to what you might expect with emails. You’ll therefore want to think about the right approach and what areas of your audience you want to target.
3. Create a Google My Business listing and improve customer reviews
As a small business owner, your reputation could be the difference between gaining or losing a potential customer. This free digital marketing tip provides internet users with important information about your business and also allows them to see reviews.
Having a Google My Business listing is a great way of improving your visibility online, as your profile will appear in Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping.
By adding your small business, you’ll be able to:
- Add your location
- Include contact information
- Link to your website
- Prove your business has been verified
- Customise your profile
- Add images and videos
- Include keywords in your profile
- Encourage reviews
- Add special features and attributes.
Potential customers will be able to quickly and conveniently access all of your important business information, plus you’ll also be able to easily edit any details to ensure they are always up to date. In total, it’s estimated that 64% of consumers use Google My Business to find contact details for local businesses.
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Original article published on futurelearn.com