Technology can enhance your business. Fact. For a small business or a startup, it’s the first line of advertisement, attracting customers or clients to learn more about them. Over recent years, digital marketing has grown to become an important part of any business strategy. Using modern technology to create an eye-catching blog, social media pages and more, a company brand quickly develops online.
Think about the modern buyer journey… People are glued to their phones 24/7, so what better way to appeal to a mass audience, than through a killer digital marketing campaign?
So how can your small businesses get noticed online? Check out some of my handy tips below:
1. Get active on social media
Most of your potential customers are on social media somewhere.
As people are frequently flicking through their Facebook, scrolling through Instagram or tweeting, social media is a great way of getting word out about your business.
Create social media pages and keep them up to date, as well as routinely posting statuses. This will ensure your business is always front-of-mind and they know about any new products that you are selling.
An example of a company that utilises their social media pages is Netflix. Regularly posting funny memes, tweets and putting out questions to their followers, it’s a unique way of advertising what they have to offer.
2. Increase brand awareness through an incredible campaign
Yes, this incorporates social media, but content marketing also involves posting videos, blogs and other online material.
For small businesses, an unforgettable content marketing campaign can stir up interest in the brand, maybe even going viral.
Taking full advantage of technology, it can help you to develop a direct one-to-many relationship with your customers or clients through targeting their interests (this can be done through developing personas based on customer feedback). Most people are attracted to visual adverts, therefore by having enticing content it will help to draw them in.
Another killer component of digital marketing to a small business is email marketing. Emails are a direct way of convincing customers to repeat purchase or for those who have recently signed up, to tempt them to buy.
Creating a blog is a powerful way of showing what your business is all about, as well as mixing it up from time to time with popular topics. Everyone loves to read interesting content and this is a good way of getting your business noticed.
3. Ensure that your content can get found online
Often the most tricky aspect of digital marketing is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
For small businesses, this is difficult to compete agains the larger companies. However I believe that all small businesses have the right to get found online, and by selecting the right keywords you have the chance to stand up to your larger competitors.
You’re going to need to research what your competition is doing and what keywords they are targeting.
A good tool to use when ensuring your content is optimised for the web is Google’s Keyword Planner. One benefit of this nifty little tool is that you can discover the popularity of certain search terms, targeting them through your own content. You can see the predicted impact of certain keywords – which helps with future content creation.
Give me a shout if you need any help with this!
4. Have a great looking website that works well
Your website is an insight into what your business is all about, so make sure that the user experience and journey are memorable (in a good way!).
People love to buy from small businesses rather than larger, less personable companies – this is where you can make a difference. So with your website, showcase what your vision is, what you offer and how your products/services can benefit them.
An online messenger on your website is also a handy tool in helping your small business thrive. To be able to answer any customer or client queries at the drop of a hat would enhance your business and help with getting good reviews.
5. And finally, showcase your reviews!
Show prospective clients or customers what people think of your business on your website or on your social media. This is part of the modern customer buyer journey – users read reviews before making a choice, so make sure your reviews can get found online.
By posting past testimonials, it will tempt new buyers into wanting to invest or potential clients to work with you. People care what others think, therefore having good reviews is a way of differentiating your small business to others.
