When you think of marketing, you tend to bring up pictures of big, high-budget campaigns. As a small business, investment in marketing should focus more on volume.
It is important to have a plan in order to get the most out of every dollar. Competition can be fierce online. You need to plan, manage and optimize digital channels against defined targets. An integrated digital strategy is best for most start-ups.
Digital marketing includes website design, social media, online advertising, email advertising, SEO, etc. The main goal of most of your digital marketing strategies is to drive traffic to your website. This makes your website very important. It should have a responsive design. This means it makes sense and is easy to navigate on mobile devices. Visitors to your site should be able to click on your contact information and read it easily without having to zoom in. The idea is to convert customers. You want visitors to your site to contact you or buy your products or services.
Mobile device compatibility is imperative. Approximately 42-percent of client traffic comes from mobile devices. Google’s algorithm awards higher rankings to websites that are optimized for mobile visitors. This one factor could determine whether your business shows up on the first page of the search results or on pages two or three. Small business websites should make sure they are mobile friendly.
Many internet users are seeking out answers to questions. These people are more likely to land on your site if you implement rich answers to questions related to your business. Provide answers to commonly asked questions in your industry.
When it comes to social media marketing, know your customer base. If you pay more attention to feedback from customers than what experts are saying, you will get much better results. There is no one size fits all formula. When posting on social media, you are communicating with your most loyal customers. These are the people that made the decision to follow you. You are representing your business with every post, picture and link. Keep this in mind. Try not to overload your followers with specials and promotions. It becomes tiring. Instead, mix in engaging content.
Another great affordable way to connect with clients and customers is through email. Social media posts don’t always reach all of your followers due to changes on Facebook and Instagram. With email, you have your customer’s undivided attention. Treat their inbox with respect. Click through rates have been found to be 50 to 100 times better in email than social media. Develop an email marketing plan. Give information away for free. Develop trust and your customers will want to buy whatever you are offering.
Providing relevant informative information is a great way to develop a following. Many small businesses are wary of giving too much information away for free. They think if customers know how to do things on their own, they will not look to their business for answers and solutions. This is not true. Some individuals are self-reliant and are going to seek out a way to accomplish tasks on their own. But many people are looking at this content as a way to verify competency. If they feel you are trustworthy, they will choose to work with you.
Digital marketing for small business may seem overwhelming. That is why it is important to develop a plan early on. Know your customer and target audience. You are not trying to attract everyone. You are trying to attract your people. Your website is the Mother Ship. Treat it as such. All other marketing tactics should direct people to your website. Here you will convert visitors into customers. Choose social media platforms where your target audience hangs out. Don’t overwhelm them with advertisements. Provide good, engaging content. Don’t underestimate the power of email. The most important thing is to stay true to your business.
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Good summary John of the key issues that matter for small business when it comes to marketing. It’s so easy for business owners to feel they have to be on every new platform going but I like your message about sticking to the basics, especially email marketing.