If you run a small business, you’ve likely considered online marketing.
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No matter what you are doing, online marketing is a fundamental aspect of brand success in the modern world. Our article offers business tips you can implement to increase your sales and visibility.
Although your firm may be small, a large online presence can boost sales and help you grow. Small companies around the world rely on online marketing techniques to ensure they have a steady stream of site traffic and paying customers. Take google pay casino, for example. Wagering experts know that frequent website interaction is the key to converting traffic into loyal clients.
The casino uses online marketing strategies like customer sign-ups, following with email newsletters containing information about deals and promotions. Maintaining communication with customers in this way prompts them to use the site more and often leads to more organic interaction than impersonal methods like social media ads. So, what can a small business learn from companies like this? We dive into the world of online marketing for small brands to find out!
Small Business Online Marketing Plan Essentials
- Develop an SEM Strategy
When devising a marketing plan to advertise your small business, it’s important to recognize how certain strategies drive customer traffic online. An SEM (search engine marketing) plan will allow you to cover the basics of this and combine SEO marketing with social media. SEO stands for search engine optimization and translates to the keywords or most commonly searched words surrounding your topic. Utilizing SEO in your online platforms – both your brand website and social media through things like hashtags and promotional content – is vital to improving your business ranking on searches. Don’t underestimate this – it is how customers discover you and some of the best small business advice you will get!
- Use Social Media in a Targeted Way
While small business owners must embrace social media in 2020, social media marketing should be used in a targeted way. This primarily involves doing some research beforehand to find out who your target audience is. Identifying your market comes under essential small business definition (i.e., defining your brand and determining specifically who it is for.) Once you’ve understood your audience, you should work out which social media platforms generate the most traffic for you. Wherever this is, it is likely the platform that gets the most interaction from your target demographic.
While it’s fine to have a smattering of information across several social media sites, focus your energies on the one that will actually drive customer interest, sales, and conversion rates. You should also consider which format works best for your content. For example, products with good visuals will lend themselves to Instagram, whereas blog or newsletter updates might do better on Facebook. Either way, social media is a great place to build a community that loves what you do and is prepared to rally around and support small businesses.
- Embrace Influencer Culture
Working with influencers is a great online marketing plan for small businesses that want widespread exposure. The data is clear: customers respond overwhelmingly positively to embedded advertising, particularly when it is embedded in the content they enjoy promoted by someone they trust. Influencers strike that balance between promoting a product and giving a genuine reaction or review. Modern consumers respond to authenticity, and this style of marketing can really boost your reputation.
Reach out to influencers in your product area and offer free samples for them to review on their platforms. For example, if you sell make-up or workout gear, there are plenty of health and beauty influencers who will likely agree to try it. Influencers also often use tactics like promotional discount codes or small giveaways, so consider these options if you can afford them. You can also set up a virtual conference with them and you can give them a virtual conference bag as part of your promotion campaigns.
- Use Word-of-Mouth
Think word-of-mouth is a quaint, old-fashioned method for drumming up publicity? Think again! With online marketing, word has never spread faster, and, as always, good news travels fast. One way to assert themselves is to offer discounts for referrals. This can work well if you operate a B2B (business to business) service and anticipate large contracts with clients rather than single product sales. Make sure you work out your pricing and solidify your small business quotes before offering discounts of any kind so that they are built into your budget.
Testimonials are also a great way to let others know how incredible your products or services are. Ask customers to share testimonials or post them on your website and social media platforms. This reassures people that you are legit and will offer them great value.
- Start a Blog or Newsletter
A blog is a great way to engage your customers in the day-to-day workings of your small business and build your public profile. Use your blog as a place where you can share updates about your company or tips and advice on managing a startup. For example, if you offer financial services, you can share insights on the best places to get small business loans or ways to invest in your business. No matter what you provide, a blog can help you lay out your mission statement and business ethos for the client. Invite customers to share experiences and reviews in the comments for optimal engagement.
A weekly newsletter is also a perfect way to update people on upcoming products, releases, or events. It also builds up consistent contact between you and your audience, and interacting with your brand becomes part of their regular schedule. Just be careful to leave enough time between updates not to bombard the customer.
Conclusion
Taking advantage of online marketing can make a huge difference in the survival and success of your small business. Even making small, strategical tweaks to your online marketing can add up to a huge increase in customer engagement or product sales. Embrace online marketing today, and watch your brand grow.
Final Call: Do you run a small business and market yourself online? Do you use any of the methods outlined above? Let us know in the comments!
Thomas Glare (Author)As a former litigation lawyer, Thomas has plenty of business experience. He is a business school graduate and holds an MBA. Right now, he delved into the world of startups with his own company: a consultancy firm.