The world is heading towards globalization and digitization. People’s inclination to online services and smartphones is increasing by leaps and bounds, and this has forced entrepreneurs to revamp their existing business models. Increasing penetration of smartphones and wide access to the interest has definitely accelerated the digitization process, but the corona pandemic has added fuel and forced many business owners to pivot and adopt digital solutions to keep their business afloat.
People are confined inside their homes, and we have seen how their habits and preferences towards shopping and ordering have been changing. Their reliance on digital services increases, from finding restaurants to online grocery delivery apps to paying bills to order medicines. And because of this, it is imperative for businesses to have a strong digital presence in the years to come.
Source: We Are Social
At the beginning of 2020, Forbes claimed that businesses would spend $1.3 trillion on digital marketing services, and irrespective of size and type, every business today needs to adopt digital marketing techniques to stay competitive. Small businesses are also going digital, embracing various techniques, and going mobile to reach their customers effortlessly and cost-effectively.
However, digital marketing has become highly competitive these days; unless you follow the right tips, you might get lost in this digital world. There are a thousand tips to consider, but all of them depend on how wisely you practice them.
Essential Digital Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
More than four billion people are using the Internet worldwide and another research has revealed that on an average nearly 3.4 billion monthly active social media users, going digital is the only way businesses can implement to reach a larger audience.
Earlier, large-scale enterprises preferred to go digital, but today, from mom and pop stores to retailers to mid-scale businesses, everyone is leveraging digital solutions to stand one step ahead in this highly saturated business world. Before a couple of years, we saw only eCommerce brands and multinational companies promoting their business on social media, but today, even brick-and-mortar taxi businesses also want to have an app like Uber to beat the competition and streamline their business operations.
Therefore, we can say that digital marketing today is at the center of any marketing plan for any type of business, irrespective of size and business type. Stepping into the digital marketing world is rewarding as it builds your brands online and allows you to expand your business horizons.
As mentioned before, there is an extensive range of digital marketing techniques, all of which have their own perks and loopholes. Therefore, consider the below-mentioned tips that increase your small business’s reach and conversions in 2021 and beyond.
Focus on Long Term Goals
Digital marketing is a long-term process; it means you need to update its norms and algorithms continuously. You can not achieve results fortnight. Hence, you need to set a goal for what you are doing and what kind of outputs you want to get in the end when it comes to internet marketing. Do you want to build a solid online presence? Do you want more customers? Do you want to increase awareness about your product? Or is it all of the above?
Set smaller goals and start walking on the path to achieving those goals. In the beginning, you need to set smaller and reasonable goals like wanting to get a thousand followers on the Facebook profile page or something like this. Slowly and steadily, set big goals and climb on the ladder step by step with a solid plan and strategy.
Having a specific goal will smooth your marketing journey and transform your brand image.
Focus on Mobile
Source: Business2Community
In 2016, mobile overtook desktop users as the preferred device for Internet access. According to Statista, smartphones accounted for more than 53% of global website traffic, and this will continue to grow in the coming years. It means no matter in which business you are occupied, your website and application need to be mobile-friendly and compatible across all devices.
According to recent research by Google, more than 49% of people accepted that they would not do business with brands that deliver poor mobile experience. What does it mean? It means your website should be mobile-friendly and clutter-free. In order to satisfy modern consumer’s needs, you should focus on mobile-first.
Small businesses can either get started with a ready-made website builder, or it would always be advisable to hire an expert website designer who can build responsive web pages. So that your customers can spend less time finding and more time clicking and buying.
Start a Blog
Digital marketing tips would be incomplete without mentioning blogs. Starting a website blog is very important where you can share knowledge that will boost rankings and set you apart from the crowd. And why not? Website content is static, you can not change it every day, but the blog is a space where you can update content, demonstrate your expertise, and share your knowledge.
Share fresh, quality content that is relevant to your industry and add some value to your readers and subscribers.
Example:
If you are running a small restaurant business, you should post content related to how the restaurant industry is going digital, what benefits restaurants get from online ordering, why social media is important for food business owners, and whatnot.
Write quality content, research your keywords and search volume and then post engaging content that your users find interesting and keep them engaged. You can also share some tips such as what to look for when opening a new restaurant, what dishes you can add to your menu, what kind of legalities need to perform when opening a restaurant, etc.
Incorporate SEO Fullest
One of the most successful and result-driven marketing campaigns you can get started immediately in 2021 is SEO. more than 60% of marketers today invest in SEO as it allows you to understand what your customers are searching for and what kind of practices you can follow to get results.
Optimize your website more often and rank your keywords your customers are searching for. It will drive more traffic to your website and apps and also appear on the top in Google SERP results.
Use SEO tools such as Ahrefs and SEMRush to find out what people in your industry are looking for, what trends are going on, and what kind of activities you can follow to increase the potential of your website.
Focus on Multiple Social Media Platforms
Social media users keep increasing, so take full advantage of the popular social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote your business. It will help spread out your products and services globally. The more you share quality and engaging content on social media profiles, the more customers and followers you will get. To boost engagement, you can also get started with Facebook ads, plan out social media strategy, and use tools like Buffer, HootSuite, etc., as it will expand your business network and facilitate customer trust.
Digital marketing today is the key to unlock your small business’s potential. No matter which business you operate, having an online presence is important these days. Follow the tips mentioned above, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the outcomes in the long run.
Author bio
Deep Moteria
Deep is an aspiring entrepreneur and Co-founder of Elluminati Inc. Deep having led 75+ startups on the right path with their information-admiring entrepreneurial skill and guidelines. Along with that he loves to craft content on topics including on-demand economy, entrepreneurship, technology trends and many more.