10 DIGITAL MARKETING TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

1. Competitor research is important because as a local business, you’ll want to be able to offer additional value in the market. 

Google Search is a great place to start. You can see how your competitors are positioning themselves within their ads.. Terms such as “No Call Out Charge” and “1 Hr Response” are great selling points. How do I differentiate myself from other businesses who more or less provide a similar service? Invent a differentiation you could use. Some of the factors that are pivotal is: Product, Distribution, Relationship, Reputation and Price.

2. Get your website basics right. 

Online users are becoming increasingly demanding in terms of the experience they expect from a website. They want a fast loading website as a minimum requirement. As a local business, you may not have the budget of the bigger firms, but you can at the very least get the basics right. How to balance a fast website with rich content. It is notable how much influence a slow website can have on your chances of converting new users into customers.

3. Improve Google My Business listing and customer reviews. 

Your online reputation as a small business owner could be the deciding factor when a prospective customer is searching for your product/service. With Google My Business, you have a level of control when it comes to managing how people see your business. Do not overlook these common mistakes: Duplicate listings and Customer reviews.

4. Create interesting blog content. Most industries today are very competitive. 

You would need to think about a content strategy that will drive results. Working with new or smaller businesses, it’s often the case that it’s unlikely to rank on the first page of a Google search. This would require a large budget and ranking for a broad term may not eventually lead to more customers. This is where your blog content plays an important role. Tips include: Putting the audience first, Making sure it’s SEO friendly, Correct tone of voice and Showing readers they can trust you.

5. Consider Google Ads for your small business. Google Ads is evolving but the principles remain the same. 

There are eight stages to follow: Set your goals, Do your research, Define your budget, Set your structure, Choose your keywords, Be relevant, Use strong messaging and Look at the whole picture.

6. Create professional visual content. Content marketing is an industry in its own right. 

Your content will form an important part of your digital strategy. Video is an area that is growing at an incredible rate. Marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of products or services, helped them increase sales and it has convinced people to buy products or services. There is a massive amount of people that are logging into YouTube each month. Big brands understand the power of video marketing.

7. Improve your SEO. Local SEO is important if you are primarily a local business. 

Link building as always is equally important. You can build local links from the following: Newspaper sites, Bloggers, Awards/festival sites and Sponsorship sites.

8. Develop email marketing. 

Some tips to keep in mind: Do you know the legal side of email marketing? Have you chosen a provider? Do you know what your competitors are doing? Do you know how to craft an effective email?

9. Focus on a primary social media channel. 

Social media marketing strategies are continuously changing along with constant platform updates. Which platform should you focus on? Focus on the social media platform most relevant to your business and where your customers are most active. Whatever you decide, have a primary social media channel that you’ll focus on growing. Chatbots and Artificial intelligence is a major trend going forward.

10. Partner with local influencers. 

Should Your Brand Work With Instagram Influencers? This is definitely an area of digital marketing that is growing and perhaps your business should consider it. Influencer marketing isn’t just for the fashion industry.

These tips should help your small business grow. If you have any questions or require Digital Marketing assistance don’t hesitate to contact us.