There are a lot of digital marketing strategies out there, but it can be tough to know which one is the best for your business. From social media marketing to search engine optimization, these tactics will help small businesses get their foot in the door with digital marketing.
Of course, it’s important to note that what works for one business may not work for another. What’s more, digital marketing isn’t the only consideration: the product or service itself is still at least as important as anything you can do online.
Nevertheless, these six low-cost tactics will put small businesses on the right track for digital marketing.
Strategy #1 Social media marketing (SMM)
Social media marketing (SMM) can be daunting for small business owners who don’t have the time or money to invest in dedicated social profiles. The good news is that you don’t need an entire team to get started with SMM — a few good links and a bit of creativity can help grow your customer base online, giving customers more reasons to choose your business.
A Tip for Entrepreneurs: Use Pinterest to sell product pinboards
Pinterest is a valuable tool, and it offers small businesses opportunities for relatively low-cost ad placement. To get started, create a board that highlights your products or services. Strategically place links within the description of the pins so that customers can click through directly from your business’s account onto your website.
Strategy #2 Search engine optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a tried-and-tested tactic that businesses consider integral to their overall strategy. Though SEO may not be as cheap as some other tactics, it can certainly provide excellent value for the money spent on it. This is because online marketers are constantly fighting over search engine rankings. Hence, businesses that can rank better than their competitors will likely see a significant return on their SEO investment.
A Tip for Entrepreneurs: Make sure you have the basics covered!
When it comes to SEO, don’t just stop at your website — make sure that all of your digital properties are adequately optimized as well. For example, if you have a blog or e-commerce store, getting these properties ranked can help increase your online presence and customer base.
Strategy #3 Video marketing
Video marketing can be a great low-cost marketing tactic, especially for small businesses with ready access to talented videographers. With these videos, companies can promote their product or service directly through their website or YouTube channel, helping customers learn more about what they’re offering.
A Tip for Entrepreneurs: Use video to humanize your brand
When marketing your business through video, don’t be afraid to use it as an opportunity for humanizing your brand. People tend to trust brands run by real people, so make sure you feature yourself or employees in the videos you post online. For instance, if you run a hardware store that targets DIYers, you could create a tutorial video showing the audience how to install electrified door locks on their own. Or, if you run a bar or restaurant, post videos of your staff making drinks or food.
Strategy #4 Blogging
Blogs are a great way to extend the reach of your business. They can also benefit small businesses in many ways, including customer outreach, thought leadership, and traffic generation. All you need to start blogging on your website is a content management system (CMS). If you use CMS platforms like WordPress, there are plenty of free plug-ins that will help you generate traffic via blog posts.
A Tip for Entrepreneurs: Feature your employees
When writing blog content, don’t be afraid to feature your employees in the post. Customers like to feel connected with businesses they frequent, so including real people can go a long way towards building trust and getting potential customers excited about what you’re offering.
Strategy #5 Email marketing
While some digital marketers may tell you that email is dead, don’t believe them! Email remains one of the best tools for customer engagement and retention in any business’s toolbox. If you’re starting an email campaign with your brand, begin building your list by collecting business cards from customers.
A Tip for Entrepreneurs: Make sure you have a strong call to action
When crafting email campaigns, make sure every message has a strong call to action that drives customers back to your website or social media pages. Keeping customers engaged with your brand is the best way to ensure they’ll return for more.
Strategy #6 Landing pages and popups
Lastly, text and image-based landing pages can be a great way to capture prospects’ attention and direct them towards what you’re offering. These landing pages should include strong calls to action that will entice potential customers to submit their information in exchange for free content (such as eBooks) or to make a purchase.
A Tip for Entrepreneurs: Keep landing page design clean and simple
Don’t be afraid to use images on your landing pages-in fact, including a photo can help drive more conversions. However, make sure that any photos you include are relevant to the offered content. Keeping things clean and simple is a surefire way to ensure a higher conversion rate for your landing page.
Small businesses can use plenty of digital marketing strategies to get their name out there and grow their customer base. If you’re just starting your campaign or looking for new ideas on how you can optimize your current strategy, these tips should help give you an idea of where you should start.
