If you are a small to medium-sized business, competing with
larger enterprises can be a challenge. You are likely to have a much smaller
marketing budget and fewer resources to implement strategies. That being said,
that doesn't mean that you can't try and succeed when it comes to marketing
your business!
There are several digital marketing techniques that are
perfectly suited to SMEs, many of which can be carried out with little to no
investment and limited expertise.
Whether you are looking to increase brand awareness, promote
a new product or service or expand your customer base, the below digital
marketing strategies promise to transform your business and see you soaring
above your competitors.
Ready to get started? In just 5 minutes, you will know
exactly what you need to do to promote your business online and grow your
business in 2023 and beyond.
1. Social media marketing
The vast world of social media is showing no signs of
slowing down and with new social media platforms emerging every year, it has
never been more important to have a strong social media marketing strategy in
place for your business.
While you may think that having a social media page on all
the major platforms is enough to get you noticed online, this couldn't be
further from the truth.
If you want to be able to compete with larger businesses,
then you need to be implementing consistent social media marketing campaigns
that actively target and engage with your target audience.
When it comes to social media marketing for small
businesses, it is better to focus on the social media platforms that your
customers are regularly using. For example, if you operate within the retail
sector, then Instagram is a must, as this platform enables you to showcase your
products in the best possible light. Alternatively, if you target professional
clients, then LinkedIn would be a superior choice.
You also want to make sure that you are consistent in your
efforts, as it can be incredibly frustrating for your followers to see lots of
posts from you one day and then not another one for weeks. If you are worried
about forgetting to post on all your social media platforms, then there are
several online tools that you can use to schedule posts, such as Buffer and
Social Oomph.
Some of the most effective ways that you can use social
media marketing to promote your small business include the following:
- Showcase your brand story
- Create compelling online videos
- Start with fewer social media platforms
- Practice social listening
- Seek feedback from your followers
- Promote competitions and giveaways
If you are not particularly confident on social media, then
you may want to seek out small business social media marketing services that can do all the legwork for you.
2. Email marketing
If you have a very tight digital marketing budget, then you
may be interested to know that email marketing has one of the best ROIs (return
on investment) out of all the available digital marketing strategies.
To the uninitiated, email marketing involves the promotion
of products and services electronically. This could be via email newsletters,
updates, promotions or generic messaging.
It is worth noting that this popular form of digital
marketing relies heavily on you having a comprehensive list of names and emails
of people who are interested in your business and the products or services that
you sell.
There are many practices that you can adopt to grow your
contact list, such as offering incentives to sign up for your email newsletter
and adding a link to sign up on all your customer correspondence.
Remember that all your emails should include clear calls to
action so that your customers know what they need to do next. This could be a
link to your website or your latest blog.
Some of the most effective ways that you can use email
marketing to promote your small business include:
- Personalize your messages
- Segment your subscriber list
- Send mobile-friendly emails
- Test your emails regularly for performance
- Use email marketing automation tools
- Track and measure your performance
3. Content marketing
Great content has never been more sought after and has the
potential to revolutionize your business. If you do not already have a content
marketing strategy in place, then now is the time to create one.
Enabling you to promote your products or services in a
manner that is not overly promotional and also in a way that offers the
customer added value, content marketing is another highly effective digital
marketing strategy that doesn't have to cost the earth.
If you are new to content marketing, then the most important
thing to remember is that you need to provide your target audience with content
that is both useful and relevant.
For example, if you sell gardening tools, then you shouldn't
be writing a blog about the latest iPhone or Nike trainers. While this may seem
obvious, you may be surprised at just how many websites create content centered
around trending topics that have nothing to do with their business.
Consistency is also key as you want your customers to be
able to rely on you for information, and you also want them to visit your
website, read your blogs and follow your posts on social media on a regular
basis.
Some of the most effective ways that you can use content
marketing to promote your small business include:
- Make your content evergreen
- Use relevant keywords
- Focus on creating content that is relevant to your niche
- Use a content calendar for scheduling
- Create video content
- Read comments for content ideas
- Be consistent in your efforts
4. Influencer marketing
One of the lesser-known forms of digital marketing,
especially in the world of small businesses, influencer marketing can be highly
effective but only when carried out correctly.
Ideal for SMEs that want to increase brand awareness and generate more quality leads, influencer marketing
involves using influencers within your niche to promote your business.
As a digital marketing strategy, influencers are great for
increasing engagement as most already have a loyal fanbase who trust their
opinions and recommendations. While many business owners think that you have to
partner with an influencer who has a massive number of followers, this is not
actually the case. In fact, it can sometimes be more effective to opt for an
influencer who has a smaller but more targeted following.
If you have never tried influencer marketing before, then
you need to make sure that you approach your chosen influencers in the right
way. You need to make it clear how you can benefit their brand as well as how
they can help you.
Some of the most effective ways that you can use influencer
marketing to promote your small business include:
- Share user-generated content
- Use testimonials from influencers
- Offer a promotion with your chosen influencer
- Take advantage of storytelling
5. Search engine marketing
Although many find this task daunting, search engine
marketing is crucial for small and medium-sized businesses as it provides a way
for you to compete with larger companies within your niche.
Search engine marketing is all about getting your business
to be more visible on search engine results pages (SERPs), and in particular,
on Google.
Search engine marketing is closely linked to content
marketing, as you need to optimize your content if you want it to be more
visible on SERPs. There are many SEO strategies that you can utilize, such as
link building, keyword research, content optimization and pay-per-click (PPC)
advertising. To enhance your search engine marketing efforts, consider outsourcing link-building services for SMB to experts who can help boost your online visibility and compete effectively with larger players in your industry.
It is also worth noting that if you are a local business,
local SEO is a must, as this can help drive footfall to your store.
Some of the most effective ways that you can use search
engine marketing to promote your small business include:
- Use search retargeting
- Carry out in-depth keyword research
- Create compelling content
- Optimize your title tags and headings
- Make sure your site is easy to navigate
Conclusion
While there are many more digital marketing strategies that
you could try, the above five offer the best return on investment for small
businesses. When it comes to choosing the right digital marketing strategies
for your brand, it can be a good idea to first determine your goals, as in what
you want to achieve from your next digital marketing campaign
Do you want to increase your visibility online? If yes, then
search engine marketing is the right place for you to start. Or perhaps you
want to engage more with your customers and attract your target audience? If
this is the case, then social media marketing is just what you need.
If you are new to digital marketing, don't think that you
need to take on all of the above at once. Start with the most relevant strategy
and gradually build your number of campaigns from there. If you are still not
sure, reach out to the experts that do this work daily to benefit from their
skills and knowledge.
Remember, it is better to do one thing well than lots of
things below par.
Good luck and happy marketing!
