Just like any business, the ultimate goal of your company is to generate revenue. However, this is impossible if people aren’t aware of your existence. Effectively marketing your business is crucial for profitability, especially in today’s digital age. Online platforms provide abundant opportunities to reach your target audience, opportunities your competitors are likely capitalizing on. Staying ahead requires the development of a digital marketing strategy.
What does digital marketing entail for small businesses, and what tactics does it involve? We’ll delve into both questions below. Keep reading to gain insights, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more digital marketing tips. Benefit from over 10 years of our agency’s experience!
What is digital marketing for SMBs?
Digital marketing for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) refers to a versatile approach in promoting products or services through digital channels. In simple terms, it encompasses all marketing and advertising activities conducted via digital mediums, primarily on the Internet and devices such as phones or computers. This strategy allows SMBs to leverage the power of online platforms to reach and engage their target audience, fostering brand awareness and driving business growth in the digital landscape.
What does digital marketing for SMBs include?
Digital marketing for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) encompasses a diverse range of strategies falling under its expansive umbrella. These strategies may target users through social media platforms, concentrate on search engine optimization, or utilize email campaigns. Despite their varied approaches, the ultimate objective remains consistent — to generate leads and convert users, thereby increasing revenue for the company.
Given the prevalence of digital media in today’s landscape, these strategies hold a significant advantage over more traditional forms of marketing. The dynamic and interactive nature of digital platforms enables SMBs to connect with their audience more effectively, fostering a higher level of engagement and adaptability in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
4 top-notch digital marketing strategies
Addressing digital marketing for SMBs as a whole may prove limiting due to its vast scope. Instead, a more effective approach involves breaking it down into specific strategies. Among the myriad of small business digital marketing strategies, four particularly distinguish themselves for their notable significance and effectiveness. Let’s delve into each of these strategies below!
1. Search engine optimization (SEO)
Achieving favorable Google rankings involves tailoring your content to meet Google’s intricate algorithms, which consider various factors in result ranking. Incorporating specific keywords, or search terms, into your content is a fundamental step to signal Google about the searches where your content should appear. Additional actions to enhance your content’s chances of ranking on Google include:
- Earning backlinks (inbound links to your content)
- Optimizing images
- Creating a Google Business Profile profile
- Implementing HTTPS
- And more!
A well-executed SEO campaign can position your content in the searches your audience conducts, introducing them to your business and ideally prompting them to make a purchase!
2. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
SEO isn’t the sole avenue for online SMB marketing that taps into Google’s reach. In addition to striving for top organic rankings, you can secure a prominent spot on Google search result pages through paid advertising, specifically, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. PPC involves paying advertising platforms—Google Ads being the most prevalent one—to showcase your business ads above the organic search results. These ads closely resemble organic results, with the sole distinction of the “Ad” label in the top corner.
To initiate a PPC campaign on Google Ads, start by compiling a list of keywords you wish to target. Subsequently, bid on these keywords based on your willingness to pay for ad display. When someone searches for these keywords, Google displays ads from the bidders, considering factors such as:
- Bid amount
- Quality Score (Google’s assessment of an ad’s overall quality)
With an adept bidding strategy and well-crafted ads, you can connect with users on Google in an entirely new manner. A noteworthy aspect of this small business advertising approach is that you only incur costs for PPC ads when users click on them, rendering it a highly cost-effective strategy when executed proficiently.
3. Social media marketing and advertising
Did you know that the average user dedicates 28% of their Internet time to social media? This is why social media marketing frequently constitutes a significant aspect of successful small business digital marketing strategies. Advertising where people spend the majority of their time enhances your chances of reaching them effectively.
Social media marketing commences with establishing an account for your business, a step achievable on one or more platforms. Some optimal platforms for marketing include:
- Snapchat
- And more!
From your business account, you can share compelling marketing materials that cultivate interest in your brand. Content like team introduction videos or infographics explaining your product functionality proves to be excellent for engaging posts. In addition to organic social media content, you can capitalize on paid social media advertising. Most platforms facilitate running paid ads, often in the form of in-feed ads—those seamlessly integrated into users’ social media feeds.
4. Web design and development
Ultimately, all your online SMB marketing endeavors are directed towards one crucial destination — your website. This is where the final push for user conversion occurs, underscoring the critical importance of holding your web design to the same high standard as your other marketing strategies.
Several factors contribute to effective web design. Initially, your site serves as a branding tool, with chosen visuals and language communicating how you want users to perceive your business. Simultaneously, various technical features require optimization, including:
- Page load speed
- Mobile-friendliness
- Clear navigation
- And more!
Avoid the scenario where users visit your site only to quickly navigate away. Digital marketing for SMBs revolves around persuading users that your business is worth their investment, and your website should impeccably reflect that.
