Many small businesses don’t have dedicated marketers. They rely on employees who wear multiple hats or the business owner themselves to execute marketing strategies.
They prioritize channels that cultivate authenticity, like social media and email marketing. These channels give them direct access to their audience, making it easier to build brand ambassadors.
Social media
Social media is a powerful tool that can help small businesses reach, develop and maintain relationships with their customers. It can be used to create a brand, attract customers and drive sales. However, it is important to understand how to use social media effectively.
Authenticity on social media can foster trust and lead to increased customer receptiveness. It can also help establish your company as a thought leader in your niche. In addition, social media can increase website traffic. Adding your website address to posts and ads can direct your followers to your site.
Another way to promote your business is to start a blog. It is free to create and can be used to drive traffic, improve online visibility, and strengthen your SEO. It is recommended that you write blogs that are relevant to your niche, and include keywords in a natural manner. Make sure that your posts are informative and engaging, and post them at the right times to ensure maximum exposure.
Email marketing
Email marketing is a form of small business marketing that involves sending automated emails to current and potential customers. These emails can be targeted to different audiences, and they should be optimized for mobile devices. In addition, they should have a compelling subject line and a clear call-to-action.
To develop an effective email strategy, it is essential to understand your audience and use the best practices for writing. For example, you should avoid using emoticons and excessive slang. Aside from this, you should also make sure that your email content is up-to-date and relevant.
A professional-looking website is a great way to showcase your business and its products. It will help your business establish a presence on the web and serve as a central hub for all of your online and offline marketing activities.
Online reputation management
Online reputation management is a form of small business marketing that helps companies manage their online image and protect their brand from damage. This involves monitoring online conversations and addressing negative content quickly. It also includes developing strategies to prevent future reputation crises.
Many businesses are unaware of the impact of their online reputation on their bottom line. For example, a negative autocomplete value on Google (such as ‘lawsuits’, ‘complaints’ or’scam’) can have significant effects on search engine results and lead generation.
Small business marketers can use tools like customer relationship management (CRM) to collect and organize prospective and current consumer data in one place. Combined with online review management, this can help improve the effectiveness of their campaigns. It can also boost their brand visibility through rich snippets on search engine results pages. This can include star ratings, reviews, and pricing information. These features can drive customer engagement and ultimately business growth.
Search engine optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a form of marketing that helps businesses reach customers by optimizing their website to make it more visible in search results. This involves creating valuable content and using keywords throughout, as well as ensuring that your site is easy to crawl and index.
Small businesses often don’t have the resources to invest in high-end marketing solutions, so they need to be creative. They can take advantage of “solutions as a service” to avoid large upfront investments and scale up their efforts with a predictable monthly fee.
Another way to promote your business is by leveraging mobile apps. Popular mobile apps like Yelp allow you to list your business in local searches, which can help potential customers find you. Additionally, you can use the WPForms Conversational Marketing addon to create surveys and polls that can be used to collect customer data. This information can then be used to target advertising to customers who fit your ideal customer profile.
