Digital marketing is a great way for small businesses to increase their visibility and gain new customers. 1/3 of customers (usually younger people) find new brands on social media. Google data shows that 49% of consumers search for new products using the search engine. It is not surprising that social networks and business websites are the two most important marketing channels with over 80% of marketers using these ways to reach potential customers. This is followed closely by email marketing which is not surprising since email packs $36 of return on each $1 spent on it. What is the bottom line here? To stay competitive, startups have to have a solid digital marketing strategy.
Not Identifying with the Target Audience
One of the most common mistakes made when small business owners are creating their digital marketing strategy is to jump in without knowing their target audience. This is especially true when they are just beginning their launch. The thought is they are trying to appeal to as many potential customers as possible. However, it has been shown that digital marketing strategies are most successful with a narrower audience and a clearer focus. Creating a custom persona and a customer-tailored strategy addresses ways to find the right audience.
Neglecting the Websites, Blogs, Featured Work Posts, and SEO
Digital marketing offers many ways for small business owners to engage with their audience. There is a heavy increase on social media. This means a lot of small business owners focus mostly on social channels at the expense of less flashy but important parts of digital marketing. This includes their business website, blog content, featured work posts, and SEO. Many small business owners are light on giving information and heavy on design, but they need their content to be SEO-optimized, and rich in content to rank in Google and boost their visibility. Blogs and featured work post especially tend to be sidelined. They may think that an article or showing what they are doing for their customers in a post seems outdated compared to more flashy trends like influencer marketing. However, blogs and featured work posts are still the most important part of content marketing and search engine optimization for small businesses.
Automation and Personalization Potential Remain Untapped
Another common mistake is not using automation and personalization. Many modern marketing platforms have a large potential. Technology enables marketers to change their content and message strategy to each customer’s preference. McKinsey researched this and found that 71% of customers expect to get a personal message from the companies they contact. Automation tools can help marketers streamline their workflow and reach more efficient results. However, the maximum benefit from these options must be planned for initially. By adding personalization and automation into their digital marketing strategy right away, small business owners can build a comprehensive data base.
Ignoring Social Proof
Why should customers trust a small business? These businesses are small and many times new so they don’t have a huge track record to be judged by. This is why small business owners with their marketing professions need to create social proof in their digital marketing strategy from the beginning. If a customer is buying from an unfamiliar company 95% of the time, they read customer reviews first. This is why showing testimonials can boost conversions.
Featured work posts are the most important thing you can have on your website and share on social media and email marketing. They show who you are working for, where you are working, and what you did for your clients, along with a 3rd party review.
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ABOUT MAIN STREET MARKETING
Since 2006, Main Street Marketing has been creating Internet Presence Solutions for small businesses mainly in the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky area. Main Street Marketing uses internet marketing, search engine optimization, social media, lead generation, and video to create a true Internet Presence for its clients. When integrated correctly, this core group of services provide results together that none of the services could provide on their own or in phases.
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