If you’re a small business owner, you might be wondering why digital marketing matters to you. After all, it’s not as though you can sell directly on Amazon or score a prime spot on Instagram. But that doesn’t mean that digital marketing isn’t for everyone.
The truth is that digital marketing is an incredibly powerful tool that can help any business get noticed and increase sales. If you want to learn more about digital marketing and how it might benefit your small business, keep reading!
What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing is a method of marketing that uses digital technologies, such as websites, social media, mobile devices, search engines and e-mail, to promote your products and services. Digital marketing has become the most effective way to reach new customers and grow your business.
How does it work?
Digital marketing uses various channels to reach your target audience. These include:
- Website design and build – a great website will help you achieve your goals, including lead generation and sales conversions.
- Social media – these popular platforms can be used to increase brand awareness, attract new customers and interact with existing ones.
- Email marketing – email is still one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers on a regular basis.
Why does your small business need it?
If you don’t have one, you’re missing out on opportunities to connect with your customers and grow your business.
Many small businesses still don’t have a website in 2019. In fact, statistics shows that twenty-three percent of small business retailers still don’t have a website in 2022. Why? The biggest reason is that many businesses just aren’t sure if it’s worth the time and effort to create one.
Here are some of the most common reasons why small businesses don’t have websites:
- They don’t know where to start
- They’re worried about how much it will cost
- They don’t think they need one
- They think they can just use social media instead
What are the benefits?
- Visibility – Websites are an easy way to gain exposure for your business. The more people that visit your site, the more likely they are to remember it when they next need your products or services.
- Lead generation – Create an email capture form that allows users to sign up for news, offers and promotions from your company – increasing lead generation and customer loyalty.
- Connections – A website offers many ways for visitors to share information with each other and connect with companies like yours through social media networks like Facebook and Twitter or by submitting their contact details via email forms on the site
What about traditional marketing channels?
Traditional marketing channels still matter. You should still be using traditional marketing channels like print and radio. They are still a valuable part of your overall marketing strategy, even if you have a website and a social media presence.
In fact, many small businesses that use digital marketing also use traditional marketing methods to supplement their digital presence. This helps ensure that they get their message out to as many people as possible in their target market.
Which types of digital marketing should my small business be using?
You need to think about what kind of business you have and which type of marketing will work best for you. For example, if you have a local business, then it makes sense to focus on SEO and PPC search campaigns. If your company sells something unique or has an interesting story behind it, then social media advertising might be a good bet.
How do I integrate digital marketing into my overall marketing strategy?
Digital marketing isn’t just about attracting traffic to your website, or building your brand online. It’s about providing value for your customers, and ensuring that you are meeting their needs at every step of the buying process. That means you should be thinking about how each digital channel can help you achieve your business goals — whether that’s driving sales, increasing customer loyalty, or targeting specific audiences.
Digital Marketing is a great way to reach a broad audience in an efficient and cost-effective way.
The best way to start integrating digital marketing into your overall strategy is by developing buyer personas. This helps you understand who your target audience is, what they want and need from a company like yours, and how they prefer to interact with brands online. From there it should be easy to tailor your content strategy accordingly – ensuring that it resonates with those key groups of customers at every stage of their journey.