A Small Business Marketing Guide for 2018 and Beyond

Forbes magazine published an article discussing how 80 to 90% of consumers will research their purchases online before buying. As a small business, it’s becoming increasingly important for your brand to have an online presence. In 2018, it’s marketing suicide to leave digital marketing absent in your advertising and outreach campaigns. By optimizing your assets online, you can create a stronger overall presence and use your website as an avenue for driving leads and customers.

Use SEO and PPC for exposure in search engines

Search engines hold the lion’s share of most online traffic. If you can tap into even a small fraction of this traffic, you will have a steady supply of leads or customers for your business. Imagine never having to worry about sales again. SEO and PPC provide this potential.

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization is about using the right keywords on your website so that search engines understand the content you provide, as well as your products or services. You can use keyword research tools to find low competition phrases that are easier targets for your business in search engines. By using these phrases naturally and authentically within the content you produce, you can start to drive organic traffic to your website. Keep in mind, with SEO, it does take time for search engines to index your content and recognize you as an authority in your niche.

What is PPC?

PPC is often referred to as search engine marketing and rather than having to wait for your content to get indexed and ranked in search engines, you pay search engines directly to rank at the top. PPC ads are charged on a per click basis and the amount you pay per click is determined by the competitiveness of the keyword phrase you’re targeting. Industries that are highly competitive will cost more per click than industries that are less competitive.

Use email marketing to build an audience

Email marketing has remained one of the most effective online communication methods for decades. Rather than losing the traffic that’s not ready to commit to a sale and purchase your product or service, you can give those visitors an out, so to speak, by subscribing to your email list. Here, you can continue to publish great content and direct those subscribers to new blog posts, while also subtly pitching your products or services. Email marketing allows you to build a tangible asset of subscribers that are valuable to your business.

Use promotional products to build your brand’s identity

Promotional products come in a variety of forms. There’s the traditional coffee mug or polo shirt, as well as less common items such as necklaces, bandannas, keychains, and more. Promotional products are a great way to increase brand awareness and recognition in your industry. By simply selling products that represent your brand’s identity, you give consumers an opportunity to showcase who you are and what you’re about, everywhere that they go. Promotional products are an underrated and reliable way to get recognized locally, build a community that’s aware of your brand, and have quality products with your name on it. Just like you see with companies advertising their name and services on vehicles, promotional products bring professional branding to virtually any item.

Use content marketing and social media marketing

Content marketing is closely connected to social media marketing because they both revolve around providing great content that engages the reader and provides them with something to remember. In order to be successful on social media networks, you first need to build your blog, create videos, design infographics, or produce other types of media. This content gives you a medium to communicate to your audience on a level that’s beyond being a salesman. Content allows you to address the consumer’s pain points, help them with their problems, and genuinely provide value to their life.

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