Looking for some simple ways to improve your small business’ online presence in 2021? Check out these ten digital marketing tips that can help you take your marketing efforts to the next level!
Conduct Competitor Research
As a small business owner, you should know what your biggest competitors are up to online so that you can find ways to differentiate yourself and stand out for customers. Check out where competitors show up in Google’s local search results, watch how often they’re posting on their social media accounts, and see how many positive online reviews they have. This can help you identify gaps in your digital marketing strategy and ways you can catch up to (or better yet, outperform) what competitors are doing online.
Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
More and more customers use their smartphones or tablets to look for local businesses and local products or services. In fact, 52.2% of all website traffic comes from mobile phones. That means you need a mobile-friendly website. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile use and your page speeds are slow, it can make it harder for site visitors to properly use it and may lead them to leave your website. It can also possibly hurt your visibility in local search results, as Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means that it prefers to show websites that are already optimized for mobile vs. those that aren’t.
Create Engaging Content
You can come up with great website and social media content for your business simply by knowing who your customers are and what they value most. Whether you start an email newsletter to keep customers informed of discounts and sales, write informative blog content that helps customers find solutions to problems, or share fun videos on your social media platforms, you can use content to keep your customers engaged.
Build Out Your Email List
Growing an email list is a top marketing tactic for small businesses. Start collecting email addresses from existing customers and potential customers who show interest in your products or services. A couple ways you can do this is by asking for email addresses at a point of purchase or by encouraging those who visit your business website to sign up for emails to receive a discount. Then, once you’ve built your list, you can use it to share news with customers, build stronger customer relationships, and drive more sales.
Ask Customers to Leave Reviews
Nearly 87% of consumers read online reviews, making it crucial for small businesses to collect reviews from customers. Getting customers to review your business can be as simple as telling them how important their review is to you, showing them how to leave a review, or sharing a unique Google Review Link. As the business owner, you’ll also want to take time to respond to both positive and negative reviews to show that you value your customers and their experiences with your business.
Look for New Opportunities with Social Media
You can expand your business presence on social media by using your current platforms or trying new platforms! If your business already has an account on Instagram, you may benefit from using the shopping feature, which allows customers to shop directly from videos and photos without having to go to your website. Maybe you consider creating a TikTok account to share fun, entertaining videos about your products or services. Or if you’re looking to recruit top talent in your area, then your small business could benefit from having a LinkedIn account. The opportunities are endless when it comes to social media!
Partner with Local Influencers
An easy way to get your name out in a local market is to work with influencers in your area. Influencer marketing is an advertising strategy in which businesses partner with individuals who have strong social media followings. Before deciding to work with an influencer, identify good influencers in your area, the kind of content they generate, previous collaborations, and the costs of their service. As far as what you can collaborate on, it can be anything from guest blog content to social media posts!
Start a Podcast for Your Small Business
Podcasts are on the rise, and they’re a unique way to give your business a voice, more credibility within your local industry, and a personal connection with customers. When starting a business podcast, you’ll need some basic equipment like a microphone, recorder, and recording software, and you’ll need to determine your podcast format and how often you’ll publish episodes. More importantly, you’ll want to understand your customers and topics they’re interested in hearing about so that you produce engaging content for them!
Claim Your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) allows small business owners to create local business listings that feed directly into Google’s local search engine and Google Maps. Business owners can provide information like operating hours, contact information, and website links to connect with potential customers easier. Be sure to claim your listing and verify your business on Google. This can help you improve your business’ visibility in Google.
Clean Up Your Local Listings
97% of people learn about a local company on the internet, meaning customers are specifically searching for businesses near them. One of the easiest ways to get discovered by new customers is to create local business listings on websites and directories like Google, Yelp, Bing Places, and more. These listings contain your business name, address, and phone number, and it’s important that listings have accurate and consistent data. Take some time to comb through your local business listings to ensure everything is right!
Need help managing your local business listings? Local Search Fuel by Hurrdat is designed specifically to help small businesses claim, update, and manage their local listings. Get started today!
