Are you a small business owner looking to attract more customers from the internet, but unsure how to navigate the complex world of digital marketing?
You’re not alone.
As the owner of a brick-and-mortar ice cream shop as well as a digital marketing agency, I’ve been in your shoes. In this post, I’ll share 10 essential elements of digital marketing for small businesses, so you can earn more revenue online without getting scammed or feeling stranded.
Position your customer as the hero, not your business
The first principle is to shift your mindset and messaging. Many businesses position themselves as the hero – “We’re the best, we have the most experience, etc.” But customers don’t care about that. They care about how you can help them be the hero of their own story.
Instead of saying “We’re the best home security company with 40 years experience,” say “You work hard to provide a peaceful, secure life for your family. Choosing us ensures your home remains a safe haven for your loved ones, like we’ve done for generations.” See the difference? Make your customer the focus, the admirable hero. Position your business as their helpful guide.
Claim and optimize your Google My Business profile
Google My Business (GMB) is a free profile hosted by Google that appears on the right side of search results for your business name. It includes your business info, hours, photos, products/services, and customer reviews. An optimized GMB profile can get 200+ interactions per month and really boost your local search presence.
Tips to maximize your Google Business Profile:
– Verify ownership of the profile
– Complete all info fields thoroughly
– Add attractive photos showcasing your business
– Encourage customers to leave Google reviews
– Post updates, offers and events regularly
Actively manage your online reviews and reputation
77% of consumers regularly read reviews when searching for local businesses. While you can’t control what people write, you can control your responses. Respond to ALL reviews, positive and negative, in a timely, professional and empathetic manner.
Remember, your reputation depends more on how you reply to a negative review than the review itself. Always be courteous and take the high road, even if the reviewer is unreasonable. Apologize for their experience, assure them you take the feedback seriously, and offer to make it right. Other readers will respect your professionalism.
Ensure consistency across all your online business listings
Beyond just Google, dozens of other online business directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Bing, Apple Maps, etc. contain listings for your business. Inconsistent or inaccurate information across these listings (like different phone numbers or old addresses) hurts your credibility and search rankings.
Audit your listings to ensure your business name, address, phone, website, hours, etc. are accurate and consistent everywhere. Consistency signals to Google and consumers that you are a well-managed, credible business. Tools like Yext and Moz Local can help manage your listings.
Invest in a professional, high-converting website
Your website is your digital storefront and most important marketing asset. But there’s a lot more to an effective website than an attractive design. It needs to be:
– Fast loading
– Mobile-friendly
– Secure (using https)
– Well-structured
– Optimized for search engines
– Designed to drive conversions
Unless you’re a pro, don’t try to build a cheap DIY website. Invest in hiring an experienced web design company who can build you a site that looks great, works well, and achieves your business goals. A poor website will cost you a lot more in the long run.
Improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Getting your website to appear on the first page of Google won’t happen by accident. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art and science of improving your site’s technical setup, content relevance, and link popularity to rank higher for relevant search queries.
SEO has two main components:
1) On-Page SEO – Optimizing individual web pages by researching keywords, writing in-depth content, crafting enticing titles/descriptions, building internal links, improving page load speed, leveraging structured data, etc. The goal is to make it crystal clear to Google what each page is about and why it deserves to rank highly.
2) Off-Page SEO – Earning links, mentions and shares from other authoritative websites. The more high-quality websites link to your site, the more Google views your site as trustworthy and important. Tactics include digital PR, guest blogging, broken link building, influencer outreach and more.
Good SEO is a long-term investment that can pay off big over time. But it takes knowledge, skills and persistence. Consider hiring an experienced SEO consultant or agency to audit your site and implement a sound strategy.
Publish valuable blog content consistently
Adding a blog to your website is one of the best ways to attract more visitors, showcase your expertise and convert leads into customers. In fact, websites with a blog tend to have 434% more indexed pages and 97% more inbound links.
Each blog post is a new opportunity to get found in search engines for relevant keywords. It’s also great fodder for email newsletters and social media posts to keep you top of mind with customers.
For maximum impact:
– Post new articles every 2-4 weeks, minimum
– Write 1500+ words per post
– Use language your customers use when searching
– Include images, headings, lists to make posts readable
– Have a clear call-to-action on each post
– Promote posts via email, social media, etc.
Yes, blogging takes effort. But it’s the gift that keeps on giving. One great post can attract website visitors and generate leads for years. If you don’t have time to write yourself, hire a freelance writer with experience in your industry.
Experiment with paid social media and Google ads
While organic social media and SEO are important, they can take months to show results. Paid online advertising lets you reach your target audience much faster. The two main options are:
1) Google Search Ads – Your ads appear above organic search results when people search for keywords you’re targeting. You only pay when someone clicks your ad.
2) Social Media Ads – Paid ads look similar to regular posts but can be targeted to specific demographics, interests and behaviors. Platforms include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and more.
To succeed with online ads, you need to:
– Identify your exact target audience
– Write compelling ad copy
– Use eye-catching images/videos
– Link to relevant, high-converting landing pages
– Define your daily/monthly ad budget
– Track and measure results
Most importantly, always be split testing! Run two versions of an ad simultaneously, with one element different (headline, image, call-to-action, etc). Put more budget behind whichever version gets more clicks or conversions. Then create a new version and split test again. Continuous iteration is how you keep improving results while lowering costs.
Get active on the social media channels that matter
61% of small businesses use social media marketing, and for good reason. An active social presence helps you:
– Engage with customers
– Drive traffic to your website
– Generate leads and sales
– Build trust and loyalty
– Gain a competitive advantage
Focus on quality, not quantity. Don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to be on every social network. Research where your customers spend time online and start with 1-3 channels.
Here are some realistic posting frequencies for each channel:
– LinkedIn: 20 posts per month 1/business day)
– Instagram: 30 posts (1/day)
– Facebook: 15 posts (every other day)
– Twitter: 150 tweets (3/day)
– TikTok: 30 videos (1/day)
– YouTube: 4 videos (1/week)
Of course, more frequent posting is even better, but don’t sacrifice quality for quantity. Provide a variety of valuable content that educates, entertains and inspires your audience. Respond to comments and messages promptly. And don’t forget to analyze your results so you can refine your strategy over time.
Stay consistent by developing clear systems
My final piece of advice is this powerful quote: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.” Achieving digital marketing success isn’t about huge, heroic efforts. It’s about committing to the right daily and weekly actions, consistently over time.
To stay consistent with your digital marketing, focus on these three things:
1) Clarity – Get crystal clear on your current situation, goals and priorities. Do an audit of your digital presence, identify gaps, and make an action plan.
2) Systems – Develop simple, repeatable processes for content creation, social media posting, email marketing, etc. Document these in checklists, templates and SOPs. Automate and schedule what you can.
3) Support – Don’t try to do everything yourself. Build a team of skilled, reliable people (staff or freelancers) who can implement the systems and get results. Consider hiring an agency for more complex areas like web design, SEO and advertising.
MasterBrand Studio Provides Knowledge, Tools, and Support for Digital Marketing
Don’t let digital marketing overwhelm you. With the right knowledge, tools and support, you can thrive online and achieve your business goals faster. Follow these proven essentials and stay consistent. As you do, you’ll win more customers and earn more revenue, without getting scammed, stressed, or left stranded.